Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2002 concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Europe
Date: 2002-05-30
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: coastal region, environmental protection, integrated development programme, sustainable development, town and country planning

L 148/24

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Official Journal of the European Communities

6.6.2002

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Europe

of 30 May 2002

(2002/413/EC)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (1),

Having regard to the opinion of
Regions (2),

the Committee of

the

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (3),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

The coastal zone is of great environmental, economic,
social, cultural and recreational importance to Europe.

Coastal zones possess a unique biodiversity in terms of
flora and fauna.

Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, adopted at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development summit
in Rio in June 1992, should be taken into account.

The 1999 assessment report of the European Environ-
ment Agency indicates a continuing degradation of
conditions in the coastal zones of Europe as regards both
the coasts themselves and the quality of coastal water.

Community coastal zones are further threatened by the
effects of climate change, in particular rising sea levels,
changes in storm frequency and strength, and increased
coastal erosion and flooding.

(1) OJ C 155, 29.5.2001, p. 17.
(2) OJ C 148, 18.5.2001, p. 23.
(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 July 2001 (OJ C 65 E,
14.3.2002, p. 309), Council Common Position of 13 December
2001 (OJ C 58 E, 5.3.2002, p. 1) and Decision of the European
Parliament of 10 April 2002. Council Decision of 7 May 2002.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Population growth and the development of economic
activities are increasingly threatening for both the envir-
onmental and social equilibria of coastal zones.

The decline of fishing activity and related employment
makes many
areas particularly
vulnerable.

fisheries-dependent

Existing regional disparities in the Community affect the
management and conservation of each coastal zone in a
different way.

It is essential to implement an environmentally sustain-
able, economically equitable, socially responsible, and
culturally sensitive management of coastal zones, which
maintains the integrity of this important resource while
considering local traditional activities and customs that
do not present a threat to sensitive natural areas and to
the maintenance status of the wild species of the coastal
fauna and flora.

The Community promotes integrated management on a
larger scale by means of horizontal instruments. These
activities therefore contribute to integrated coastal zone
management.

The Commission notes in its Communications (4) to the
Council and the European Parliament
integrated
management of the coastal zone requires strategic, coor-
dinated and concerted action at the local and regional
level, guided and supported by an appropriate frame-
work at the national level.

that

(12)

The Commission’s demonstration programme on inte-
grated coastal zone management identifies principles of
good coastal zone management.

(4) COM(97) 744 and COM(2000) 547.

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(13)

(14)

There is a need to ensure coherent action a at European
level, including cooperative action and consultation with
regional seas organisations or international organisa-
tions, such as the International Maritime Organisation,
to address cross-border coastal zone problems.

Council Resolution of 6 May 1994 on a Community
strategy for integrated coastal zone management (1) and
Council Resolution of 25 February 1992 on the future
Community policy concerning the European coastal
zone (2) both identify the need for concerted European
action to implement integrated coastal zone manage-
ment.

(15)

Since the Resolution of 6 May 1994 the European Union
has experienced an increase in pressure on coastal
resources, an increase in coastal population and an
increase in near-shore and on-shore infrastructure.

(16) An integrated coastal

involves
multiple factors among which town and country plan-
ning and land use are only accessorily concerned.

zone management

(17)

In accordance with the subsidiarity and proportionality
principles as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty, and with
Protocol 7 to the Treaty of Amsterdam on the imple-
mentation of subsidiarity and proportionality, and given
the diversity of conditions in the coastal zones and the
legal and institutional frameworks in the Member States,
the objectives of
the proposed action can best be
achieved by guidance at the Community level,

HEREBY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING:

CHAPTER I

A strategic approach

Member States take into account the sustainable development
strategy and the Decision of the European Parliament and of
the Council
laying down the sixth Community environment
action programme (3), and take a strategic approach to the
management of their coastal zones, based on:

(a) protection of

the coastal environment, based on an
integrity and func-
ecosystem approach preserving its
tioning,
the natural
resources of both the marine and terrestrial components of
the coastal zone;

and sustainable management of

(b) recognition of the threat to coastal zones posed by climate
change and of the dangers entailed by the rise in sea level
and the increasing frequency and violence of storms;

(c) appropriate and ecologically responsible coastal protection
including protection of coastal settlements and

measures,
their cultural heritage;

(d) sustainable
options;

economic opportunities

and employment

(1) OJ C 135, 18.5.1994, p. 2.
(2) OJ C 59, 6.3.1992, p. 1.
(3) Not yet published in the Official Journal.

(e) a functioning social and cultural system in local commu-

nities;

(f) adequate accessible land for the public, both for recreational

purposes and aesthetic reasons;

(g) in the case of remote coastal communities, maintenance or

promotion of their cohesion;

(h) improved coordination of

the
authorities concerned both at sea and on land, in managing
the sea-land interaction.

the actions taken by all

CHAPTER II

Principles

In formulating national strategies and measures based on these
strategies, Member States should follow the principles of inte-
grated coastal zone management to ensure good coastal zone
management, taking into account the good practices identified,
inter alia, in the Commission’s demonstration programme on
integrated coastal zone management. In particular, coastal zone
management should be based on:

(a) a broad overall perspective (thematic and geographic)
which will
the interdependence and
disparity of natural systems and human activities with an
impact on coastal areas;

take into account

(b) a long-term perspective which will take into account the
precautionary principle and the needs of present and future
generations;

(c) adaptive management during a gradual process which will
facilitate adjustment as problems and knowledge develop.
This implies the need for a sound scientific basis concerning
the evolution of the coastal zone;

(d) local specificity and the great diversity of European coastal
zones, which will make it possible to respond to their prac-
tical needs with specific solutions and flexible measures;

(e) working with natural processes and respecting the carrying
capacity of ecosystems, which will make human activities
more environmentally friendly, socially responsible and
economically sound in the long run;

(f) involving all the parties concerned (economic and social
partners, the organisations representing coastal zone resi-
dents, non-governmental organisations and the business
sector) in the management process, for example by means
of agreements and based on shared responsibility;

(g) support and involvement of relevant administrative bodies
at national, regional and local level between which appro-
priate links should be established or maintained with the
aim of improved coordination of the various existing poli-
cies. Partnership with and between regional and local
authorities should apply when appropriate;

(h) use of a combination of instruments designed to facilitate
coherence between sectoral policy objectives and coherence
between planning and management.

