Christos Theophilou
Team Leader -EU maritime security and surveillance ( DG MARE . A . 3 ) European Commission
Christos Theophilou joined DG MARE in 2005 as an intern , and as of September 2020 leads DG MARE ’ s Maritime Security and Surveillance team . Having an academic background in Marine Biology , with a Bachelor ’ s Degree from the University of Wales and a Master ’ s Degree from the University of South Florida , and relevant work experience in Florida , Christos has handled numerous files within DG MARE pertaining to aquaculture , fisheries , blue economy , maritime regional cooperation and currently , maritime security and surveillance .
" Maritime Security : a prerequisite for a sustainable blue economy "
• DG MARE is implementing a sustainable blue economy through action pertaining to multiple sectors : marine living resources , marine non-living resources , marine renewable energy , coastal and maritime tourism etc .
• The EU launched the first-ever Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy in 2020 , harnessing wind , wave , and tidal energy for clean and sustainable energy production . Member States will install approximately 110 GW of offshore renewable generation capacity by 2030 and around 320 GW by 2050 .
• Between 2021 and 2023 , DG MARE has produced guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture ; the initiative promoting sustainable consumption and production of algae ; and the Energy Transition Partnership to reduce the carbon footprint of fisheries and aquaculture by 2050 .
• Within the framework of the MSP Directive , the European Commission is working with the Member States to implement an ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning ( MSP ) to optimize the use of EU seas .
A safe and secure maritime space is essential to the development of the sustainable blue economy , to preserving freedom of navigation , external border control , the supply of essential materials and for protecting economic activities and citizens , both at sea and on shore .
The EU Maritime Security Strategy ( the EUMSS ), first adopted in 2014 and revised in October 2023 , ensure that the EU has a wide range of effective tools to address :
● new and evolving security threats and challenges in the sea basins around the EU and beyond ;
● the nexus between climate change , degradation of the marine environment and maritime security ;
● as well as hybrid and cyber-attacks targeting maritime infrastructure .