Lates updates from the final steps
Filing an Ombudsman Complaint
March, 31st 2026 - Sadly, the European Commission leaves the 1.1 million voices for a shark fin trade ban waiting. Every year, over 100 million sharks are killed — while political commitments remain unmet and timelines quietly expire. This is not just a delay. This is a failure of democracy. That’s why we have taken action: We have partnered up with lobby experts in Brussels and filed a formal complaint with the European Ombudsman against [...]
Shark Lab at EU Ocean Week
October 15th 2025 - We are back in Brussels for #EUOceanWeek, one of the key moments shaping Europe’s ocean policy. As part of it, we hosted our own Shark Lab event with our valued partners in the EU Parliament. We were supported by MEP Manuela Ripa, who stands firmly with us in calling for a complete ban on the shark fin trade. The event brought together Members of Parliament, Commission officials, and ministry representatives from various [...]
Making waves at UNOC
June 9th-13th 2025 - At the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice (France), our StopFinningEU team called for a European ban on shark fin trade – a fight that is far from over. We met with key EU decision-makers, including the Commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries, and built strong alliances to keep the pressure on. Moreover, we hosted our own, official side event, “Direct Democracy for Marine Conservation,” highlighted the incredible power of civic engagement. [...]
#EUOceanWeek
Sept, 30th – Oct 4th 2024 - Recently, our team returned to Brussels for #EUOceanWeek, where we proudly joined Seas At Risk as a new network member. We took part in a pivotal launch at the European Parliament: Alongside over 140 partner organizations the Blue Manifesto – A Roadmap to a Healthy Ocean by 2030 was unveiled. This powerful document outlines concrete steps for the newly elected EU decision-makers to protect the ocean. We’re thrilled [...]
Consultation Event in Vigo
On July 9, 2024, a significant step was taken in the fight for shark conservation at the European Commission's Stakeholders’ Consultation Event in Vigo, Spain. This meeting, held at the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) in the “capital of shark fishing,” was organized to bring together fleet owners, lobbyists, traders, NGOs, and environmental advocates for a balanced dialogue on shark protection. This consultation marked an essential moment in the movement to safeguard declining shark populations. [...]
EU Parliament Hearing
Another major step towards our journey for a #FinBanNow in Europe is complete. On March 27 our selected group of experts spoke on behalf of 1,1 million Europeans who signed the EU Citizens Initiative “Stop Finning – Stop the Trade”. Now the ball is in the court of the EU – until July 11, 2023 they have to make up the right decision on how to proceed. It should be crystal clear by now: After [...]