COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the integrated management of coastal zones
Date: 1995-10-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, biodiversity, coastal pollution, coastal protection, coastal region, littoral

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  31.10.1995 
COM(95)  511  final 

COMMUNICATION  FROM  THE  COMMISSION 
ro THE  COUNCIL  AND  THE EJJRQ~EAN .P.'.:\BI~lAMENT 

on the  integrated  management of coastal  zones 

Contents 

1.  SUMMARY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ~  .... · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4 

2.  BACKGROUND  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 

2.1  Review  of the  problems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  · .. 5 
2.1.1  Definition of coastal  zones  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  5 
2.1.2  Relative  importance of the  coastal zones  for  the  Eqropean Union . . . . . . . . . .  6 
2.1.3  Reduction of biodiversity,  water pollution,  impoverishment of landscapes  .... 9 
2.1.4  Competition for  space  and  seasonal  variations in pressure  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  10 
2.1.5  Complexity of relationships between human activities  and the 
coastal  environment 

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  13 

2.2  Diagnostic elements  .  .  .  .  ,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  15 

2.2.1  Existing  measures  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . . .  .  15 
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  ....... ,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  15 
2.2.2  Insufficient coordination 

3. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMME ON THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT 
OF  THE COAST AL  ZONES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  18 

3. 1 .Justification  for  Community  action 

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  18 

3. 1.1  General 
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1 8 
3.1.2  Commission  Communication of 1986  and  progress  made  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18 
3.1.3  Accelerating  the  implementation of sustainable  development  . . . . . . . . . . . .  19 

3.2  Demonstration  programme  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20 

3.2.1  Objective  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20 
3.2.2  J>artners  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21 
3.2.3  Content  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22 
3 .2.4  Means  and  timetable  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25 

Annex  i: Examples of measures  specifically  targeting  the  coastal  zones  ........ 27 
Annex  2:  Examples of Community  measures  relevant  to  the  protection  and 
management  of the  coastal  zones 
Annex  3:  Contacts with  the  organizations  involved  in  management of the  coastal 
zones  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32 

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  28 

Notes  and  reforences  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33 

1.  SUMMARY 

This Communication considers some of the main features of the coastal zones, which are 
continuing  to  undergo  environmental  degradation  in  many  parts  of Europe.  It  explains 
why  action  at  Union  level  is  necessary  in  order  to  make  faste:r  progress  towards 
sustainable  development  of the  coastal  zones.  It  reflects  the  determination  to  better 
integrate the various sectoral policies of the  Union with each other and with the policies 
of the  Member  States. 

A demonstration programme on the  integrated  management of coastal  zones is  planned, 
with  the  aim  of showing  how  to  apply  in  practice  the  principles  of integration  and 
subsidiarity in order to  increase the effectiveness of existing instruments.  One key factor 
is better coordination both between sectors of activity and the various levels of territorial 
authority. 

The Communication will serve to obtain the views of the many parties with a stake in the 
future  of the  European  coast and  to  prepare the  launch of the demonstration programme. 

The  demonstration  programme  will  be  used  to  test  cooperation  instruments  and 
mechanisms. The lessons learnt and the response will make it possibk to identify possible 
complementary measures to  be  carried out at  the  European  and  other  levels of decision 
making. 

4 

2.  BACKGROUND 

The quality of the environment and natural resources is continuing to deteriorate in many 
European coastal regions.  However, the need to  conserve the coastal  zones as an element 
of the Community's natural  and  cultural  heritage  and  as  an essential  basis  for  economic 
and  social  development 'has  long  been  recognized  1234
•  Moreover,  there  are  numerous 
legal,  financial  and  planning  instruments  available  which  are  directly  or  indirectly 
applicable  to  coastal  zones.  The  current  situation  is  largely  due  to  the  absence  of 
mechanisms  allowing  the  complex  relationships  between  human  activities  and  the 
environment to  be taken  into  account  in  the  decision-making  processes. 

2.1  REVIEW  OF  THE  PROBLEMS 

2.1.1  Definition  of coastal  zones 

For the purposes of this  document,  the  coastal  zone  is  defined  as  a  strip  of land  and  sea 
territory  of varying  width depending  on the  nature  of the  environment and  management 
needs.  It  seldom  corresponds  to  existing  administrative  or  planning  units5
.  With  regard 
to  fisheries,  it  is  common to  limit the  coastal  zone  to  territorial  waters  as  defined  in  the 
Convention on the Law of the Sea, although this limit does not correspond to any distinct 
biological or management unit.  The natural coastal systems and the areas in which human 
activities involve the use of coastal resources may therefore extend well beyond the  limit 
of territorial  waters,  and  several  kilometres  inland  (sec  figure  1 ). 

Figure  1:  Definition of the  coastal  zone  for  the  purposes  of integrated  management. 6 

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2.1.2  Relative  importance  of the  coastal zones  for  the  European  Union 

Compared with the other continents, Europe has a large continental shelf and a relatively 
long coastline in relation to its land area.  There is a wide variety of types of coastal zone, 
with different natural conditions and patterns of human land use.  Human impact is  most 
visible in Europe, where the development of the environment has also been followed and 
studied  longest.  Its  coastal  waters  receive  the  highest  input  of nutri,~nts7

• 

Of course the  89  000 km  of coastline of the  European Union are  not equally distributed 
between  the  13  seaboard  Member  States.  Figure  2  shows  that  about  half of the  level  3 
territorial  statistical  units8  are  on  the  coast.  This  is  true  of all  the  Danish  counties,  but 
only a quarter of the Spanish provinces or the French departments. The settlement pattern 
of the coast also varies considerably: while  19% of the population of the coastal states of 
the  Union  live  in  coastal  municipalities,  41 %  of these  68  million coastal  inhabitants are 
Italian  or Spanish.  The  population in the  coastal  municipalities  accounts for  70%  of the 
national  total  in  Denmark  and  44%  in  Portugal,  but  only  3%  in  Belgium  and  5%  in 
Germany  (seefigure  3). 

Figure  2:  Coastal  NUTS  3  units 

.  A~ores  ~  ~ 

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Guadeloupe  Martinique 

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6 

Figure 3:  Relative  importance of the  coastal  population (Source:  Eurostat) 

A: 
B  : 
C  : 
D  : 
E  : 

country 
total  population ('000) 
population of the coastal  municipalities ('000) 
population in a  50  km coastal  band ('000) 
remainder of the  territory  ('000) 

1···•···-•·-·--·•---··· --·--- -

r-·-·-·  A 
I Belgique-Bclgic 
!Danmark 
! Dcutschland 
:El1ada 
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jEspafia 
:France 
! Ireland 
:Italia 
!Nederland 
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1 Suomi 
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: U mtcd Kingdom 

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5.171 
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8.878 
80.614 
8.817 
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21.201 
39.085 
13.981 
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3.061 
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33.853 
56.859: 
11.412 
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Figure 4 uses two indicators to illustrate the "coastal" and "land" character of the Member 
States:  i)  the  ratio  of length  of coastline  to  land  area;  ii)  the  share  of the  national 
population living  in the coastal  municipalities.  The  coastal  character  is  less apparent  in 
some countries (BE, DE, FR) and very pronounced in others (DK), while in others it has 
more  of a  demographic  (IT,  ES,  SE)  or geographic  (UK) component 

Figure  4:  Coastal  character  of the  countries  of the  Union:  geography  and  population 
(Source:  Eurostat) 

' 

A: 
B  : 
C  : 
D  : 
E  : 

country 
total national population 
population of the  coastal municipalities 
length of the coastline (km) 
land area (km2
) 

b:::Bel~e 

---r- ;~~!~[ ~ ::i~1-1czs~f I·--~-~~---•·-----__  -•-•- -_-3 ;,!l-~ !~~: 1~~•1l 

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France 
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INederland 
rortugal 
,suomi 
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1.970 
2.797 
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2. 1.3  Reduction  of biodiversity, water pollution,  impoverishment of landscapes 

At the  interface  between  sea and  land,  life  forms  adapted  to  the  special  environmental 
conditions  have ·evolved.  The  natural  habitats  of the  shoreline  are  very  varied  but  also 
very small in area, and have been in sharp decline for  several decades (see box  1).  Eight 
of the forty priority habitats listed in the Directive on the conservation of natural habitats 
and of wild fauna and flora9  are coastal.  Approximately a  third  of the Union's wetlands 
are located on the coast10
,  as well as  more than thirty per cent of the  Special Protection 
Areas  designated  under  the  Directive  on  the  conserv.ation  of  wild  birds11
•  Coastal 
ecosystems tend to have very high biological productivity.  The reproduction and nursery 
grounds of most fish and shellfish species of economic value are in the coastal strip,  and 
a significant proportion of the catch of these species comes from this area,. which accounts 
for  almost half of the jobs in· the  fisheries  sector12

• 

The  quality  of coastal  waters  is  a  major  cause  for  concern.  The  two  most  spectacular 
phenomena in recent  years,  oil  slicks  and  algal  blooms,  are  illustration  of the  fact  that 
coastal communities frequently suffer the consequences of events or developments beyond 
their  control. 

