EN Official Journal of the European Union C 267/39

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Towards an integrated maritime policy for better governance in the Mediterranean’

(2010/C 267/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Introduction

1. shares the view that the Mediterranean region presents unique opportunities as well as challenges, particularly in relation to governance issues;

2. is saddened to note that the Mediterranean area is still an area in which very disparate socio-economic conditions exist;

3. observes further that the Mediterranean Sea is a closed and fragile environment which is subjected to intense, and often dangerous, maritime activity;

4. emphasises the importance of promoting a sustainable approach to the use of the marine resources available, in the interests of both present and future generations;

5. notes with regret that prolonged human intervention and the over-exploitation of the natural resources in the Mediterranean Sea are leaving a heavy toll on the state of the marine environment;

6. supports the view that increased economic maritime activity and environmental protection can go hand in hand subject that there is a proper governance mechanism in place, seeking to arrive at a happy balance between the economic aspects on the one hand and the social and environmental dimension on the other;

7. notes that the overall objective of the Commission is to achieve greater economic returns from the sea while reducing the impact on the ecosystem in the Mediterranean;

8. supports the view that whilst primarily intended for Member States, in order that an Integrated Maritime Policy be successful - particularly within an area such as the Mediterranean where only a third of the states are EU Member States – it is essential that a stronger level of mutual understanding and cooperation with the non-EU Mediterranean partners, is achieved;

9. welcomes the Declaration of the Adriatic Ionian Council on the support to the EU Strategy for the Adriatic Ionian Region, adopted in Ancona on 5 May 2010 by the eight foreign ministers of the Adriatic & Ionian Initiative's participating countries (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia), which seeks, inter alia, to promote fundamentally joint development policies by the EU Member States and other countries participating in the AII, particularly through the encouragement for the establishment of joint development strategies involving local players and particularly local and regional authorities,

10. underlines the fact that the marine environment and the governance thereof has a significant impact on, and is in turn directly impacted by, the local and regional dimension;

Key Challenges

11. recognises the complexity of the issues and of the pressures exerted on policy-makers when dealing with such an important link in the European and global economic fibre as is the Mediterranean;

12. notes that the present levels of economic activities, particularly in such areas as maritime traffic and the trans-shipment of goods, fishing, and tourism, are bearing a marked imprint on the Mediterranean eco-system leaving an increased level of environmental degradation in its wake;

13. shares the concern that the combination of pollution from land sources and ships, litter, impacts on biodiversity, overfishing and coastal degradation in the Mediterranean needs to be adequately addressed with urgency;

14. is conscious of the fact that the unique cultural and natural heritage present in the Mediterranean area is increasingly under threat;

15. is equally aware that the Mediterranean regions is a high risk area in terms of the potential effects of climate change;

16. welcomes the acknowledgement that seaborne irregular immigration is a cause of major concern in the region, and is supportive of the call for cooperation with Mediterranean partners in countering this phenomenon and the correlated loss of human lives;

Towards Improved Maritime Governance

17. shares the concern that in most Mediterranean states, each sectoral policy is pursued by its own administration, thus rendering an overview of the cumulative impact of maritime activities a difficult objective to attain;

18. is equally concerned with the fact that the large proportion of marine space demarcated as high seas makes it difficult for coastal states to plan, organise and regulate activities that directly affect their territorial seas and coasts;

19. observes that the development of policies and activities in isolation from each other, and without proper co-ordination among all areas of activity impacting on the sea, as well as all local, national, regional, and international actors, render aspirations for better governance in the Mediterranean more difficult to attain;

20. at the same time agrees that it is essential that stakeholder participation, transparency of decision-making, and implementation of agreed rules, are ensured for good governance to be attained;

21. agrees that there is a need to generate an environmental culture for the Mediterranean Sea, as a key element in raising awareness and participation in marine sustainability processes at all levels;

22. reiterates the view that local and regional authorities are best placed to identify what is required to implement the policy locally and at the regional sea basin level, and can thus play a significant role towards the attainment of an Integrated Maritime Policy within the Mediterranean area;

23. in this perspective, notes that local and regional governments are already actively involved in the development and successful implementation of regional initiatives in the pursuit of this goal (1);

