Commission staff working document - Accompanying document to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union - Impact Assessment {COM(2007) 574 final} {COM(2007) 575 final} {SEC(2007) 1278} {SEC(2007) 1280} {SEC(2007) 1283}
Date: 2007-10-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: environmental protection, impact study, labour market, management of resources, maritime area, shipping policy, sustainable development, the EU's international role

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 10.10.2007 
SEC(2007) 1279 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Accompanying document to the 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union 

IMPACT ASSESSMENT 

{COM(2007) 574 final} 
{COM(2007) 575 final} 
{SEC(2007) 1278} 
{SEC(2007) 1280} 
{SEC(2007) 1283} 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Executive summary .................................................................................................................... 4 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

2.5. 

2.6. 

3. 

4. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 6 

Modifications to this impact assessment...................................................................... 6 

Steps towards a Maritime Policy.................................................................................. 7 

Issue at stake: Why a new approach to maritime affairs?.......................................... 10 

Importance of a strong and sustainable maritime economy....................................... 10 

The need to protect the marine environment.............................................................. 15 

Difficulties with Current Situation............................................................................. 17 

Effects of non-action .................................................................................................. 20 

Trends in maritime policy approaches ....................................................................... 22 

The added value of action at EU level ....................................................................... 24 

General policy objectives/ specific objectives ........................................................... 25 

Policy options: an integrated policy or not ................................................................ 26 

4.1. 

Integrated policy approach......................................................................................... 26 

4.1.1.  No specific action/sector-based approach.................................................................. 27 

4.1.2.  A structural option – A centralised Maritime Policy function................................... 28 

4.1.3.  A procedural approach for coordination .................................................................... 29 

5. 

5.1. 

5.2. 

5.3. 

5.4. 

5.5. 

6. 

6.1. 

6.2. 

6.3. 

6.4. 

Achieving Maritime Policy Goals.............................................................................. 30 

Maximising the Sustainable Use of the Oceans and Seas.......................................... 31 

Building a Knowledge and Innovation Base for the Maritime Policy ....................... 32 

Delivering the Highest Quality of Life in Coastal Regions ....................................... 32 

Promoting Europe’s Leadership in International Maritime Affairs........................... 33 

Raising the visibility of Maritime Europe.................................................................. 33 

Which actions for a new European maritime policy? The action plan for a European 
Maritime Policy.......................................................................................................... 34 

Maritime Governance................................................................................................. 35 

Cross-cutting and Integrated Maritime Policy Tools ................................................. 35 

Maximising the Sustainable Use of the Oceans and Seas.......................................... 36 

Building a Knowledge and Innovation Base for the Maritime Policy ....................... 39 

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6.5. 

6.6. 

6.7. 

7. 

Delivering the Highest Quality of Life in Coastal Regions ....................................... 40 

Promoting Europe’s Leadership in Maritime Affairs ................................................ 42 

Raising the Visibility of Maritime Europe................................................................. 43 

Core indicators of progress towards meeting the objectives...................................... 43 

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Executive summary 

In June 2006 the Commission adopted a Green Paper on a future Maritime Policy for the EU. 
This  Paper  pointed  out  the  strategic  importance  of  the  seas  and  oceans  for  the  European 
economy. It highlighted the urgency of ensuring that future developments take account of the 
need  to  maintain  this  competitiveness  while  safeguarding  the  marine  environment  and 
protecting the well-being and livelihoods of those who depend on the maritime economy or 
live on the coast. This was then followed by a one-year consultation period, which saw some 
230  events  and  over  490  written  submissions.  Many  of  these  written  contributions  —  from 
national governments, industrial groupings, and environmental NGOs — were themselves the 
outcome of extensive internal consultation processes. 

The stakeholders overwhelmingly agreed that the EU could not continue to manage its policy 
towards  the  oceans  and  seas  through  a  series  of  unconnected  sectoral  policies.  Decision-
making  is  slow,  potential  synergies  are  not  exploited  and  no-one  has  a  clear  authority  to 
resolve conflicts across sectors, to deal with cumulative effects or to look at the wider picture. 
EU  trade  and  the  competitiveness  of  EU  ports  are  threatened  by  a  planning  process  that 
proceeds  at  a  glacial  pace,  the  marine  environment  is  endangered  by  intensive  and 
accelerating growth in shore- and sea-based economic activities, Europeans are deserting the 
maritime professions, data collected on the state of the marine environment, human maritime 
activities and the health of the coastal economy are fragmented and largely inaccessible, and 
the different authorities entrusted with protecting our seas against pollution, illegal fishing and 
traffickers  are  independently  developing  similar  systems  to  detect  and  identify  anomalous 
behaviour. 