The settlement of the  coastal  zones and  utilization of their  natural  resources  since early 
times by man has cfeated original forms of rural and urban landscapes, reflecting cultures 
centred  on  trade  and  largely  oriented  towards  the  outside.  Urbanization  and  uniform 
agricultural and industrial developments have considerably reduced the biological diversity 
and  cultural  distinctness of the  landscapes  in most  parts  of Europe. 

These problems are likely to  be compounded in future  as  a result of the general trend  in 
environmental  and  socio-economic  conditions. 

Recent  research  shows that  climate  change  would  involve  a  rise  in  sea  level  of several 
millimetres per year, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of coastal storms. The 
combined effects of these two phenomena could have serious repercussions depending on 
w·here  they  occurred,  such  as  major floods 13

• 

If appropriate  action  is  not taken,  the expected  surge  in tourism  in  the  coastal  zones 14  in 
particular wiU  incrcr.isc  the  pressure  on  natural,  rural  and  urban  environments. 

9 

Box  I:  Reduction  of the diversity of natural  environments  and of landscapes 

* Many British estuaries have  lost between  a quarter to half of their intertidal  habitats over the last 
150-200 years.  In some cases  the  proportion  is  much  higher.  90% of the estuarine habitats  of the Tees 
has  been lost  in  the  last  100  years  and  85% of the mudflats  of Belfast Lough  since the  16th century.  In 
1989 there were  123  cases  of land  claim  affecting nearly 30% of Britain  's estuaries (EUCC) 1s. 

* 75% of the dune systems  of southern  Europe  (from  Gibraltar to  Sicily) have disappeared  since  1960 
(EUCC). 

* More than  32  000 ha of the German  Wadden  Sea has  been  reclaimed  since  1963  and,  as  a  result,  the 
German  North  Sea coastline has  been reduced  from  I  200 km  to 700 km  during that time.  Internationally 
important  bays  like the Nordstrander Bucht and  the  Meldorfer Bucht have  been  cut off from  the sea in 
the  last two decades  (EUCC). 

* The  estuary common  to the  Odiel  and  the Tinto,  near Huelva  in  south-west Spain,  was considerably 
degraded  in  about thirty years  by harbour activities  and  industrial  developments.  80% of the 3  000  ha of 
intertidal  flats  of the right  bank  of the Tinto  were  covered with  phosphogypsum  deposits.  More than  7 
000  ha of the flood  plain  of the Odiel  were  seriously  affected  by salt works,  hydrological  modification, 
pollution  by heavy metals  and  dangerous  chemicals.  Today the Odiel  flats  are protected owing to their 
importance  (30% of the  European  nesting  population  of Spoonbill).  An  expensive rehabilitation  plan  for 
the  estuary had to be  implemented  to  control  pollution. 16 

* The  Loire  estuary comprises  very  diverse  natural  environments  including some  of European  interest. 
However,  over the  last  few  decades,  the original  heritage  has  been  considerably  impoverished.  Ry  1978 
the  natural  banks  had  shrunk  to  some  30 km  compared  with  300 at the  beginning of the century.  Of the 
reed  beds  which  covered thousands  of hectares  on  the  river banks,  only  a  few  fragments  remain,  d1ich 
serve  as  a  refuge to  rare  species  such  as  the  White  Stork  or Black  Kite.'7 

* Of 700  000  ha  of coastal  flats  existing  in  Italy  at  the beginning  of the  century,  there  remained 
192  000  ha  in  1972  and  less  than  I 00  000  ha  in  1994. 18 

c*  In  1976  the  mixed  wood  and  pasture  lands  of Normandy  covered  I  O 18  km 2  in  a  5  km  band  from  the 
oast.  In  1980,  only  892  h1  remained  Fi_ 

2.1.4  CompeWion  for  space  and  seasonal variations  in  pressure 

A wide  range  of human  activities take  place  in  the  coastal  zones  (see table  1 ),  although 
not  necessarily  more  than  in  other  areas.  Problems  arise  when  these  activities  tend  to 
develop together on the narrow coastal strip, creating conflicts between activities and with 
the  goal  of conservation of the  natural  ecosystems and  landscapes.  This concentration is 
reflected  in  population density,  which  in  11  out  of 13  countries  is  higher  in the  coastal 
municipalities than in the  remainder of the  country  (see  figure  5).  Moreover,  the  strong 
temporal variations in tourist activity and in the associated environmental pressures further 
complicate  the  management of the  coastal  zones. 

10 

Table  1:  Typical  goods and services produced  in the  coastal  zone. 20 

Goods  using  mainly 

renewable  resources 

non-renewable  resources 

Fish 
Shellfish 
Kelp  and  other species  of seaweed 
Fresh  water (desalinated seawater) 
Energy  from  waves,  tides  and  thermal  or 
salinity gradients 

Oil 
Gas 
Minerals 
Sand  and  gravel 

Services  consuming 
mainly 

renewable  resources 

non-renewable  resources 

Transport 
Defence 
Recreation:  e.g.  bathing,  boating, 
fishing,  skin-diving,  observing wildlife 
Disposal  of degradable  wastes  and  other  materials  processing,  marine  terminals, 
residues 

Disposal  of waste  and  other non-
degradable  residues 
Facility  siting:  onshore/offshore,  fixed 
or mobile  industrial  operations,  e.g. 

ports,  seabed  pipelines  and  cables, 
power plants 

Figure  5:  Population density  at  municipal  level  (Source:  Eurostat) 

Population density 

A  : 
B  : 
C  : 

coastal  municipalities 
50  km  coastal  strip 
national  territory 

700  , - - - - - - - -~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - - -~  

EID 

50Cl 

■ A 

~  B 

11 

Three main types of coastal zone can be identified at European level:  "urban/industrial", 
"intensive tourism", "nature/rural/fisheries", in which the predominant function represents 
very  different management problems  and  different demographic  and  economic  weights 
(see  figure  6). 

Figure  6:  Main types of coastal  zones 

Intensive  tourism  ("Top ten  regions") 

A : Number of tourists  (1.8.1987) 
B : Number of tourists  per km2 
C : Tourists/inhabitants 

Source:  Vandermotten,  ULB,  Bruxelles 

~~l~ANTE  A ;::::i :~i~~:~::e·· -=~~~~;EE~-0~  C 

ALPES-MARIT. 
BARCELONA 
/VALENCIA 
jVENDEE 
i BALEARES 
IHERAULT 

583.663  VENEZIA 
561.236  ALPES-MARIT. 
517.735  GENOVA 
491.346  IMPERIA 
487.872  VAR 
484.029  FORLI 

i:~::NEES-Off::1~~~:_ 

140 ALPES-HTE-PROV. 
136  SAVONA 
131  VENDEE 
127 VAR 
120 DODECANESOS 
1201CYCLADES 

_ ~::;:~~~~NA 

:~  

124• 
1031 
102i 
101  I 
93 j 
00 

~· 

A: 

Urban/industrial 
Towns  > 50.000  inhabitants 

B: 

Nature 
Special  protection  areas,  (Directive  79/409/EEC) 

A  i Source:  Eurostat 
,()c.; 

I 

I 

i  B 

, 

( 

i 

I 

L 

.+<225-km2 

•.•  J 

-! 

',  -

! 
(C 

I 

t.l 

...  I 

i 
,I 

'i 

i 

.i 
12: 

.L. 

+tH-1, 
l 

i· 

.1  \ 

, -~}•-+ 

..  i 
,.+-' 

tt 

+/  -t-

2.1.5  Complexity  of  relationships  between  human  activities  and  the  coastal 
environment 

The juxtaposition of activities in a  limited space  does  not in  itself explain the  worrying 
development of the  coastal  environment. 

