Fisheries and Maritime Affairs

I. Presentation of the Commission Green Paper
II. Areas of intervention identified by the Commission in the Green Paper
III. The French-Spanish-Portuguese contribution to the European maritime policy
IV. Consultation process

On 7 June 2006, the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs, Mr. BORG, presented a Green Paper outlining the major directions of a future integrated European Union maritime policy. The Green Paper arises from the decision taken by the Commission, in 2005, to launch a consultation on the future of Europe’s seas. President Barroso then tasked Mr. Borg with leading a Maritime Policy Task Force [1] with a view to launching an extensive consultation on a future maritime policy for the EU. The conclusions of the European Council of 15-16 June welcomed the launch of the debate on maritime policy, in anticipation of the proposals that the Commission is expected to present in autumn 2007.

The Green Paper adopts a cross-sectoral approach, in order to integrate the different sectors and resources of the EU’s maritime life, specifically the environment, transport, fisheries, research, industrial aspects, border security, and overseas and outlying regions. The Green Paper endeavours to emphasize the interactions and interdependences that exist between these areas. In addition, it stresses that this convergence of many different issues is not an exception, but rather the norm, because it reflects the richness and diversity of Europe’s seas and oceans.

The Green Paper identifies the following issue: it is necessary to establish a truly integrated maritime policy, which, while strengthening the protection of the marine environment, will open untapped possibilities of growth and employment. How should we proceed in order to meet this ambition?

The Commission believes that the maritime policy should adopt a “holistic” approach and be based on two mainstays: the Lisbon Strategy and the improvement of the status of the ocean. This policy should be developed in the respect of the principle of subsidiarity.

The Green Paper is based on five main themes:

1. The preservation of Europe’s supremacy in terms of sustainable development of maritime activities. The Commission reiterates the economic challenges linked to the maritime sector: the EU is the world’s leading sea power (maritime transport, shipbuilding, coastal tourism, energy production at sea), accounting for 40% of the world’s fleets, and is one of the world’s biggest fishing powers and the biggest market for fish-based processed products. The strength of Europe’s maritime sector lies in its entrepreneurial spirit and its ability to innovate.

This part of the Green Paper then addresses several aspects related to the competitiveness of the sector:
  the environment: the Commission notes that a healthy marine environment is an essential condition for the sustainable use of our marine resources. From this standpoint, the maritime security policy plays a key role in protecting the marine environment and could contribute to the achievement of thematic strategic goals for the marine environment;
  innovation, which the Commission stresses is the essential characteristic for the maritime policy (need to develop a European research strategy related to the marine environment and an opportunity to create a European research network for the marine environment) and for the other policies (fight against climate change, security of supply, etc.);
  maritime employment, which is at the heart of the Commission’s concerns because of the extreme shortage of highly qualified staff (strengthening of current maritime training programmes and instruction, improvement in the working conditions in the maritime sector and the appeal of maritime careers);
  maritime clusters, which must be promoted in order to encourage synergies between related sectors;
  the fragmented nature of the regulatory framework.

2. Maximizing the quality of life in coastal regions , taking into account the population living along or near the coasts and the emergence of a growing demand for maritime leisure services. This maintenance of quality of live and employment encompasses several issues: increased accessibility of coastal areas, improved transport infrastructures, adaptation to coastal risks by reducing the vulnerability of these areas (pollution, natural disasters, illegal activities), enhancement of the heritage. The Commission finds the concept of an integrated strategy for the management of coastal waters (GIZC) decisive in order to address the connections between the coastal and maritime issues at the level of management of the land/sea interface.

3. Tools to manage our interactions with the oceans , requiring reliable, harmonized data: on the marine environment, on shipping movement. To this end, the Commission suggests that a European marine environment observation and data network be created. Some tools that already exist or are in the process of being created (GMES, INSPIRE) could be part of this network. The Commission also wants to explore another path concerning cartography (“European Atlas”), with the institution of European programmes intended to establish an exhaustive mapping of Europe’s coastal waters. This would cover the movements of ships - and the Commission stresses the usefulness of the SafeSeaNet system.

