We introduce the analogue of Manin's universal coacting (bialgebra) Hopf algebra for Poisson algebras. First, for two given Poisson algebras P and U , where U is finite dimensional, we construct a Poisson algebra BpP, U q together with a Poisson algebra homomorphism ψ BpP, U q : P Ñ U b BpP, U q satisfying a suitable universal property. BpP, U q is shown to admit a Poisson bialgebra structure for any pair of Poisson algebra homomorphisms subject to certain compatibility conditions. If P " U is a finite dimensional Poisson algebra then BpP q " BpP, P q admits a unique Poisson bialgebra structure such that ψ BpP q becomes a Poisson comodule algebra and, moreover, the pair `BpP q, ψ BpP q ˘is the universal coacting bialgebra of P . The universal coacting Poisson Hopf algebra HpP q on P is constructed as the initial object in the category of Poisson comodule algebra structures on P by using the free Poisson Hopf algebra on a Poisson bialgebra ([2]).