Complex  natural  phenomena  are  at  work  and  the  consequences  of  human  activity 
interacting  with  these  phenomena  are  difficult  to  evaluate.  Disturbance  of the  coastal. 
environment can have a  remote origin:  a  third of nitrogen  input to  the  Baltic  Sea comes 
from the atmosphere21
• The nutrients drained by the river systems and flushed into the sea 
are a major cause of algal blooms.  The observed effects are often difficult to relate to the 
causes, as they do not necessarily appear immediately (pollutants trapped in estuary muds 
and  released  later).  Major  damage  (pollution  or  loss  of biological  diversity)  frequently 
results  from  a  combination of factors. 

As  a  result  of taking  these  interactions  into  account  insufficiently  or  too  late  in  the 
planning  and  decision-making  processes,  sectoral  activities  handicap  each  other  and 
damage  the  environment  (see  box  2). 

13 

Box 2:  Examples  of the complexity  of coastal  processes  and  of the relations  between  human  activities 
and  the  environment. 

Coastal  erosion 

* 
At the beginning of the  century  a  sea wall  was  built to  protect the  island  of Sylt (D)  against  flooding 
during  storms.  However,  the  action  of the  waves  reflected  from  the  wall  during  rough  weather  led  to 
increased  coastal  erosion.  Expensive  work  had  to  be  carried  out  on  several  occasions  to  check the 
problem  created by an  inappropriate technical  solution:  a  vertical  wall  instead  of a  gentle  slope. 
(Schiereck et al.)22

• 

Eutrophication 

* 
In  many  European  coastal  areas,  a  considerable  increase  in  the  concentration  of nutriients  in  coastal  water 
has  been  recorded.  The  principal  sources  are  agriculture  and  intensive  livestock-farming,  municipal  waste 
water and,  locally,  intensive  aquaculture.  Nutrient  enrichment  of water stimulates  th(!  growth  of 
phytoplankton,  leading  in  certain  circumstances  to  the  phenomenon  of algal  blooms.  Competition  for  the 
biotic  elements,  and  in  particular the  oxygen  consumed  for  plant  growth  and  the  decomposition  of 
organic  matter,  is  detrimental  to  wildlife  and  aquaculture.  Moreover,  the  effects  of these  phenomena 
reduce  the  tourist  attraction  of affected  sites. 

Delayed  effects 

* 
Research  work  has  shown  that  almost  all  suspended  matter  carried  by rivers  and  discharged  into  the  sea 
settles  in  the  coastal  zone  along  with  associated  pollutants  (C.RC.)23
coastal  sediments  causing  immediate  or delayed  effects.  Under  the  Delta plan  in  the  Netherlands,  the 
closure  around  1965  of the  Harvingvliet,  one  of the  arms  of the  Rhine,  created  a  body  of water  subject to 
the  usual  phenomena of sedimentation.  Owing to  the  heavy  industrialization  of the  catchment  area  in  the 
Netherlands  and  in  Germany,  sediments  are  highly  contaminated  and  represent  a  danger to  the  ecosystem 
via the  organisms  which  live  on  the  bottom.  Worms,  eggs  of insects  and  other speciies  contain  pollutants, 
that  are  also  found  higher  up  the  trophic  chains,  in  fish  and  birds.  Discussions  are  under  way  for  removal 
of the  layers  of contaminated  sediments  and  their  storage  in  isolated  basins  (Schiereck  et al.)24. 

.  Pollutants  thus  accumulate  in 

Atmospheric  inputs 

* 
A  large  part  of pollutant  inputs  to  the  marine  environment  sometimes  arrive  airborne  from  distant 
sources.  Research  on  the  North-west  Mediterranean  (C.E.C.)21  showed  that  if atmospheric  deposits 
account  for  only  20% of total  external  contributions  (river  and  airborne),  this  proportion  amounts  to  more 
than  90%  for  cadmium  and  lead,  elements  which  originate  predominantly  from  human  activities. 

*  Drainage  and  consolidation  of wetlands 

The  Evros  Delta  in  the  east  of Greece  is  a  wetland  of exceptional  interest  for  nature  conservation.  In 
1975  it  was  designated  by  the  Greek  authorities  under the  Ramsar  Convention.  This  made  it  possible  to 
slow  down  and  then  to  stop  drainage  and  agricultural  improvement  work  initiated  in  the  1950s.  This  had 
proved  not  only  to  be  incompatible  with  the  conservation  of the  natural  heritage,  but  was  also 
economically  unprofitable.  Drained  soils  lost  their  fertility,  pumping  of the  aquifer  for  the  irrigation  of 
the  crops  caused  salt  water  intrusions,  and  drainage  channels  were  not  efficient.  Remedial  work,  on  a 
smaller  scale  but  nevertheless  detrimental  to  the  environment,  was  undertaken  in  the  1980s,  also  without 
satisfactory  results  for  agriculture.  In  1987  the  site  was  designated  a  Special  Protection  Area  under the 
Directive  on  the  conservation  of wild  birds  and  has  since  been  managed  for  the  conservation  of this 
important  element  of Europe's  ecological  heritage26

• 

14 

2.2 

DIAGNOSTIC  ELEMENTS:  INSUFFICIENT  COORDINATION  AND 
CONCERTATION 

2.2.1  Existing measures 

Awareness  of the  need  to  strengthen  protection  of the  coast  and  political  commitments 
to  this  end  have  led,  since  the  beginning  of the  1970s,  to  numerous  measures  resulting 
in  some  countries  in specific  legislation and  national  strategies,  and,  more  generally,  to 
regional  management  schemes,  studies,  inventories,  and  research  (see  annex  1). 

At the Community level, few measures concern specifically the coastal environment, most 
being  directed  at  the  territory  as  a  whole.  The  latter  clearly  have  an  important  impact 
( direct or indirect)  on the  evolution of the  coast,  although the  cause-effect relationships 
are  far  from  easy  to  discern.  Annex  2  shows  that  the  protection  of coastal  zones  is  as 
dependent  on  the  application  of  environmental  policy  as  it  is  on  integration  of  the 
environment into the sectoral policies.  From a sustainable development perspective, such 
integration is  designed  on the  one  hand to  reduce  as  far  as  possible  any  negative  effects 
of the policies ( consumption of natural  space,  pollution and  nuisances)  and  on the  other 
hand  to  increase  their  beneficial  effects. 

2.2.2  Insufficient  coordination 

A considerab]e body of legislation and instruments are available which,  if applied, should 
contribute  to  protection  of the  coastal  environment.  However,  this  has  not  halted  the 
deterioration of the environment, which continues apace in many areas.  Recent studies on 
this question tend towards the  same  conclusions:  existing  legislation and  instruments are 
relatively  complete,  but  are  not  as  effective  as  they  could  be  due  to  the  lack  of 
coordination  between the  numerous  actors  influencing  the  development  of the  coast. 

This  not only  concerns the  horizontal  relations  between  sectors  of activity  (see  table  2), 
but  also  the  intermeshing  of the  policies  and  actions  carried  out  at  various  levels  of 
territorial  authority.  Over-zealous application of the  subsidiarity principle too  often  leads 
to  a parcelling out of responsibilities,  which are  simply distributed between  the  levels of 
competence, with no scope for taking account of the numerous interactions between them. 
Owing  to  this  lack  of coordination,  the  complex  relations  between  human  activities  and 
the coastal environment described  are neglected and the isolated  measures fail  to  achieve 
their  goal  or  may  even  be  mutually  contradictory  (see  box  3). 

15 

Box  3:  Some  references  to  the  coordination  and  concertation  deficit 

*  Like  many  coastal  zones,  the  north  Brittany  coast  (Cote  de  Granit  Rose)  underwent  intensive 
urbanization  between  1960  and  1990.  Figure  7  shows  that  the  reserves  of authorized  building  land  are 
likely  to  add  to  this  phenomenon.  The  local  town  planning  documents  drawn  up  during  this  period 
therefore  appear to be  in  contradiction  with the national  directives and  the regional  plan27
,  which  advocate 
in-depth  development  towards  the  interior  of the  country  rather  than  along  the  coast.  A  slowing  down  of 
this  trend  is,  however,  becoming  apparent  with  the  revision  of  the  town  planning  documents  in  the 
framework  of the  National  Coastal  Law,  owing  in  particular  to  the  intervention  of nature  conservation 
associations. 

