Details
- Identification
- PDF ISBN 978-92-9405-384-8 doi:10.2926/9406227 HZ-01-26-060-EN-N
- Publication date
- 25 May 2026
- Author
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
Description
This study responds to the urgent need for a comprehensive, evidence-based understanding of the state of EU coastal communities.
Against the backdrop of the European Ocean Pact (2025) and growing policy interest in coastal resilience, this study provides an evidence-based assessment of EU coastal communities across 22 Member States.
To this end, this report provides a factual analysis of the characteristics, challenges, and support mechanisms relevant to coastal communities, illustrating remarkable community responses through a series of case studies.
Key results showed that EU coastal communities host over 90 million residents, generate nearly 38% of EU GDP, and rely on a distinctive combination of natural capital and blue economy assets.
A detailed analysis on the internal and external pressures affecting coastal territories is included, showing that they are highly heterogeneous and face significant, place‑specific challenges:
- accelerated urbanisation and land‑use pressures in coastal cities;
- demographic decline and limited service provision in rural and remote areas;
- environmental degradation and climate‑related risks (sea‑level rise, erosion, extreme events);
- labour and skills shortages;
- pressures on traditional sectors such as fisheries;
- socio‑economic volatility linked to tourism intensity and seasonality.
A dedicated analysis explores the existing support mechanisms at the EU level to identify existing gaps and needs. The study concluded that coastal communities are crucial to the EU’s green, blue, and digital transitions, yet require stronger, better-targeted support. Coastal resilience will depend on integrated land–sea planning, improved monitoring and data availability, sustainable management of natural resources, skills development for emerging blue economy sectors, enhanced cooperation across governance levels, and more coherent and accessible EU funding.
Ensuring that coastal communities can mitigate risks, harness local assets, and seize new opportunities is essential to safeguarding their long-term viability and their contribution to EU-wide strategic objectives.