Taking  account  of  these  reactions,  the  Commission  has  therefore  proposed  an  overarching 
Maritime  Policy  with  the  following  goals:  (1) maximising  the  sustainable  use  of  the  oceans 
and  seas;  (2)  building  a  knowledge  and  innovation  base  for  the  Maritime  Policy;  (3) 
delivering the highest quality of life in coastal regions; (4) promoting Europe's leadership in 
international maritime affairs; and (5) raising the visibility of Maritime Europe. 

In the immediate term, the Commission aims to achieve these goals through first, introducing 
a governance framework that applies the integrated approach and, second, through horizontal 
and cross-cutting tools for integrated policy-making. The Commission will create an internal 
function  to  enhance  coordination  between  the  sector-specific  policy  initiatives  related  to 
maritime  affairs.  Moreover,  an  Action  Plan  lists  a  range  of  concrete  initiatives  that  will  be 
taken as first steps towards a more consistent, integrated EU Maritime Policy. 

By the end of 2008, a number of benefits would accrue — greater mutual awareness among 
policies and sectors, early flagging of potential conflicts in sectoral initiatives, the exploitation 
of  synergies,  faster  exchange  of  ideas  for  good  practice  between  different  regions,  greater 
confidence that individual sectoral policies are based on best available knowledge about the 
maritime  sector,  and  greater  opportunities  for  individuals  and  interest  groups  to  make  their 
voices heard. 

The  particular  benefits  to  be  gained  from  the  preparatory  actions  on  marine  data,  spatial 
planning  and  maritime  surveillance  would  not  accrue  immediately  but  only  once  further 
measures are implemented. However, the scale of these potential benefits justifies the modest 
longer-term  benefits  are:  accelerated  development  of  value-added 
spending.  These 

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commercial services based on easily accessible data; improvement of the efficiency of public 
institutions, including European marine research laboratories and academic bodies; significant 
reduction in the current uncertainty surrounding global environmental change; integration of a 
number  of  currently  fragmented,  limited-duration  data  access  initiatives  into  a  consolidated 
effort;  clearer  rules  for  rights  and  restrictions  in  marine  waters;  easier  resolution  of  trans-
boundary planning issues; more effective use of existing reporting and surveillance resources; 
and the possibility to share future jointly-owned surveillance assets. 

The  short-term  benefits  from  policy  coordination  and  collective  learning  as  well  as  the 
potential longer-term benefits of the preparatory actions will all have a positive impact on the 
main aims of the Maritime Policy — maximising the sustainable use of the oceans and seas, 
building a knowledge and innovation base for the Maritime Policy, improving the quality of 
life  in  coastal  regions,  promoting  Europe’s  leadership  in  international  maritime  affairs,  and 
raising the visibility of Maritime Europe. 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1.  Modifications to this impact assessment 

A  preliminary  version  of  this  impact  assessment  was  presented  to  the  Impact 
Assessment Board on 29 August 2007. 

Based on their opinion the document was revised in the following ways: 

•  The scope of the Impact Assessment is clarified at the beginning of the document 

in section 1.2. 

•  The  background  information  in  sections  2.1,  2.2  and  2.3  has  been  shortened  to 

focus on the essential economic, social and environment elements. 

•  The quotations  from stakeholder contributions were shortened (primarily section 

2.3 and section 5). 

•  The  link  between  the  broad  overall  objectives,  the  specific  objectives  and  the 

concrete steps to reach these are clarified in chapters 3, 4 and 6. 

•  As  for  the  general  approach  to  integrated  policy,  a  third  option  (a  centralised 

maritime policy function) is introduced and analysed in section 4.2.2. 

•  The criteria for the selection of certain themes to be further developed in maritime 
policy are set out in chapter 6. It is made clear that the activities presented there 
concern themes to be developed by the Commission and not yet precise actions. 
The  form  and  content  of  future  actions  will  depend  on  further  substantive 
development  and  concretisation  of  the  themes,  in  close  cooperation  with 
stakeholders,  and  using  the  tools  of  an  integrated  Maritime  Policy,  such  as 
collective learning and preparatory actions. Any resulting action will be based on 
in-depth impact assessment work as necessary under the rules of the Commission 
on Impact Assessment, which will profit from the information and knowledge to 
be acquired through this preparatory work. 