* "Coastal  states that are  in  the  process of defining and  implementing  a  national  programme  for  integrated 
coastal  zone  management  have  encountered  obstacles  e.  g.: 
- fragmented  institutional  arrangements 
- single-sector oriented bureaucracies 
- competing  interests  and  lack  of priorities  " 
Despite the recognition  of their overwhelming  importance,  institutional  arrangements  and  intersectoral  and 
intergovernmental  linkages  are  too  often  poorly  articulated,  ineffective  and  inefficient  (World  Coast 
Conference )28

• 

*  "From  the evidence presented to  us,  we  finnly  believe that  coastal  protection,  planning and  management 
in  the  United  Kingdom  suffer  from  centuries  of uncoordinated  decisions  and  actions  at  both  the  national 
and  local  levels.  We  found  that  there  are  inadequacies  in  legislation,  anomalies  in  the  planning  system,  a 
lack of central  guidance,  and  overlapping and  conflicting policies and responsibilities  (and  in  some  cases  a 
lack  of action)  among  a  host  of bodies,  with  poor  coordination  between  them.  Much  of this  has  arisen 
partly because of the  pattern  of ownership  of the  coastal  zone and  partly because the  boundaries  separating 
the administrative authorities are  not  drawn  with  regard  to the  presence of natural  coastal  processes and  the 
possible  consequences  on  one  pat1  of  the  coastline  of  interference 
in  another.  Administrative 
responsibilities  should  match  the  coastal  dynamics  as  the  reverse  will  never  happen.  We  conclude  that 
ignoring this as  a  principle historically  has  led  to  the  present general  failure  to  plan  or protect this  nation's 
coastal  resources  in  any  integrated  or  coordinated  manner.  (House  of Commons) 29

• 

* "Studies have revealed  a picture of immense  diversity  but  little overall  direction or coherence,  a situation 
not  too  dissimilar  from  that  in  EU  has  a  whole.  [  the  Coastal  Zone  ]  extent  transcends  operational 
boundaries,  its  resource  base  does  not  exist,  the  range  of economic  and  environment  actors  is  wide,  and 
they  are  often  temporary,  and  always  diverse  in  their  competence.  Moreover,  Transport  or  Water,  for 
example  have  Institutions and  Companies to  which  EU  Programmes  can  relate,  but  the  coast  does  not.  It  is 
in  effect  institutionally  under-developed.  "(G.  Steeley)30 

* "Considering a situation  where specific and  dispersed  interventions  still  dominate  - and  the  state does  not 
escape  this  reproach  -,  the  time  has  come  for  concerted  management  ...  around  a  strategy  based  on 
balanced  development  compatible  with  the  environment.  To  obtain  it,  the  consistency  of the  instruments 
and  of the  necessary  means  must  be  organized,  the  convergence  of the  public  poliicies  and  of the  local 
initiatives  be ensured  ....  The coast  is  confronted  with  a scale  problem:  it  is  managed,  on  various  levels,  by 
a  very  high  number  of actors  intervening  on  very  different  scales.  The  impression  is  that  of a  lack  of 
coherence  of the  actions  in  areas  which  more  than  any  other  require  it.  Consequently,  the  coast  appears 
like  one  of the  places  where  contradictions  in  the  management  of the  national  territory  arc  revealed  in  the 
most  acute  fashion.  (DA TAR)11 

16 

Table 2  : Sectoral planning  in the  coastal  zones 

that  often  have  a  specific  coastal  Sectors  not specific to  the coastal  zone,  but 

Sectors 
dimension 

Defence 
Port  and harbour developments 
Shipping and navigation 
Tourism  and  recreation 
Fisheries 
Aquaculture 

which  may  have a  significant  impact 

Agriculture 
Forestry 
Nature management 
Parks  and recreation 
Education 
Public  health 
Housing 
Water supply 
Control  of water pollution 
Transport 
Control  of natural  risks 
Development  of mining  resources 
Industrial  development 
Energy  generation 
Research 

Figure 7:  Urban development of the north Brittany coast (Cote de Granit Rose)  1960-1990 
and  reserves  of building  land  32

• 

A  :-
B  : 

Urbanized  sectors 
Sectors  not  currently  urbanized,  but  open  to  urban  development  under  the 
regulations 

Perros Guirec 

Bale de 
Lannion 

1960 

1990 

A 
r~=l  B 

~7 _______ ---------

-- ------------------------------·------------- ---- ------ __________________ J 

t  km 

3.  DEMONSTRATION  PROGRAMME  ON  INTEGRATED  MANAGEMENT  OF 
THE  COASTAL  ZONES  FOR  SUSTAINABLE  DEVELOPMENT 

3.1  JUSTIFICATION  FOR  COMMUNITY  ACTION 

3. J .1  General 

The fifth Community programme of policy and action in  relation to the environment 
and  sustainable  devclopment33  provides  for  an  initiative  in  response  to  the  Council's 
request  for  an  overall  Community  strategy  for  the  integrated  management  of  coastal 
zoncs14

. 

Work  on  the  European  aspects  of  sp,itial  planning,  in  particular  the  Commission 
Communication  "Europe  2000+"  35  and  the  preparation  of  a  European  Spatial 
Development  Perspcctive3
'',  conlirmed  the  need  to  devote  particular  attention  to  the 
fragile  environment  of coastal  zones,  which  require  an  integrated  approach. 

There  arc  three  reasons  for  the  Union's  interest  in  the  fate  of the  coastal  zones: 

- the  ~xistcncc  of problems  of a  European  dimension  which  cannot  be  solved  by  tltc 
countt ics  separately  ( common  natural  and  cultural  heritage,  transfers  of pollutants  and 
sediments,  tourist  ll0vvs,  maritime  safety)~ 
- the  inlluence of the  policies and  action  of the  Union on  the  development of the  coast1l 
zones  ( region;.:I,  transport,  lishcrics,  environment.  agriculture,  energy  and  industrial 
policy): 
- the  need  ror  an  exchange or ~xperience  and  know-how  in  a  licld  ,vhcre  successes  arc 
still  rare  and  where  there  is  suhstantial  public  and  political  demand  for  the  conservation 
ur the  coastal  zones  and  their  sustainable  development. 

3.1.2  Tiu·  I ')86  Commission  Communication  and  pro~ress  made 

While  it  is  clear that the  Union  has a rnle to  play,  the question arises as to  the  advisability 
or a  p:1rticular course of action,  complementing  the  existing  generic  or specific  measures 
(sec  annex  2).  The  Commission  considered 
the  context  or  its 
Communication  COM  (86)  571 17
,  prepared  following  the  adoption  of  the  Furopcan 
Coastal  Charkr18  and  in  response  to  the  request  or the  European  Parliament 1
'>  and  the 
Council•10
.  The  Commission  stated  that  it  would  continue  to  apply  existing  or  planned 
measures  rigorously,  taking  particular  account or the  coastal  .. 1spccts.  McasttrL'S  spcci fie 
lo  coastal  /.ones  were  therefore  not  envisaged. 

this  question 

in 

18 

However, the analysis in the previous section shows that since the  1986 Communication, 
progress on the protection and integrated management of the  coast has  been inadequate. 
This is due to two factors:  firstly,  a new approach takes time to  implement and,  secondly, 
conditions  were  less  ripe  then politically  and  in  terms  of the  available  instruments  than 
is  the  case today.  The  Commission already  noted  in  1986 that  the  key  to  the  success  of 
an  integrated  approach was preventive  measures,  concerning  in  particular: 

i)  an internal Commission procedure to take account of the environment dimension in the 
operation of the  Structural  Funds; 
ii) the obligation to carry out environmental impact assessment of plans and programmes; 
iii)  a  reference  framework  to  take  account  of the  spatial  consequences  of Community 
policies; 
iv)  economic  instruments that  integrate  environmental  and  natural  resources  aspects. 

Substantial  progress has  been  made  since  then  on these  four  points: 

i)  an  internal  procedure  for  integrating  the  environment  in  European  policies  has· been 
adopted  and  applied41
•  The  Regulation  on  the  Structural  Funds  contains  environmental 
compatibility  clauses42
ii)  a  draft Directive on the  strategic environmental  assessment  of plans  and programmes 
should  be  submitted  to  the  Council  and  Parliament  in  1995; 
iii)  work  on  European  spatial  planning  is  progressing4
iv)  research  on  environmental  economics  is  proceeding  according  to  plan44

', 

; 

. 

