Did you know that Europe Day is celebrated each year on 9 May? On 9 May 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman delivered a historic speech and plan for deeper cooperation in Europe. Known as the Schuman Declaration, it paved the way for a new era of peace, integration and cooperation across the continent – laying the foundations for the European Union (EU) as we know it today. To celebrate Europe Day, institutions in Brussels and across the EU are inviting everyone to visit their premises and explore some of the Union's most famous spaces. It is a good opportunity to learn more about the work of the European Union’s institutions. This year, the event also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first official Europe Day celebrations and public use of the EU flag and anthem. Have a look at the Europe Day website to discover the programme in Brussels and across Europe!
Wish to get more insight into the work related to the ocean in the European Union?
- Have a look at the European Commission’s Ocean and Fisheries website;
- Explore the European Commission’s Maritime Forum;
- Dive into the Map of the Week to learn about the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’ which addresses the urgent need to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems, eliminate pollution, and make the blue economy carbon-neutral and circular (click on the symbols on the map layer to read a short description of each Mission Action and get additional details);
- Learn about the European Ocean Pact and the current public consultation on the European Ocean Act;
- Find out about the OceanEye, the European Ocean observation initiative;
- Check out the programme of the European Maritime Day 2026 which will take place on the 21-22 May 2026 and European Maritime Day In My Country.
Curious to know more about the European Union?
- Learn about the history of the European Union;
- Get a better understanding of the European Union institutions;
- Discover the 24 European Union official languages and explore the European Atlas of the Seas in the 24 languages;
- Explore the Learning Corner.
The data in the map is provided by the European Commission.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.