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CHAPTER III

National stocktaking

Member States conduct or update an overall stocktaking to
analyse which major actors, laws and institutions influence the
management of their coastal zone. This stocktaking should:

(a) consider (but not be limited to) the following sectors and
areas: fisheries and aquaculture, transport, energy, resource
management, species and habitat protection, cultural heri-
tage, employment, regional development in both rural and
urban areas, tourism and recreation, industry and mining,
waste management, agriculture and education;

(b) cover all administrative levels;

(c) analyse the interests, role and concerns of citizens, non-

governmental organisations, and the business sector;

(d) identify relevant inter-regional organisations and coopera-

tion structures, and

(e) take stock of the applicable policy and legislative measures.

CHAPTER IV

National strategies

Based on the result of the stocktaking, each Member State
1.
concerned,
in partnership with the regional authorities and
inter-regional organisations, as appropriate, should develop a
national strategy or, where appropriate, several strategies, to
implement the principles for integrated management of the
coastal zone.

These strategies might be specific to the coastal zone, or
2.
might be part of a geographically broader
strategy or
programme for promoting integrated management of a larger
area.

3.

These strategies should:

(a) identify the roles of

the different administrative actors
within the country or region whose competence includes
activities or resources related to the coastal zone, as well as
mechanisms for their coordination. This identification of
roles should allow an adequate control, and an appropriate
strategy and consistency of actions;

(b) identify the appropriate mix of instruments for implementa-
tion of the principles outlined in Chapter II, within the
national, regional or local legal and administrative context.
In developing these strategies, the Member States should
consider the appropriateness of:

(i) developing national strategic plans for the coast to
inter alia,
the
respecting

promote integrated management ensuring,
the control of additional urbanisation and of
exploitation of non-urban areas while
natural features of the coastal environment;

(ii) land purchase mechanisms and declarations of public
domain to ensure public
recreational
purposes without prejudice to the protection of sensi-
tive areas;

access

for

(iii) developing contractual or voluntary agreements with
coastal zone users, including environmental agreements
with industry;

(iv) harnessing economic and fiscal incentives, and

(v) working through regional development mechanisms;

(c) develop or maintain national and, where appropriate,
regional or local
legislation or policies and programmes
which address both the marine and terrestrial areas of
coastal zones together;

(d) particularly, identify measures to promote bottom-up initia-
tives and public participation in integrated management of
the coastal zone and its resources;

(e) identify sources of durable financing for integrated coastal
zone management initiatives where needed, and examine
how to make the best use of existing financing mechanisms
both at Community and at national level;

(f) identify mechanisms to ensure full and coordinated imple-
mentation and application of Community legislation and
policies that have an impact on coastal areas,
including
when reviewing Community policies;

(g) include adequate systems for monitoring and disseminating
information to the public about their coastal zone. These
systems should collect and provide information in appro-
priate and compatible formats
to decision makers at
levels to facilitate integrated
national, regional and local
the European Environment
management. The work of
Agency can serve inter alia as a basis for this purpose. These
data should be publicly available in accordance with rele-
vant Community legislation, in particular with the Directive
of the European Parliament and of the Council on public
access to environmental information and repealing Council
Directive 90/313/EEC (1);

(h) determine how appropriate national training and education
integrated

programmes can support
management principles in the coastal zone.

implementation of

CHAPTER V

Cooperation

1. Member States should encourage, enter into or maintain
dialogue and implement existing conventions with neigh-
bouring countries,
including non-Member States in the same
regional sea, to establish mechanisms for better coordination of
responses to cross-border issues.

(1) Not yet published in the Official Journal.

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2. Member States also work actively with the Community
institutions and other coastal stakeholders to facilitate progress
towards a common approach to integrated coastal zone
management, examining the need for a European coastal stake-
holders forum. In this process, ways of using existing institu-
tions and conventions should be explored.

In this context, cooperation with the accession countries

3.
is maintained and enhanced.

CHAPTER VI

Reporting and review

1. Member States report to the Commission on the experi-
ence in implementation of this Recommendation 45 months
after its adoption.

These reports are available to the public and include, in

2.
particular, information concerning:

(a) the results of the national stocktaking exercise;

(b) the strategy or strategies proposed at the national level for
implementation of integrated coastal zone management;

(c) a summary of actions taken, or to be taken, to implement

the national strategy or strategies;

(d) an evaluation of the expected impact of the strategy or stra-

tegies on the status of the coastal zone;

(e) an evaluation of the implementation and application of
Community legislation and policies that have an impact on
coastal areas.

3.
The Commission should review this Recommendation
within 55 months following the date of its adoption and submit
to the European Parliament and the Council an evaluation
report accompanied if appropriate by a proposal for further
Community action.

Done at Brussels, 30 May 2002.

For the European Parliament

The President

P. COX

For the Council

The President

J. PIQUÉ I CAMPS