3.1.3  Accelerating  the  implementation  of sustainable  development 

In  recent  years,  two  major  policy  lines  have  assumed  concrete  form: 

i)  the  systematic  integration  of environmental  objectives  into  economic  development 
through  the  participation  of all  the  actors; 
ii) the  taking into account at  European level  of territorial  and  spatial  planning aspects,  in 
a  spirit  of subsidiarity  and  cooperation. 

The necessary conditions arc therefore in  place,  both as regards the fundamental approach 
and  the  instruments,  for  the  implementation  of sustainable  development  in  the  coastal 
l Jmvcvcr_  experience  with  the  application  of  the  fifth  environment  action 
;:ones. 
programme  and  spatial  planning,  both  at  European  level  and  in  the  Member  States.  has 
clearly  shown  that  actual  progress  in  this  area  is  too  slow  in  light  of the  gravity  and 
con1plcxity  of the  problems  of the  coastal  zones. 

Joint  action  by  the  Union  and  the  Member  States  is  therefore  required  in  order  to 
accelerate  implementation  at  all  levels  by  improving the  effectiveness  of legislation  and 
of the  existing  financial  and  planning  tools. 

1 <) 

Given that: 

(i) there is not a tried and tested model available to  achieve this objective easily, and  (ii) 
the  natural  and  socio-economic conditions  within the  Union,  vary  considerably, 

the  Commission  proposes  that  a  demonstration  programme  should  be  carried  out  in 
order to make best use of the available experience in a broad, joint learning process.  Such 
a  collaborative,  pragmatic  approach  is  also  a  necessary  preliminary  to  any  decision  on 
possible  subsequent action,  making appropriate use  of the  various instruments available. 

3.2  DEMONSTRATION  PROGRAMME 

3.2.1  Objective 

The  practice  of sustainable  development  requires  the  full  and  systematic  application  of 
the  principles of integration and  subsidiarity.  This  can  be  achieved  only  with the  active 
participation  of all  the  players  (political  authorities,  administrations,  economic  actors, 
scientists,  the  general  public).  Moreover,  changes  of  approach  are  often  necessary. 
Sectoral attitudes have to  give way to  cooperation. Appropriate instruments, in particular 
information and  coordination  machinery,  have  to  be  refined. 
The  objective  of the  demonstration  programme  will  therefore  be  to  show  the  practical 
conditions that must be met if sustainable development is to  be achieved in the European 
coasta]  zones  in  all  their  diversity.  It  will  have  a  dual  function. 

i)  to  test  cooperation models  for  the  integrated  management  of the  coastal  zones; 
ii)  as  it progresses,  to  provide the  technical  results  necessary  to  foster  dialogue  between 
the European institutions and all the players with a stake in the development of the coastal 
zones. 

The lessons to  be drawn from the programme and the accompanying debate will serve as 
a  basis  for  elaborating  possible  additional  measures  to  be  carried  out  in  concert  at  the 
European  and  other  levels.  They  should  also  provide  input  for  various  Community 
initiatives  on the  environment  and  spatial  planning,  in  particular: 
- the  development  of  detailed  criteria  and  mechanisms  for  the  integration  of  the 
environment  in  the  operation  of the  Structural  Funds, 
- the  launch  of the  draft directive  on  strategic  environmental  impact  assessment, 
- initiatives  pertaining  to  other  types  of area  posing  similar  problems,  such  as  urban  or 
mountain  areas. 

Finally  they  will  also  constitute  a  response  to  the  commitments  cnltered  into  by  the 
European  Union  in  respect  of  Agenda  21  of  the  United  Nations  Conference  on  the 
Environment  and  Development45

. 

20 

3.2.2  Partners 

The  partners  in  the  programme  should  be  representative  of the  levels  involved  in  the 
management of the coastal zones (see table  3).  Moreover, the cases chosen to  participate 
in the demonstration programme should cover the full range of possible European coastal 
scenarios (urban/industrial; intensive tourism; nature/rural/fisheries). A limited number of 
cases involving a high level of knowledge and experience would be preferable to a  large 
number of cases of moderate interest.  To succeed, the programme will have to rely as far 
as possible on existing information and concertation mechanisms.  The preferred partners 
will  be  those  who  have  already  carried  out many of the  tasks  listed  in table  4  and  who 
have  the  will  to  share  and  compare  their  experience  in  the  interests  of  sustainable 
development. 

The Commission will  have to  ensure that the partners have access to all  the  information 
available  at  European  level  on  the  coastal  environment  and  activities  (European 
Environment  Agency,  Eurostat,  RTD  programme),  and  on  the  relevant  Community 
policies  and  measures.  It  will  structure  and  organize  the  analysis  and  evaluation  of the 
results  as  the  programme  progresses,  with  a  view to  drawing  conclusions  for  follow-up 
action  at  the  Community  and  other  levels,  paying  particular  attention  to  the  evaluation 
procedure. 

Table  3:  Levels  and  products of concertation 

Level 

Product 

European  /  transnational 

Vision  /  Perspective 

National 

I nterregiona] 

Strategy 

Perspective  /  Strategy 

Regional  /  Local 

Programme I  Scheme  /  Plan 

21 

3.2.3  Content 

The  hypotheses  underlying  the  demonstration  programme are  as  follows: 

i)  improved  concertation between the  actors  is  the  basis  for  sustainable  dc:velopment.  It 
helps  identify  synergies  or  contradictions  between  actions  resulting  from  the  various 
policies  and  facilitates  the  acceptance  of arbitration.  In  short,  it  develops  the  actors' 
awareness; 
ii) such concertation can develop only from  full,  comprehensible information on the state 
of the environment, the origin of the changes affecting it,  the implications of the policies 
and  measures  at the  various  levels  and  the  options; 
iii) concertation has to be organized and maintained. There is a need for mechanisms and 
working methods to  ensure dialogue between the actors in  the various sectors of activity 
and at the various levels of territorial authority, and an ongoing exchange of information, 
from  the  local  level  towards  the  Community  level  and  vice  versa. 

Each partner in the programme should therefore carry out the same work for the territory 
concerning  it,  as  shown  schematically  in  figure  8.  Starting  from  an  inventory  of the 
situation ( description of the environment and of the socio-economic measures  envisaged), 
the  causes  of the  current  problems  should  be  analysed  and  the  consequences  of the 
prospective  developments  assessed.  These  data  should  be  processed  in  order to  provide 
the  players  with  comprehensible  information  enabling  them  to  assess  the  situation  and 
confer  on the  management  options. 

The  adoption  and  monitoring  of  the  demonstration  programme  and  the  analysis, 
dissemination  and  discussion  of the  results  will  constitute  an  essential  part  of work. 

.EiillJ.IT .... t  Schematic  content  of the  demonstration  programme 

Description 

Analysis 

Concertation 

Results 

State of the 
environnement 

Natural 
processes 

Human 
activities 

Cause-effects 
relationships 

Discussion of 
options, 

coorrlination of 
the  players 

Refined  plans 
and  programmes 
for the pil"t areas 
Dissemina,, _ ,1 
of know-how 

Lessons  for 
follow  up action 
at EU level 

22 

Table  4:  Principal  tasks  of the  programme 

Description 

Analysis 

Concertation 

Lessons 

' 
: 

State  of the  environment  and  of the  environmental  management  infrastructures 
- Fauna,  flora,  habitats 
- Landscapes 
- Land  use 
- Water quality 
- Air quality 
- Pollutant emissions  and  waste  production 
- Coastal  dynamics 
- Environmental  management  infrastructures 

* Inventories  of the  measures: 
- for  environmental  protection  (quantified  and  located) 
- for  development  (plans,  programmes,  sectoral  development  measures:  transport, 
industry,  fishing,  energy,  etc.) 
- for  planning  (infrastructures,  equipment) 

- Origin  of the  current  environmental  problems 
- Effect  of the  environment  measures  in  force  and  planned 
- Strategic  evaluation  of the  development  measures  decided  or planned 
- Effects  of socio-economic  development  and  of the  natural  environment  (major 
trends) 
- Analysis  of consistency  between  the  measures  taken  or under consideration  in 
the  various  sectors  and  at  the  various  levels 
- Evaluation  of management  options,  including  economic  evaluations 
- Syntheses  of information  produced,  to  permit  concertation 

- Adjustment  where  necessary  of the  concertation  structures  to  involve  all  relevant 
actors 
- Evaluation  of information  and  of the  options 
- Formulation  or adaptation  of plans  /  programmes  /  strategies I  visions 

* Dissemination  of know-how: 
- on  plans/programmes/strategies/visions  of sustainable  development  of the  coast  in 
the  territories  of the  partners  in  the  demonstration  programme 
- on  the  conditions  of sustainable  development  according  to  the  levels  or to  the 
types  of areas 
- on  the  operation  of horizontal  and  vertical  coordination 

*  Identification  of additional  measures  to  he  carried  out  in  cooperation  at  European 
,  national,  regional,  local  levels. 

