Brussels, 26/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The integrated maritime policy was at the heart of discussions at the first public meeting of the Seas and Coastal Affairs Intergroup, attended by Maritime Affairs Commissioner Maria Damanaki, at the European Parliament on 24 March. Corinne Lepage, chairwoman of the intergroup, which is made up of over 40 MEPs of various nationalities from six different political groups, launched “an area for debate: we need more coherence and an ambition for maritime Europe, why not lead multilateral talks to ensure improved management of maritime issues during this mandate?”
The aim of the intergroup is, in the words of Lepage, to “address maritime questions in a cross-cutting manner, and to be a source of proposals, through working in close collaboration with all stakeholders concerned such as representatives of regional and local authorities, trade unions, economic groups and NGOs”.
Lepage said that the intergroup had already identified a number of areas for debate, all cross-cutting issues and including: - employment: the potential is huge as a source of jobs and “we have to think conversion of the economy”; - adaptation to climate change and protection of marine biodiversity: a meeting on this issue will take place in June; - waste, and, more generally, protection of the coastline.
In her speech, Commissioner Damanaki highlighted this Commission's priorities in maritime issues: firstly, integrated maritime governance, and then an approach for maritime basins (strategies for the Atlantic and North Sea are currently under consideration, in addition to the Baltic Sea Strategy and the strategy for governance in the Mediterranean already in place) and, finally, consideration of the external dimension and of sustainable economic growth for innovation and employment. She stressed the importance for cross-sectoral thinking to make use of synergies “wherever possible”, in order to deliver “blue growth” and create jobs. She also spoke of the role of the regions and said she was open to “a new form of cooperation between regions and member states” that can contribute to the implementation of the integrated maritime policy.
The maritime regions, represented by Eleni Marianou, Secretary General of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), invited the commissioner to be “the innovative promoter of the Integrated Maritime Policy, but also, within the college of commissioners, to be the ardent advocate of the integration of a maritime approach in other EU policies in support of smart, ecological and socially inclusive growth”. (L.C./transl.rt)