Brussels, 4 November 2026. MEP Jeannette Baljeu hosted a policy lunch at the European Parliament on Strengthening EU Shipyard Competitiveness through Enhanced Sustainability, in collaboration with the EU Horizon project CirclesOfLife consortium. The event brought together EU policymakers and representatives from across the maritime manufacturing value chain to discuss how circularity and sustainability can strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Europe’s maritime industrial base.

Sustainability as a driver for European competitiveness

Opening the policy lunch, MEP Jeannette Baljeu highlighted the importance of European sustainability and innovation in enabling the sector to take the next steps. European shipyards and maritime manufacturers operate in a highly competitive international market, where differences in energy and recycling costs can have a significant impact. A strong European maritime sector is essential to the EU’s strategic autonomy, security and economic strength. The key question is how Europe can translate its ambitions on sustainability and innovation into a stronger and more competitive maritime manufacturing industry. A central message was that sustainability should not be regarded solely as an environmental objective, but as an increasingly important component of European industrial competitiveness. CirclesOfLife demonstrates how European shipyards can measure and improve their environmental performance, identify opportunities for improvement and translate sustainability efforts into tangible value.

Press release
Click here to read the press release featuring contributions from the speakers.

Booklet
During the EU Policy lunch a booklet was presented that describes how CirclesOfLife advances Circularity and Competitiveness in European shipbuilding and the maritime manufacturing sector. Click the following link to view the document: ‘Strengthening EU Shipyards Competitiveness through Enhanced Sustainability’

Photography Maryne Despres