•  The report indicates that it is intended to meet the requirements of the Financial 
Regulation  for  ex-ante  evaluation,  lists  the  elements  for  evaluation  and  provides 
more information on monitoring and evaluation arrangements (chapter 7). 

The  scope  of  the  Impact  Assessment  is  clarified,  explaining  that  it  focuses  on  the 
general approach to a new, integrated policy on Maritime Affairs and the horizontal 
tools of such a policy. At this stage, the impact of themes for future work set out in 
the Maritime Policy Action Plan cannot be assessed, as further work is necessary to 
define the precise content and form of actions to concretise these themes. The work 
necessary  for  this  purpose,  including  preparatory  projects,  will  serve  as  a  basis  for 
Impact  Assessments  for  subsequent  actions  that  require  such  assessments  under 
Commission rules. 

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1.2. 

Steps towards a Maritime Policy 

Defining the scope for action 

When  the  current  Commission  took  office,  it  declared  in  its  strategic  priorities  that 
there  was  “the  particular  need  for  an  all-embracing  maritime  policy  aimed  a 
developing a thriving maritime economy, in an environmentally sustainable manner. 
Such  a  policy  should  be  supported  by  excellence  in  marine  scientific  research, 
technology and innovation”1. 

To elaborate concrete steps towards this objective, Commissioner Borg was entrusted 
with  a  new  portfolio  “Maritime  Affairs”.  As  a  first  step,  Commissioner  Borg 
presented  his  roadmap  towards  a  Maritime  Policy  in  his  Communication  of  20052, 
which emphasised the role of the oceans and seas in providing economic growth and 
jobs  for  many  Europeans  as  well  as  the  need  for  sustainable  development  and 
appropriate  protection  of  the  marine  environment.  He  announced  his  initiative  to 
propose a Green Paper on a future EU Maritime Policy. At the same time, he already 
invited  stakeholders  to  provide  input  in  preparing  the  Green  Paper  with  a  view  to 
ensuring the right focus for the forthcoming Green Paper. 

A  Steering  Group  of  Commissioners  was  created,  initially  comprising  seven 
Commissioners: Commissioner Borg (Chair), Vice-Presidents Verheugen and Barrot 
and  Commissioners  Dimas,  Hübner,  Piebalgs  and  Potočnik.  Upon  adoption  of  the 
Green Paper in 2006, Vice-President Frattini and Commissioners Špidla and Ferrero-
Waldner joined this Steering Group on Maritime Affairs. 

A  Maritime  Policy  Task  Force  (MPTF)  was  created  within  the  Commission  and 
attached  to  DG  Fisheries,  which  was  renamed  DG  Fisheries  and  Maritime  Affairs. 
The MPTF engaged in extensive analyses of studies and reports and organised visits 
to  third  countries,  including  Canada,  Australia,  the  US  and  Japan,  and  to  Member 
States.  The  MPTF  also  met  with  a  large  number  of  stakeholders.  During  this  pre-
consultation phase, it received 72 written contributions from stakeholders. 

An Interservice Coordination Group on Maritime Policy3, including a broad range of 
DGs concerned with maritime affairs, was set up to jointly prepare the Green Paper. 
The Interservice Coordination Group met on a monthly basis to define the structure 
and  overall  orientation  of  the  Green  paper.  Under  this  group,  sub-groups,  led  by 
sectoral  DGs  prepared  detailed  proposals to  be  included  in  the  Green  Paper,  which 
were published as Background Papers to the Green Paper4. 

The Commission also set up a group of Member State Experts with a view to gaining 
a better insight into Maritime Affairs at Member State level and to learn from their 

1 
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3 

4 

“Strategic Objectives 2005-2009” - COM(2005) 12, 26.1.2005. 
“Towards  a  future  Maritime  Policy  for  the  Union:  A  European  vision  for  the  oceans  and  seas”  - 
SEC(2005) 290. 
Besides DG FISH, the following services were involved: AGRI, AIDCO, BUDG, COMP, DEV, EAC, 
ECFIN,  ECHO,  ELARG,  EMPL,  ENTR,  ENV,  ESTAT,  IAS,  INFSO,  JLS,  JRC,  MARKT,  OLAF, 
REGIO, RELEX, RTD, SANCO, AIDCO, SG, SJ, TAXUD, TRADE, TREN. 
See http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/suppdoc_en.html 

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experience.  Member  States  provided  material  on  the  basis  of  a  questionnaire,  the 
results of which were also attached as a Background Paper to the Green Paper5. 

