Brussels, 01/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 7 June, the European Commission is to adopt the Green Paper entitled “Towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union: A European vision of oceans and seas”. The aim of the Commission is to create synergies between the different chapters of maritime policy (maritime transport, industry, energy, fisheries, marine environment, etc.) in order to stimulate growth and job creation in the EU's coastal regions. The publication of this Green Paper triggers consultation procedure with Member States, the Parliament and parties interested, lasting until the end of June 2007. By end 2007, the Commission will be publishing a communication summarising the conclusions of this procedure with proposals to develop an EU Maritime Policy.
We recall that the Green Paper gives the result of work launched last year by a task force under Commissioner Joe Borg, comprised of Commissioners Verheugen, Barrot, Dimas, Hübner, Potocnik and Piebalgs (EUROPE 8900).
The Commission explains that the Green Paper on the future Maritime Policy seeks to address the challenges in relation to the oceans and seas “in a holistic and cross-sectoral way”. To date, policies relating to maritime transport, industry, coastal regions, energy production at sea, fisheries, the marine environment, socio-economic cohesion and other related areas have evolved in a partitioned way because no-one took the trouble of studying how they could be mutually combined or reinforced, the Commission notes, saying that the time has now come to put all these pieces together to form a new vision of how to manage our relations with the oceans. The Green Paper comprises six main areas for action and reflection, these being:
Sustainable maritime development: The Commission assesses the importance and the prospects for growth of the maritime economy. It stresses that, in the context of surging globalisation, the maritime sectors must continue to base their growth on innovative products. The paper therefore places emphasis on the existing Community research and innovation programmes and sets out ideas for a more integrated approach encompassing the actions of Member States. The Commission above all advocates the creation of a research network and suggests the development of “maritime clusters” (including research activity, economic players, training bodies and public authorities concerned). The Commission also stresses the need to take into account these new challenges facing the maritime world and presents a number of promising breakthroughs in the energy sector and that of marine biotechnology.
Quality of life in coastal regions: The Green Paper looks at the role of the coastal regions in maritime affairs and that of maritime tourism. It presents a reflection on the best ways to manage relations between activities at sea and those on land, for mutual enhancement.
Relation to the seas and oceans: The Commission is in favour of creating a Community network for managing maritime data and calls for greater integration and development of networks already in place in order to monitor maritime traffic movements in EU coastal waters. The Green Paper also urges for a spatial planning system to regulate economic activity in coastal waters. The aim of such initiatives is to create a sort of atlas of the European seas. Finally, the Commission recalls the important role played by Community financial assistance in favour of the coastal regions (Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund).
Governance: The new perception of seas and oceans brings traditional approaches into question (sectoral or geographic division) and calls for a more integrated decision-making policy based on the principle of subsidiarity, the Green Paper explains, stressing that integrated policies are the most effective way to use technology to best advantage for large-scale savings. In this chapter, the Commission explains what the development of a maritime policy implies. It also suggests a structure for repartition of the actions to be carried out by the European Community and by the Member States respectively for implementation of spatial planning. The Commission also suggests that the EU's common maritime area should be opened up to other activities, such as cabotage between Member States, and suggests the creation of a European coastguard.
International scene: Maritime policy must have an external dimension, as the oceans of the world are linked together and the regulations concerning them are often made at global level. International regulations are the best way to act in areas such as climate change, the marine environment and the protection of biodiversity, navigation or fisheries, the Commission points out.
Maritime heritage: The Commission has launched a debate on ways to encourage actions relating to maritime heritage and on the role that education plays in developing a common vision of the role of seas and oceans. The Commission also aims to promote a more favourable image of maritime activity and to contribute to improving the performance of these sectors.