The Role of Mediterranean Coastal States

24. supports the call for Mediterranean Member States to pursue their own efforts in drawing up their integrated maritime policies;

25. welcomes the setting up of a system enabling the sharing of information and best practices;

26. welcomes the Commission's proposal that High Level Focal Points of Member States regularly address the Mediterranean Sea in order to discuss progress made in integrated maritime policy making;

27. is supportive of the Commission's efforts to encourage Member States to exchange best practices with respect to issues of integrated maritime governance, particularly through the European Territorial Cooperation Objective programmes for the Mediterranean;

28. shares the view that the particular semi-enclosed characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea and the trans-boundary impacts of maritime activities call for an increased level of cooperation with non-EU Mediterranean Partners;

29. welcomes the Commission's proposal to stimulate an exchange of best practices between EU and non-EU Mediterranean states interested in an integrated approach to maritime affairs by setting up a working group dedicated to Integrated Maritime Policy;

30. encourages the process of sharing of information and development of support programmes to be extended to the non-EU member states in the Mediterranean area, in such a way that they can be encouraged to move away from a compartmentalised and sectorial view and adopt a holistic and integrated approach to maritime issues;

31. underscores the fact that the provision of technical assistance and the development of specific joint cooperation programmes in terms of existing policy initiatives (such as the European Neighbourhood Policy and Partnership Instrument) is a step in the right direction;

32. expresses the view that the involvement of academic, professional and non-governmental bodies will serve to strengthen this process;

33. calls upon the Commission to recognise that local and regional authorities are in a position to provide a significant contribution in this regard, and should thus be given every opportunity and all the necessary tools to become actively involved in all programmes and initiatives taken;

Governance of the Marine Space

34. notes with concern that a significant proportion of the Mediterranean waters lies outside the jurisdictional authority or sovereign right of any coastal state, and that thus the coastal states ability to prescribe and enforce laws within such areas remains limited at best;

35. is conscious of the fact that there exist complex and politically sensitive issues concerning the delimitation of boundaries between adjacent and opposite states within the Mediterranean, which issues may hinder the emergence of a truly Integrated Maritime Policy within the Mediterranean area;

36. considers that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) can serve as a basis for addressing such delimitation issues, and expresses the belief that the EU should strive to encourage those non-EU Mediterranean states which have not yet ratified the Convention to do so;

37. supports the Commission's efforts to identifying the main bottlenecks hampering ratification, implementation and compliance with decisions reached in terms of existing agreements, and possibilities for improved multilateral cooperation and assistance;

38. shares the view that the work of organisations dealing with maritime affairs within the Mediterranean area needs to be more transparent and that the provisions adopted or promoted by these bodies are systematically monitored and implemented;

39. endorses the Commission's call for greater clarity as to the roles and responsibilities of coastal States, particularly with regard to the management of maritime zones in a sustainable development perspective;

40. supports the proposal for a specific study identifying the costs and benefits related to the establishment of maritime zones;

41. invites the Commission to be bolder in its stance in recognising that improvement of the governance of the marine space at sub-regional levels needs to be encouraged and further strengthened;

Improved Stakeholder Involvement

42. shares the view that stakeholder involvement should be a key priority in Integrated Maritime Policy implementation within the Mediterranean;

43. notes the Commission's commitment to encourage stakeholders platforms to regularly address issues that are directly related to the Mediterranean Sea;

44. supports the Commission's recommendation to explore options for better associating stakeholders from all coastal states within the Mediterranean area;

Cross-Cutting Tools for Integrated Maritime Governance

45. agrees that improved maritime governance needs to be matched by effective instruments, geared at generating economic growth and securing environmental protection and a better future for coastal populations;

Maritime Spatial Planning and Marine Strategies

46. welcomes the Commission's positive outlook that maritime activity in the Mediterranean is likely to grow in spite of the current global economic crisis;

47. at the same time however, is concerned that such increased maritime activity, unless adequately regulated and enforced, could potentially lead to a worsening of the already fragile social and environmental fabric existent within the Mediterranean area;