Based  on  the  inputs  of  the  Commissioners  Steering  Group,  the  Interservice 
Coordination  Group,  the  desk  analyses,  study  visits  and  exchanges  with  Member 
States  the  MPTF  distilled  the  key  issues  at  stake.  These  formed  the  basis  for  the 
Commission’s  Green  Paper  “Towards  a  future  Maritime  Policy  for  the  Union:  A 
European vision for the oceans and seas”, which was published on 6 June 20076. 

An  Impact  Assessment  Roadmap  for  the  development  of  Maritime  Policy  was 
published as part of the Commission’s strategic initiatives presented under its Annual 
Policy Strategy for 20077. 

Public Consultation 

In line with the Commission’s rules for consultation8, the Green Paper was followed 
by a broad and open consultation process over a period of one year. The main thrust 
of  the  contributions  received  will  be  published  in  a  separate  report  and  all 
contributions are posted on a dedicated website9. 

The  consultation  not  only  allowed  stakeholders  to  submit  responses  to  the 
Commission,  but  also  aimed  to  encourage  debate  among  different  stakeholder 
groups. For the consultation process, a website was set up with the Green Paper and 
Background Papers, the contributions from stakeholders received prior to publishing 
the  Green  Paper,  contact  details  and  accompanying  information  materials.  The 
website  also  contained  a  list  of  all  the  events  organised  on  the  Green  Paper.  A  PR 
Company provided support for further promotion measures. 

The consultation process itself has already demonstrated the added value of a holistic 
approach  and,  in  fact,  has  been  an  important  first  step  towards  such  an  approach. 
This successful participatory process has continued after the publication of the Green 
Paper. Around 230 events have been organised by stakeholders themselves. In many 
cases,  these  events  have  succeeded  in  bringing  together  groups  that  had  not 
communicated in the past and sometimes had different or diverging interests. 

Over  490  written  contributions  have  been  received  from  a  very  representative 
audience, in terms of stakeholder categories and geographical spread. In addition to 
contributions  from  all  European  Institutions,  a  large  number  of  Member  States  and 
regions  submitted  comments  on  the  Green  Paper.  Among  the  stakeholders  who 
furthermore  responded  were  third-country  governments,  business  representatives, 
non-governmental organisations, companies, representatives of science and academia 
and  citizens.  A  significant  number  of  networks  or  consortia  active  in  the 
development of coastal and maritime projects have provided detailed comments, as 
well as cities and coastal regions with an interest in specific issues such as tourism. 

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6 
7 
8 

9 

Background Paper No. 11 “National Approaches to Maritime Affairs” 
“A Maritime Policy for the Union: Towards a future vision for the oceans and seas” - COM(2006) 275. 
Commission Legislative Work Programme 2007 “Index of Strategic and Priority Initiative Roadmaps” 
“Towards a reinforced culture of consultation and dialogue - General principles and minimum standards 
for consultation of interested parties by the Commission” - COM(2002) 704. 
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/post_green_en.html 

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Many  of  these  contributions  represent  the  views  of  a  much  broader  audience  of 
stakeholders.  Contributions  from  Member  States  were  themselves  largely  the  result 
of substantial national consultation efforts. Contributions from associations, regions 
or  other  groups  present  the  views  of  their  members  or  constituencies,  often  also 
based on intense prior consultation. 

The consultation that followed the Green Paper showed support for a more holistic 
approach  among  an  overwhelming  majority  of  respondents.  Stakeholders  amply 
supported  action  to  underpin  the  competitiveness  of  European  maritime  sectors  in 
order  to  turn  promising  growth  prospects  into  reality.  They  recognised  the  role  of 
maritime  clusters  for  the  competitiveness  of  European  maritime  enterprises. 
Stakeholders  also  emphasized  the  potential  benefits  of  voluntary  schemes  to  reach 
certain policy objectives and encourage quality operations. 

Others were explicit about the need to safeguard the oceans and seas and for sectors 
that  contribute  to  the  degradation  of  the  marine  environment  or  the  loss  of 
biodiversity to contribute to its recovery. 