23 

Table  5:  Illustration (non-exhaustive)  of the tasks  of the programme  partners  at the various  levels. 

Local  /  regional<<---

<<---- National----->> 

Description 

- Detailed state  of the 
environment 
- Indicators 
- Environmental  measures 
- Development  measures 

- Synthetic environment 
indicators 
- National  plans 

----- European  > > 
Transnational  /  interregional 

- Definition  of synthetic 
indicators  (European 
Environment  Agency, 
Eurostat) 
- Databases  on  the  state  of 
the  European  coast (EEA, 
Eurostat) 
- Inventory  of the 
Community  policies  and 
programmes  relevant  to  the 
coast 

Analysis 

Concertation 

I 

Results 

- Impact  of the  local  and 
other measures  on  the  coast 
- Impact  of the  general, 
natural  and  socio-economic 
trends 
- Mutual  consistency  of the 
sectoral  measures  and  with 
policies  at  other  levels 
- Evaluation  of management 
options 

- Use  of existing 
mechanisms  and  procedures, 
supplemented  and  adjusted 
as  required,  for  intcrsectoral 
concertation,  between 
territorial  unit'i 

- Strategic environmental 
assessment  of the  national 
plans  and  sectoral 
programmes  from  the  point 
of view  of their  impact  on 
the  coast 

- Strategic environmental 
assessment  of the  impact  of 
Community  policies  on  the 
coast 
- Evaluation  of consistency 
of policies 

- Interdepartmental 
coordination  existing  or to 
be  adjusted 

- Intier-DG  group 
- Coordination  with 
international  organizations 
- Concertation  with  the 
countries  and  regions 

- Infonnation  on  the  state 
of the  European  coast 
- Information  on  the 
environmental  and  spatial 
effects  of the  Community 
polic:ies 
- criteria  and  methods  for 
the  implementation  of 
sustainable  development  in 
the  Structural  Funds 
- Means  of improving 
cooperation  for  sustainable 
development 

- Plan/concerted  schemes  for 
integrated  management  of 
the  coast,  consistent  with  the 
other  levels 

- State  of the  coastal 
environment 
- Coastal  strategies 

24 

3.2.4 Means and timetable 

Means 

Implementation of the programme will involve tasks and therefore costs for each partner. 
However, these should not necessarily result in additional expenditure in the Community 
budget.  There  are  various  instruments  and  programmes  available  or  in  preparation,  the 
general objectives and criteria of which are directly relevant to coastal zones. Without any 
changes in the rules governing these instruments, partners could submit proposals for parts 
of the  demonstration  programme,  in  particular: 

- the  new  Community  initiative  for  transnational  cooperation  on  regional  planning  in 
Europe  (INTERREG IIC,  in preparation); 
- the  second  action  programme  under  Article  I O of the  ERDF  Regulation,  in  particular 
action  in  the  field  of spatial  planning. 
- LIFE,  for  which  the  new  draft  Regulation46  specifically  mentions  the  coastal 
environment; 
- financial  instrument  for  fisheries  policy,  PE SCA programme; 
- Article  8  of Regulation  (EEC) No  4256/88  and  the  Community  LEADER II  initiative, 
,vhich will  serve to  identify and facilitate the transfer of positive experience in  integrated 
management  of  rural  coastal  zones  through  the  European  Observatory  for  Rural 
Innovation  and  Development; 
- European  Environment  Agency  (European  Thematic  Centre  on  Coastal  Zones); 
- PHARE_  multi-country  programme,  according  to  the  interest  of the  countries; 
- environment  research  programme,  e.g.  for  the  organization  of evaluation  seminars; 
- operational  means  for  the  conduct  of the  programme  and  the  analysis  of the  results 
(studies,  meetings,  etc.). 

The concerted use of various financing sources to support an objective common to several 
Community  policies  is  also  in  conformity  with  the  Commission's  desire  to  ensure 
nptimum  consistency  of the  financial  instruments.  It  would  also  demonstrate  that,  in  the 
short  term,  progress  towards  sustainable  development  depends  to  a  large  extent  on  the 
hettcr  use  of existing  means  at  all  levels. 

25 

Timetable 

The following phases are planned over a total of about 3 years following adoption of the 
Communication: 

- Launch  of the programme: 
Dissemination  of the  Communication  to  the  actors  who  influence  coastal  development 
(European  institutions,  countries,  associations  of regions  and  local  authorities,  NGOs). 
(Council  Resolution,  Parliament  opinion).  Discussions, 
Gathering  of  reactions 
identification  of  potential  partners,  project 
selection,  development  of  work 
specifications  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  months 
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  2  years 
- Implementation of the programme 
- Analysis  of the  lessons  learnt  and  identification of follow-up  actions  .  .  .  .  6  months 

* 

* 

* 

26 

Annex  1:  Examples  of measures  specifically  targeting the  coastal zones 

Joint  Declaration  on  the  Protection  of  the  Wadden  Sea,  signed  in  1982  by  the 
Netherlands,  Germany and  Denmark. 
Vision  and  strategies  for  the  Battie  Sea  2010.  Towards  a  framework  for  spatial 
development in  the  Baltic  Sea Region.  The  Baltic Institute,  ISBN  91-630-3091-8. 
Ministerial  Conferences  on  the  Protection  of  the  North  Sea,  from  1984:  Bremen 
Conference. 
Blue  plan  for  the  Mediterranean  launched  in  1976  in  the  framework  of the  Barcelona 
Convention. 

National  directive  on  protection  and  management  of the  coast  (79-08-25).  Coastal  law 
(France)  1986. 
Coastal  law (Spain).  Law No  22/1988,  28  July  1988. 
Law on  integrated  management of the  coast (Portugal).  Decree-Law N°  309/93. 

Creation  of the  "Conservatoire  de  l'Espacc  Littoral  et  des  Rivages  Lacustres"  (France 
1975). 
Creation  of  Enterprise  Neptune  under  the  auspices  of  the  National  Trust  (United 
Kingdom,  1965). 
National  coastal  study:  A  national  strategy  for  development  and  conservation  (Ireland). 
Bord  Failte  Eirann  et  Foras  Forbartha.  Dublin  1972. 

Planning  policy  guidance  notes  on  coastal  planning  for  the  Secretaries  of  State  for 
England  and  Wales  and  their  inspectors.  fIJVlSO  1992. 
Management  strategy  for  the  lower  Normandy  coast  (France).  DATAR,  1979. 

27 

Annex 2:  Typical examples  of Community  measures  relevant to  the  protection  and 
management  of coastal zones 

*  Environment  policy 

The  majority  of the  measures  apply  without  discrimination  to  all  the  territory  of the 
Union,  while  a  few  of them  mention the  coast  specifically. 