48. shares the view that, whilst respecting national planning systems which may already be in existence, Maritime Spatial Planning within the Mediterranean area can serve as an effective governance tool for the application of eco-system based management, and the addressing of inter-related impacts of maritime activities and any ensuing conflicts between uses of space and the need to preserve marine habitats;

49. endorses the application of the common principles identified in the Roadmap for Maritime Spatial Planning to the specific context of the Mediterranean;

50. considers that the achievement of the set objectives for achieving good environmental status in marine waters by 2020 through the development of integrative Marine Strategies based on an eco-system approach to human activities impacting on the sea should remain a priority. In this perspective, it is important that attention is devoted not only to such issues as the pollution of the sea caused by harbours and coastal resorts, but also to the water quality of the rivers flowing into the Mediterranean as well as to the need to guarantee a high quality system of waste water purification for the cities and localities lying along both such rivers and coastal areas;

51. is of the view that local and regional authorities have a significant contribution to make in this respect, and thus welcomes the Commission's suggestion to launch a project to test the application of Maritime Spatial Planning at the sub-regional level with a view to encourage concrete cross-border practices;

52. welcomes the development of a Common Implementation Strategy so as to assist Member States deliver on their obligations under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, although has its reservations as to whether the target for the comprehensive assessment of marine waters and related uses can realistically be achieved by the end of the present year;

Integrated Management in Coastal Areas and Islands

53. supports the impetus given to the issue of climate change as an area of priority concern;

54. welcomes the focus devoted to port development, coastal tourism, and the protection of maritime heritage and the marine environment, including NATURA 2000 sites;

55. agrees that aquaculture should be seen as an element to be taken into account in Integrated Coastal Zone Management and as part of the coastal production system and culture of the Mediterranean Sea;

56. agrees that there exists a vast potential for further development in the whole of the Mediterranean basin, which is inherently rich in culture;

57. satisfactorily notes the impetus given to the particular issue of island states and regions, and in particular to the difficulties associated with physical connectivity;

58. endorses the call for an integrated approach to the management of Mediterranean coastal areas;

59. agrees that cross-cutting governance tools can help Mediterranean coastal regions to better address social, environmental and economic sustainability in an integrated manner;

60. reiterates its support for the Commission's initiative to adopt basin-wide legal instruments in furtherance of the goal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management of the Mediterranean (2);

61. agrees that the exchange of best practices is an important tool to ensure that improvement in practice is registered, and is consequently supportive of the Commission's initiative to provide a web-based inventory of Integrated Coastal Zone Management tools, best practices and case studies;

62. supports the intention to take initiatives for the development of the knowledge-base on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean and the particular focus on international cooperation;

63. considers it positive to adopt measures for strengthening the land-sea interface, and in particular the linking up of terrestrial and maritime planning;

64. at the same time, however, encourages the European Commission to be bolder in its approach and to propose new and more efficient tools for effective implementation of the set objectives, taking into account the potential added value of involving local and regional authorities in this process;

65. would support the creation of maritime action groups integrating different sectoral aspects which are currently managed independently, in an attempt to improve dovetailing and synergy of the Structural Funds (ERDF, ESF) and other Funds (EFF) which may be employed in the maritime field;

Facilitating knowledge-based action

66. agrees that the development of sustainable maritime economies and effective coastal management requires policies that are built on best available scientific knowledge;

67. invites the European Commission to promote initiatives for sustainable management of port areas;

68. shares the concern that more needs to be done for the collection and dissemination of basic data needed to assess the environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea and of the possible yields of natural resources;

69. supports the Commission's intention to promote the importance of scientific advice and data collection with regards to the Common Fisheries Policy and the adoption and implementation of environmental legislation in the Mediterranean;

70. agrees that strengthened marine research infrastructure, integrated Research and Technology Development efforts through maritime clusters and Technology Platforms, and synergies between Member States and regions, are necessary to find coherent solutions for the realisation of the full economic potential of the Mediterranean Sea within an ecosystem based approach, and consequently considers that the development of multidisciplinary marine ecosystem – including the seabed observations to be a step in the right direction;

71. acknowledges the important work being done with respect to the development of a European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET) aimed at improving knowledge infrastructure and to overcome barriers to discovery, access, and use of data;

