# CE2004088EN.01026201.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/262 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/262

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(2004/C 88 E/0267)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0981/04

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) and Guido Sacconi (PSE) to the Commission

(30 March 2004)

Subject:   Protection and conservation of the marine environment

Subject:

On 19 June 2003 Parliament adopted a resolution on the Commission communication: ‘Towards a strategy to protect and conserve the marine environment’ (P5_TA(2003)0295). In the resolution Members called for greater integration of environmental protection considerations into decision-making processes and for the protection and conservation of marine ecosystems, which are of vital importance in safeguarding biodiversity.

Parliament also called on the Commission to put forward, as soon as possible, a consistent and harmonised thematic strategy on the marine environment, not least in view of the current critical state of some marine ecosystems.

Can the Commission state whether, when it drew up the strategy, it took due account of the following:

| — | the precautionary principle; |
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the precautionary principle;

| — | the concept of sustainability; |
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the concept of sustainability;

| — | a strategic environmental assessment; |
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a strategic environmental assessment;

| — | an integrated approach to address threats caused by all human activities affecting the marine environment and a careful assessment of their impact on this environment and the mutual influence and dependency of such impacts; |
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an integrated approach to address threats caused by all human activities affecting the marine environment and a careful assessment of their impact on this environment and the mutual influence and dependency of such impacts;

| — | an integrated approach regarding coastal and offshore marine management; |
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an integrated approach regarding coastal and offshore marine management;

| — | a regional approach taking into account regional diversities, ecological characteristics, threats and socio-economic aspects; |
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a regional approach taking into account regional diversities, ecological characteristics, threats and socio-economic aspects;

| — | strategic marine spatial planning for the regional seas covering the whole of the EU continental shelf, which would introduce a plan-led approach to the sectoral decision-making systems? |
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strategic marine spatial planning for the regional seas covering the whole of the EU continental shelf, which would introduce a plan-led approach to the sectoral decision-making systems?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

(30 April 2004)

The Commission is currently in the process of drawing up a European Maríne Strategy. As part of this process, a Stakeholder Conference will be organised jointly with the Dutch Presidency in November 2004. Publication of the final proposal is foreseen in March 2005.

The main elements of the foreseen strategy will be a common approach for all European seas, combined with:

| — | a specific regional approach to enable regional problems and solutions to be addressed; |
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a specific regional approach to enable regional problems and solutions to be addressed;

| — | a holistic integrated approach to address all human uses impacting on the marine environment. |
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a holistic integrated approach to address all human uses impacting on the marine environment.

An essential element in the implementation of the strategy will be an ecosystem approach for the management of human activities impacting on the marine environment which will take account of all the elements mentioned in the Honourable Member's written question.

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