There is also the issue of funding for all of these measures: the challenge is to take advantage of the EU’s financial instruments to support the objectives of the EU’s maritime policy. If the principle source of funding comes from the cohesion policy, TEN, European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument and EIB funding, etc. should be taken into consideration.

4. Maritime governance, an essential challenge related to the fragmentation of policies: how can the coordination and integration of sectoral policies be ensured, in order to take advantage of the economies of scale made possible by technology? The Commission proposes a few principles that could, it believes, make it possible to define an integrated approach: guarantee that the available scientific and technical recommendations will be taken into consideration, consult with the parties concerned, better coordinate the sectors concerned and resources needed, ensure that objectives are cohesive. The Commission indicates that the Council could decide to create a horizontal working group parallel to COMAR (which handles international legal issues), tasked with supporting the endeavours of COREPER in the preparation of Council decisions on maritime issues requiring cross-sectoral discussions.

Moreover, the European Union must not disregard the strong international dimension of the management of maritime issues and must use its influence to the best of its abilities with international maritime authorities: rapid ratification of international conventions, development of new concepts. Certain dossiers are already being handled at this level: protection of the marine environment, biodiversity, dismantling of end-of-life ships, the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). Accordingly, the Member States will have to debate the status and role of the European Union in the international organizations that handle maritime affairs.

Tighter coordination should make it possible to achieve economies of scale and to heighten the cohesion and profitability of the public authorities’ activities. Thus, the Commission proposes that an annual conference be held on the good practices in the area of maritime governance.

5. The re-appropriation of Europe’s maritime heritage and the reaffirmation of Europe’s maritime identity. The Commission deems it necessary to support Europe’s maritime heritage and to bring out a sentiment of maritime identity. It proposes several paths to this end: creation of prizes intended to reward good practices in the area of concrete application of the principle of integration of maritime activities, creation of the “Atlas of European seas” database which comprises an inventory of underwater archaeological sites, definition of an action programme for the EU in order to encourage synergies between the activities conducted at the various levels.

1. A French-Spanish-Portuguese memorandum, a joint contribution made by these three countries to the future European policy, was communicated to Commissioner Borg on 27 April 2005. This collaboration was part of the extension of the joint measures taken following the Erika and Prestige disasters. The action undertaken was intended to develop a common European vision and action regarding maritime issues: the objective is to achieve a position shared by the EU25, which will then result in a coordinated and unified EU-level action in the international organizations, the International Maritime Organization, in particular. The memorandum that we presented followed three main lines:
  The development of a common European vision and action regarding maritime issues, going past the intra-European divisions, which have been expressed in key dossiers (problem of “single-hulled” ships, convention on the civil liability of transporters (CLC), criminal penalties against polluters on European territory);
  The promotion of a sustainable sea economy, through the development of high-quality maritime transport that respects the environment (development of alternatives to road transport, training of quality professionals), the promotion of sustainable use of resources (remuneration of fishermen, exploitation of energy deposits), the consideration of risks, justifying a coordinated monitoring and security policy, enhanced security (European resources in the fight against pollution), the promotion of marine industries and technologies (shipyards) and the promotion of leisure activities;

- Increasing our knowledge of the ocean, with the development of weather-oceanographic forecasting systems and marine scientific research.

A one-year consultation period will follow the publication of the Green Paper. This consultation will take many forms (written and formal contributions, round-table discussions) and will bring together diverse players (Member States, NGOs, international organizations, the European Parliament, the Council). A big European conference may take place in June 2007 to conclude the consultation process, which will end on 30 June 2007.

[1] The Task Force was conducted by a group (steering committee) of seven Commissioners (environment, transport, business, energy, regional affairs, social affairs and fisheries), led by Mr. Borg.

   The EU website on the subject