Brussels, 16/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 May 2008, the European Commission is organising a maritime policy stakeholder conference in Brussels, coinciding with the first annual 'European Maritime Day' on 20 May, which will focus on the regional approach to implementation of the integrated European Maritime Policy launched by the Commission in October 2007 (see EUROPE 9520). The conference will be chaired by the director general of DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Commission, Fokion Fotiadis, and will be attended by national and European players involved in implementing the maritime strategy. Joe Borg, EU Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French Secretary of State for European affairs, Radovan Zerjab, Slovenian Transport Minister, and Joao Mira Gomes, Portuguese Secretary of State for national defence and maritime affairs, will be participating. The conference will be addressed by national and regional industry representatives, who will give their views on five topics - 'The Maritime Industries Forum as an example of overarching non-regional and regional aspects'; 'Ideas for continued stakeholder dialogue and for Maritime Day 2009'; 'What challenges for the regional implementation of maritime policy?'; 'What role for the regions in the Maritime Strategy Directive?'; and 'Life on the Coast' with tangible examples from Brittany, Scotland and Schleswig-Holstein. Michel Delebarre, Vice-President of the Committee of the Regions, Patrick Verhoeven, Mayor of Dunkerque, and Claudio Martini, Secretary General of ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation) and President of the CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions) will also be intervening. The European Maritime Day idea was launched in December 2007 with the aim of highlighting the importance of seas and oceans, and giving maritime industries greater visibility and greater recognition. At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the presidents of the EP, the Commission and the Council will sign a joint tripartite statement on the issue and several other initiatives are being organised across Europe. (A.By)