- Pursuant to Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of 
wild fauna and flora and Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds, 
Member  States  are  obliged to  protect and  manage  a  sufficient number  and  area  of sites 
to  ensure  the  survival  of species  of fauna  and  flora  and  the  conservation  of the  habitats 
specified  in  the  directives.  A  significant number  of the  Special  Protection  Areas  for  the 
protection  of the  birds  are  in  coastal  zones,  which  will  also  be  the  case  for  the  Natura 
2000  network  as  a  whole. 
- Pursuant  to  Directive  76/160/EEC  on  the  quality  of  bathing  water  and  Directive 
79/923/EEC  on  shellfish  water,  Member  States  have  undertaken  to  ensure  the  quality 
standards  defined  in  the  directives  in  the  sites  they  designate.  By  adopting  the  proposal 
for  a Directive on the ecological quality of water (COM (93) 680 final),  they  will  commit 
themselves  to  subm.itting  programmes  designed  to  achieve  certain  quality  standards, 
including  for  coastal  waters. 
- Directive  91 /271/EEC  on  urban  waste  water  concerns  emissions  to  watercourses  and 
coastal  waters. 
-·  Directive  91 /676/EEC  aims  to  reduce  nitrate  inputs  in  water  from  agricultural  sources 
aml  thus  also  contributes  to  preventing  the  cutrnphication  of coastal  waters,  which  are 
potentially  sensitive  areas. 
- Air  pollutants  not  only  have  an  adverse  effect  on  air  quality,  hut  as  a  result  of 
deposition  are  a  significant  source  of  eutrophication  and  coastal  and  marine  water 
pollution.  A  number of directives  concern  the  control  and  reduction  of emissions  to  the 
~tir  from  various  activities:  industrial  plant  (84/360/EEC,  amended  91/692/EEC),  the 
incineration  of dangerous  waste  (94/67/CE)  and  municipal  waste  (89/369/EEC),  large 
combustion  plants  (94.166/CE,  amending  88/609). 
-·  The  Directive on the assessment of the  effects of certain  public  and  private  projects on 
1hc  environment  (85/337/EEC)  covers  a  number  of activities  including  some  specific  to 
1hc coast.  The directive in  preparation on strategic environmental assessipent of plans and 
programmes  will  play  a  very  important  role  in  the  integrated  management  of the  coast. 
- Rc:mictions on the marketing and use of certain pollutant products reduce their presence 
rn  the  environment_  including  in  coastal  zones.  This  applies  for  example  to  paints 
containing  organostannic  compounds  (Directive  76/769/EFC),  certain  plant  protection 
products  (Directive  79/117/EEC)  and  detergents  (Directive  73/404/EEC  amended  by 
82/242  and  86/9). 
- Since  1986  almost  a  hundred  projects  in  the  field  of protection  and  management  of 
coastal zones have been granted  financial  support under the LIFE instrument (Regulation 
(EEC)  1973/92) and  the ACNAT  and  MEDSPA  budget headings.  The  new proposal  for 
a  regulation  (COM  (95)  135  final)  specifically  mentions  the  wise  use  of coastal  zones . 
..  Part  of the  financial  support to  awareness-raising  and  training  concerns  constal  zones. 

28 

- A  number of databases on the state of the European environment and land cover were 
created  under  the  CORINE  programme47
•  These  will  be  updated  and  extended  by  the 
European Environment Agency48
,  whose aim is to provide the information necessary for 
European environmental  policy and  whose  work programme  includes coastal  zones. 

*  Economic  and social  cohesion 

Significant progress in  integrating the  environment in development processes  was made 
with  the  adoption  of Regulation  (EEC)  n ~2081/93,  which  stipulates  that  the  plans  and 
programmes submitted  by Member• States  under Objectives  1,  2  and  5  of the  Structural 
Funds  have to  comprise: 

- an appraisal  of the  environmental  situation  of the  region concerned; 
- an evaluation of the environmental impact of the strategy and operations defined in the 
plan in terms of sustainable development in agreement with the provisions of Community 
law  in  force; 
- the  arrangements  made  to  associate  the  competent  environmental  authorities  in  the 
preparation  and  implementation  of the  operations  envisaged  in  the  plan  and  to  ensure 
compliance with  Community  environment rules. 

These provisions  should make  it  possible.  for  example  in  the  eligible coastal  regions,  to 
integrate  environmental  concerns  into  port.,.  tourist  or  transport  developments  and  to 
encourage the financing of environmental infrastructures such as water or waste treatment 
ph~nts. 

Under  the  ENVIREG  Programmc4(>,  which  applies  to  the  Objective  I,  2 and  5b  regions 
of the  Structural  Funds, three quarters of the  budget has been devoted to  the reduction of 
pollution  in  the  coastal  zones  and  to  the  promotion  of integrated  management  for  the 
protection  of the  natural  environment  and  landscapes. 

FinaJly,  work  on  the  European  aspects  of regional  planning  places  special  emphasis  on 
coastu!  zones. 

*  Fisheries  policy 

The comrnon  fisheries policy includes conservation measures designed to  protect fishery 
resources and  structural measures to reach a balance between fishery  efforts and available 
resources.  in  the  interests  of protecting  marine  ecosystems. 

Thus  the  structural  measures  comprise  provisions  to  limit  the  environmental  impact  of 
intensive  aquaculture  and  encourage  extensive  aquaculture,  and  investments  to  improve· 
hygiene  and  human and  animal  health  aspects. 

29 

The  consei:vation  measures  (basic  regulation,  TAC  and  quotas,  technical  measures, 
inspection, limitation of fishing capacities) contribute to protecting fishery resources and 
therefore  also  the  environment,  in particular: 

- Regulation (3760/92) which provides the basis for the conservation of fishery resources 
in a  context of protection of marine  ecosystems; 
- the  annual  Regulations  fixing  the  total  allowable  catch  (TAC)  of  the  principal 
marketable  species  in  the  Community wat~rs  of the  north-east Atlantic  and  distributing 
the  quotas between Member  States; 
- various  Regulations  designed  to  achieve  a  balance  between  fishery  cap~cities  and 
available  resources  (4028/86,  3690/93,  1627/94),  or  place  restrictions  on  the  technical 
characteristics of the fishing  gear (3094/86:  the Atlantic and the North Sea,  1866/86: the 
Baltic,  1626/94:  the  Mediterranean). 

* Agricultural  policy: 
The  reform  of the  CAP  and  the  accompanying  measures  aim  among  other  things  to 
extensify  production  and  reduce  pollution.  Regulation  2843/94,  amending  Regulations 
2328/91  and  866/90,  comprises  provisions  for  aid  to  investment  in  environmental 
protection.  Support for conservation of the semi-natural environment ( e.g.  salt meadows, 
dyke  grasslands)  is  possible  under  agri-cnvironmental  measures  (2078/92).  In  addition, 
Article  ll(a)  of Regulation  (EEC)  No  2052/88  includes  in  the  eligibility  criteria  for 
O~jective 5b the existence of "pressures exerted on the environment and the countryside". 
Some  rural  coastal  zones  home  to  fragile  ecosystems  have  therefore  hcen  designated 
eligible  (e.g.  the  Breton  marshes  and  the  Poitou-Charcnte  marshes) . 

. ;:  Transport policy 
:rvfaritime  safety policy contributes  to  rcducjng the  risks  of marine  and  coastal  pollution, 
in  particu]ar through measures relating to  navigation, training of crews, the characteristics 
of the  ships  and  port reception  facilities  for  the  treatment  of residues. 

)j:  Energy  policy 

The environmental  impact of coastal  infrastructures must  be  minimized  in general.  This 
concern is taken into  account above  all  in regional  energy  programming. 50  In addition,  a 
number  of sparsdy  populated  regions  remote  from  the  energy  distribution  networks  are 
highly  suited  for  the  implementation  of techniques  and  practices  for  the  environmcnt 
friend1v  use  of local,  renewable  energy  sources. 

*  Industrial  policy 

It contributes to facilitating the balanced development of industrial activities in the constal 
zones  (heavy  industries,  construction,  etc.). 

*  Research  policy 

Tht:  fourth  framework  programme of research and  technological  development ( 1994-98) 
comprises a ·nurnber  of specific  programmes  in  support  of the  above  policies  which  arc 

30 

specifically  relevant  to  the  coastal  zones.  One  of  the  themes  of  the  environment 
programme, the human dimensions of environmental change, dedicates particular attention 
to  the  integrated management of the  coastal  zones. 

* Tourism and the environment 

The  Green  Paper  on  the  role  of the  Union  in  the  field  of tourism51
,  adopted  by  the 
Commission  on  4  April  1995,  cites  the  sustainable  development  of tourism  among  its 
main concerns. 

Various projects in the coastal zones have been supported in the framework of Community 
action plans to assist tourism,  which provide that the measures taken must be "conducive 
to  preserving and  protecting the  quality  of the  natural  environment" 52

• 

More specifically, the Community action plan is implemented by the following measures: 
- support to  initiatives  aimed  at  informing  and  increasing  the  awareness  of tourists  and 
suppliers  of  services  about  the  interaction  between  tourism  and  the  environment,  in 
particular through the  creation of a  European environmental  prize; 
- support for  innovative pilot projects to  reconcile tourism and  nature protection at  local 
or n~~gional  level,  in particular coastal  or  mountain  areas,  nature  parks and  reserves,  e.g. 
by  measures  for  the  guidance  of visitors; 
- support  for  the  development  of  networks  involving  transnational  exchanges  of 
experience  of  environmental  problems  and  thefr  possible  solution  through  visitor 
management  at  sites; 
- support  for  initiatives  encouraging  11 5oft' 1  forms  of tourism. 