72. welcomes the Commission's intention of setting up an integrated marine European Research Network aimed at strengthening coordination in marine research between Member States, including within the Mediterranean;

73. agrees that it would be useful to develop a major cross-thematic research initiative with a view of integrating knowledge on the Mediterranean Sea across all relevant disciplines;

74. welcomes the development of a European Atlas of the Seas intended to raise awareness and to develop a shared maritime identity in sea-basins, including the Mediterranean;

75. notes that with respect to the particular geo-political realities existent within the Mediterranean area the ultimate success of any initiative or measure is largely dependent on the full participation of all Mediterranean states and on the existence of adequate joint programmes and capacity-building initiatives;

76. in this context, supports the initiative to define a long-term strategic framework for basin-wide scientific cooperation in the Mediterranean, thereby enabling marine research cooperation to develop within a structured agenda and with a view to respond to common challenges;

Integrated surveillance for a safer and secure maritime space

77. agrees that the surveillance of maritime activities and operations, particularly with a view of ensuring safety and security concerns and preserving human lives and the marine ecosystem, is a necessary requirement in order to successfully manage sea-borne activities;

78. believes that maritime surveillance should incorporate fishing activities and transhipments, which take place both on Member States' coasts and in the international waters of the Mediterranean;

79. endorses the view that strict implementation of EU legislation on maritime safety is essential;

80. believes that more needs to be done to ensure the capacity-building of maritime administrations and port authorities in non-EU Mediterranean partners to enable them to address the challenge of ensuring a safe and secure maritime space within the Mediterranean;

81. shares the view that the time is ripe to build upon the achievements of the SAFEMED project in closing the regulatory and structural gaps between the EU Member States and our Mediterranean partner countries, and supports the Commission's proposal the European Maritime Safety Agency begins technical cooperation programs with our Mediterranean partners;

82. with regards to surveillance of ship movements, encourages the Commission to widen the scope of the Automatic Identification System regional server by encouraging non-EU member states to integrate within its ambit;

83. acknowledges Frontex's contribution towards a better patrolling of the Mediterranean area, in particular with regards to the overwhelming irregular migratory pressures being exerted on the European Member States;

84. recognises that through an effective process of dialogue and financial assistance to Mediterranean partner countries, these can also be encouraged to involve themselves directly in Frontex activities in the Mediterranean;

85. is, however, concerned that Frontex is still very much ill equipped to effectively carry out the tasks assigned unto it, and supports the Commission in its efforts to ensure that this agency is provided with the necessary tools and resources to fulfil its mandate;

86. at the same time, expresses its concern that the recently approved new guidelines for EU border patrols have created a situation where States unable to carry the added burden of illegal migration might be discouraged from actively participating as host countries to Frontex missions, thereby seriously diminishing the potential success of such missions;

87. advocates that more direct measures, both within the EU territory and abroad, are taken to bring to justice those facilitating illegal migration through their criminal activities;

88. at the same time, solicits the Commission to spare no effort to ensure that in all instances, both within the EU territory and abroad, the maximum respect of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the migrants concerned are respected;

89. supports every initiative designed to bolster the positive work carried out in the field of maritime drug enforcement;

90. regrets to note that the Communication makes no reference to the ever-growing risk of terrorism, including maritime piracy, that is unfortunately raising its ugly-head in areas not too distant from the region;

91. endorses every effort for the integration of maritime surveillance within the Mediterranean through the promotion of information exchanges and the enhancement of cooperation between national authorities responsible for the monitoring and surveillance at sea;

92. is, however, of the view that the inclusion of Mediterranean partner countries in the integration of maritime surveillance is not an issue for further consideration, but rather, should be a priority concern for the Commission;

93. at the same time underscores the fact that the successful surveillance of maritime activities and operations and the alleviation of security concerns cannot be achieved without the active involvement of local and regional authorities;

Conclusion

94. agrees that the challenges affecting the Mediterranean Sea call for shared and integrated responses, rooted in improved maritime governance, and supports the Commission's initiative to assume a role of coordination and facilitation of national actions within the Mediterranean maritime sphere of policy;

