Brussels, 05/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - By giving fresh impetus to integrated maritime policy, the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council plans to carry off one of its greatest successes. The informal ministerial meeting to be held in Nicosia on 7 and 8 October will be rounded off with the signature of the Limassol Declaration, in the presence of European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The declaration is presented as providing the guidelines for the future development of integrated maritime policy. Efthemios Flourentzou, Cypriot Minister for Communications and Works, who is to chair the informal meeting, explains that “the declaration will provide guidelines, not only for existing but also for new sectors of sea exploitation, therefore highlighting the ways in which the sea and the oceans can be used to contribute to growth and to the EU's overall economy”. The Limassol Declaration echoes the Lisbon Declaration of 2007, which had given rise to integrated maritime policy. The Cypriot Presidency therefore also wishes to take stock of the ups and downs of the policy over the past five years. The declaration will be composed of two pillars. On one hand, there is “blue growth” to contribute to the EU's economic growth and attain the EUROPE 2020 objectives and, on the other, there is the external dimension of integrated maritime policy for cooperation with EU's neighbouring countries that share the same sea basins. The declaration will also promote the exchange of data between member states. Flourentzou points out that it is an initiative that comes exclusively from the Cypriot presidency, which is why it will be considered as one of the success stories of Cyrpus' six months of office as, as the Cypriot minister explains, it is hoped it will contribute to European policies and to economic growth by using resources from European seas. (MD/transl.jl)