Annex 3:  Contacts with organisations involved in  the integrated management of the 
European  coast 

For  the  purposes  of  preparing  this  Communication,  information  and  views  were 
exchanged  in  1995  with the  following  organizations: 

- European Union for  Coastal  Conservation 

- Conference  of  the  Maritime  Peripheral  Regions  of  the  European  Community 
(Commissions  of the  Islands,  of the  North  Sea,  Atlantic  arc,  the  Mediterranean,  the 
Eurisles Network) 

- European Environment Agency  and  contractors  : Laboratorio  Nacional  de  Engenharia 
Civil  (Lisboa),  Centro  de  Estudios  y  Experimcntacion  de  Obras  Publicas  (Madrid), 
National  Institute  for  Coastal  and  Marine  Management  (Den Haag) 

- Delegation a I' Amenagement du Territoire et Mission Interministerielle de la Mcr (Paris) 

- Coordinated  Action  for  Seaside  Towns  (Coast Network) 

- The National  Trust  (UK) 

- Coastwatch Europe 

- Birdlife  International 

- Council  of European  Municipalities 

..  Blue  Plan  (Action  Plan  for  the  T\foditcrrancan). 

32 

1.  Resolution  (73)29  of the  Committee  of Ministers  of the  Council  of Europe  on  the 
protection of the  coast. 

2.  Recommendation  of the  OECD  Council  on  the  principles  of coastal  management, 
C(76)161,  adopted on  12.10.1976. 

3.  European Community environment programme  (1973-77),  OJ C  112,  1973. 

4.  Integrated coastal  management in the  European  Community,  1978,  EUR 6105. 

5. European Environment Agency.  Scoping study on integrated environmental assessment 
of coastal  zones.  Draft,  May  1995. 

· 

6.  Management  arrangements  for  the  development  and  implementation  of coastal  zone 
management programmes.  Study prepared  for  the  World  Coast Conference, Noordwijk, 
5.11.1993. 

7.  Integrated  Geosphere  Biosphere  Programme.  Land  Ocean  Interactions  in the  Coastal 
Zone.  Meeting  report  on  implementation  plan.  Quczon  City,  Philippines,  23-27  April 
1995. 

8.  Eurostat. Regions. Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (NUTS).  ISBN 92-826-
4188-0. 

9.  Council  Directive  92/43/EEC  of 21.5.1992,  OJ  L 210,  22.7.1992. 

l 0.  European  Commission:  Wise  use  and  conservation  of  wetlands.  Commission 
Communication to  the  Council  and  European  Parliament.  COM(95)  189  final. 

11.  Council  Directive  79/409/EEC  of 2.4.1979,  OJ L  103,  25.4. I 979. 

17..  European  Commission,  1993:  Coastal  resources  and  integrated  development  of the 
coast.  Proceedings of the Colloquium organised by DG XIV and XVI,  Porto, 7-8 October 
1993  (  2  volumes). 

13.  Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Coordinator. Climate and sea level 
change  and  the  implications  for  Europe.  Final  report  under  research  contract  for  the 
European  Commission,  1995. 

14.  EC. Resolution of the Council of the European Communities and the Representatives 
of the  Governments  of the  Member  States,  meeting  within  the  Council  on  1  February 
1993,  on  a  Community  programme  of policy  and  action  in  relation  to  the  environment 
and  sustainable  development.  OJ  C  13 8.  1993. 

15.  European  Union  for  Coastal  Conservation.  Coastline,  EUCC  Magazine,  1994.3 

33 

16.  Junta  de  Andalusia  &  Commission  of the  European  Communities.  Estudio  de  la 
gestion  integrada de  las  marismas  del  Odiel.  I.S.B.N.  84-87294-25-• l. 

17.  Marion,  Lo1c.  Plan  to  apply  the  Community  Birds  Directive  to  the  Loire  estuary. 
Laboratoire  d'evolution  des  systemes  naturels  et  modifies,  Museum National  d'Histoire 
Naturelle  and  University  of Rennes,  in  association  with  the  CNRS  and  INRA.  Groupe 
Ornithologique de  Loire  Atlantique.  Office National  de  la Chasse. 

18.  Europe's environment.  The  Dobris  assessment.  Draft report,  1995. 

19.  Gachelin,  Ch.  Pour un Plan Strategiquc Intcgr6 du Litttoral  Frarn;ais,  DAT AR  1992. 

20.  World  Coast Conference:  see  note  6. 

21.  Helcom,  1994. 

22.  G.J.  Schiereck &  J.  Van der Weide, Coastal Zone Management:  A  round game, paper 
presented to  the  Coastal  Zone  Management  Workshop,  Malaysia,  March  1995. 

23.  CEC.  Community RTD  programme  in  the  field  of the  environment.  European  River 
Ocean  System  Project  (EROS). 

24.  See  note  22. 

25.  See  note  23. 

26.  Greek  Ornithological  Society.  Information  note,  l 995. 

27.  Management  plan for  the  Breton  coast and  the  islands approved  by  the  departmental 
and  regional  assemblies  of Brittany  (Janu~u-y  1977)  and  by  the  lntcrministerial  Council 
for  regional  planning  (Novcmhcr  1977). 

28.  See  note  6. 

29.  House  of Commons  Environment  Committee,  1992.  Second  Report.  Coastal  zone 
protection  and  planning.  HMSO. 

30.Stceley.  G.  Draft  resolution  for  the  Council  of European  Municipalities,  ] 994. 

J 1.  Sec  note  19. 

32.  Conservatoire  de  l'Espacc  Littoral  et  des  Rivages  Lacustres.  Paris. 

33.  OJ  C  138,  17.5.1993. 

34.  Resolution  of 25.02.92,  OJ  C  59.  (d. l 992. 

35.  Commission  Communication  "Europe  2000''+.  Cooperation  for  European  territorial 
development.  COM/94/354.  ISBN  92-826-9100-4. 

34 

36.  Conclusions of the German Presidency following the informal Council meeting of the 
Ministers  responsible  for  regional  planning  at  Leipzig  on  21/22.9.1994,  in  Regional 
Planning,  Federal Ministry  for  Regional  Planning,  Building  and Urban Development. 

3 7.  Integrated  planning  of coastal  areas:  its  role  in  Community  environment  policy 
COM(86)571. 

38.  Plenary  session of the  Conference  of Peripheral  Maritime  Regions  of the  European 
Community,  1981. 

39.  Resolution  of 18.6.1982,  EP  73424. 

40.  See note  37. 

41. Commission of the European communities. Internal measures designed to promote the 
objective  of integration,  adopted  on  2  June  1993. 

42.  Regulation  (EEC) No  2081/93;  Articles  8,9,lla. 

43.  See note  36. 

44.  RTD  programmes  in  the  field  of the  environment  (1990-94):  OJ  L  192,  16.7.1991 
and  ( 1994-98):  OJ L  361,  31.12.1994  - 1-luman  dimensions  of environmental  change. 

45.  Agenda  21.  Chap.  17,  section  17.3  and  17.5  "Coastal  states  commit  themselves  to 
integrated  management  and  sustainable  development  of coastal  zones  and  the  marine 
environment under their  national  jurisdiction." 

46 ..  FC.  Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1973/92. 
COM{95)  135  final. 

47.  CEC. Commission Communication to  the Council and  Parliament on the results of the 
CORINE  programme.  SEC(91)  958. 

18.  CouHcil  Regulation  (EEC)  No  121 ONO,  OJ  L  12.0,  11.5.1990. 

49.  OJ  C  11 \  9.5.1990. 

50.  CFC.  Regional  energy programming in  the  European Community. Proceedings of the 
contractors·  scminnr.  21-22  January  ]Q9J. 

5 l.  COM  (95)  97. 

52.  "Tourism and the environment in Europe'', Alpenforschungsinstitut GmbfI, Garmiscb 
Partenkirchen  (D).  ISBN  92-826-9917-X. 

35 

ISSN 0254-1475 

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