95. notes, in this respect, that the Communication is generally respectful of the subsidiarity and proportionality principles, even though it is disappointed to note that the Communication does not always seem to give due recognition to the local and regional dimension, particularly in the context of the proposed programmes and initiatives and thus, calls upon the Commission to adopt measures to ensure that local and regional governments are given the opportunity to participate directly in these programmes and initiatives and give joint response to the crucial challenges facing the Mediterranean region. The Commission should recognise that there are differences in the structure of local government between the Member States and that their varying remits mean they have different possibilities as regards the desired level of involvement;

96. shares the view that an integrated approach to maritime affairs should not undermine the tools and objectives that have been set for moving forward in specific areas of maritime relevance;

97. agrees that a successful integrated maritime policy in the Mediterranean has the potential to facilitate the optimisation of efficiency and output in the various spheres of activity affecting the region;

98. at the same time, however, cannot but note with regret that the Communication fails to provide details about the financing of the envisaged actions;

99. consequently, whilst endorsing the objectives and actions set in the Communication, calls upon the Commission to take note of its Opinion and to take those actions necessary to further strengthen the Communication.

Recommendations

The Committee of the Regions, in particular, recommends that:

100. a deeper and more constructive dialogue between all the relevant actors in the region, including at the local and regional level, is fostered, in a way of cementing mutual trust and understanding;

101. effective mechanisms are established through which all the Mediterranean states are encouraged and enabled to contribute, in equal measure, towards the effective governance of this unique area, paying particular attention to the protection of the marine environment and the biodiversity;

102. the Commission considers the recommendation and adoption of measures to coordinate specific direct actions between and among the European Union Member States and the Mediterranean non-EU partners, with a view of combating the increased cross-national organised criminal activity within the Mediterranean region, not least with regard to the phenomenon of human trafficking and drug and arms trafficking;

103. greater attention and recognition is given to the potential role of the local and regional dimension, both within the EU and in the non-EU Mediterranean states, and in this perspective that greater attention, coordination, and support is given to the workings of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM);

104. the Committee of the Regions, and the local and regional levels of government it represents, must be given full opportunity to actively participate in the workings of the group of High Level Focal Points of Member States being proposed to regularly discuss integrated maritime policy making;

105. concurrently, the Committee of the Regions, and the local and regional levels of government it represents, are given full opportunity to actively participate in the deliberations of the Working Group on Integrated Maritime Policy in the Mediterranean;

106. an in depth study of the products and materials currently being shipped across the Mediterranean Sea is carried out with a view of identifying the real risk levels associated therewith;

107. more joint public–private initiatives, actively supported by European financial instruments, with a view to clean and halt the loss of biodiversity in the Mediterranean, as well as encouraging research in the devising of more efficient, and less hazardous, modes of linking raw materials with industry;

108. calls on the Commission to support in-depth research into the phenomena associated with climate change and coastal pollution, which have a serious economic impact on coastal fisheries. Would stress, meanwhile, the need for the Commission to support the efforts of Member States in taking direct action to ease the burden on fisheries sector professionals and workers;

109. adequate policy tools and mechanisms, designed to effectively bring about further maritime policy integration, leading to increase in the level of harmonisation and simplification of maritime policies, are developed and sustained in the short-to-medium term;

110. measures are set up to encourage all Mediterranean states to ratify and fully implement the conventions and protocols on the protection of the marine environment, biodiversity, shipping and fishing activities in the Mediterranean. including through joint and shared management of fish stocks and harmonisation of constraints pertaining to the various fishing systems in all Mediterranean States;

111. in particular, due consideration is given to its repeated calls for the setting up of a single simplified financial mechanism intended to bring together all maritime issues with a European Coastal and Island Fund framework;

112. the Commission amplifies its suggestion to launch a project to test the application of Maritime Spatial Planning at the sub-regional level with a view to encourage concrete cross-border practices by providing a detailed proposal within a reasonably short time, and in this context the Committee of the Regions recalls its call for innovative multi-level governance to which social and environmental aspects and existing regional conventions should be taken into account.

Brussels, 10 June 2010. The President of the Committee of the Regions Mercedes BRESSO

(1) COM(2009) 540 final.

(2) On the lines of the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean of the 21 January 2008.