Many stakeholders emphasised the importance of the global dimension of maritime 
matters.  The  need  to  act  against  pollution  or  climate  change  has  a  clear  global 
dimension. The regulatory framework should be regarded in the light of open global 
competition  and  regional  regulatory  action  should  be  carefully  assessed  as  to  the 
impact on the competitive strength of European businesses. Stakeholders stressed the 
potential  for  raising  maritime  policy  goals  in  multilateral  fora,  bilateral  relations, 
trade and development policy. 

The contributions from maritime regions clearly showed that the stakes are highest in 
their areas. The coastal areas are home to a broad range of economic activities and 
critical infrastructure, such as the EU’s ports. Yet they are also the most vulnerable 
to  the  growing  pressure  caused  by  the  increased  intensity  of  activities  on  the  coast 
and at sea, the risk of incidents, pollution or the effects of climate change. 

Stakeholders responded overwhelmingly positively to the Green Paper’s suggestion 
to  address  the  fragmentation  in  maritime  and  marine  research  efforts,  and  hence 
overcome  the  fragmented  understanding  of  ocean-related  challenges.  The  science 
community has in fact already taken initial steps to move towards the creation of a 
true marine science network10. 

The consultation identified a lack of awareness among citizens of the importance of 
maritime activities for Europe. Not only organisations directly engaged in promoting 
maritime  heritage  reacted  enthusiastically  to  suggestions  to  promote  Europe’ 
maritime identity, but also others, such as representatives from maritime industries, 
endorsed  such  a  need.  For  example,  several  stakeholders  suggested  that  such 
promotion can contribute towards reversing the current lack of skilled labour. 

10 

“The Aberdeen Declaration: A New Deal for Marine and Maritime Science”, 22.6.2007. 

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Towards an EU Maritime Policy 

The consultation report formed the basis for elaborating a vision for Maritime Policy 
and action proposals. This work  involved the Interservice Group in  much the same 
way as before the Green Paper. The group continued to hold monthly meetings and 
action proposals were prepared by working groups under the chairmanship of various 
sectoral DGs. 

The  “Blue  Book”  package  to  launch  the  EU  Maritime  Policy  consists  of  two  main 
components,  namely  a  paper  outlining  the  vision  for  the  Oceans  and  Seas  and  an 
Action  Plan11.  The  first  document  presents  the  integrated  approach  to  maritime 
affairs within EU policy-making and its key elements and sets out the main goals for 
future action. The Action Plan then presents the first set of actions that will together 
form the first steps towards the Maritime Policy. 

A time-line showing the procedural steps towards a Maritime Policy is shown below: 

2. 

ISSUE AT STAKE: WHY A NEW APPROACH TO MARITIME AFFAIRS? 

2.1. 

Importance of a strong and sustainable maritime economy 

Provided  that  a  conducive  framework  for  development  and  growth  is  in  place,  the 
including  shipping  and  ports,  shipbuilding  and  marine 
maritime  economy, 
equipment,  offshore  energy,  dredging  and  extraction,  fisheries,  recreation  and 
tourism,  can  deliver  a  significant  contribution  to  the  EU’s  Lisbon  targets  for  more 
economic growth and more and better jobs. 

The  maritime  economy  accounts  for  3  to  5%  of  GDP  in  Europe  and  some  five 
million jobs. No more precise estimates can be made at this stage in the absence of 
comparable  and  comprehensive  socio-economic  data.  However,  some  illustrative 
facts are provided below to demonstrate the importance and dynamic development of 
the maritime economy. 

Maritime  transport  and  logistics  are  the  lifeblood  of  world  trade.  As  90%  of  EU 
external  trade  and  close  to  40%  of  EU  internal  trade  is  seaborne,  the  smooth 
functioning  of  the  globalised  economy  depends  on  cost-efficient  and  reliable 
maritime transport and logistics. 

11 

See http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs. 

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The EU’s maritime regions account for about 40% of Europe’s GDP as well as 40% 
of  the  population.  In  those  regions  only  a  part  of  the  economy  is  affected  by  or 
related  to  the  seas.  However,  the  more  peripheral  coastal  regions  or  islands  in 
particular  greatly  depend  on  a  thriving  maritime  economy.  It  is  also  worthwhile 
noting that the maritime sectors are not confined to coastal areas. For example, there 
are as many marine suppliers in southern Germany as in the North on the coast. The 
Austrian marine equipment industry employs some 7000 people. 

Europe  is  a  strong  player  on  the  world  market  in  a  number  of  key  sectors  with  an 
important maritime dimension. About 40% of the world fleet is owned or controlled 
by  Europeans.  There  are  no  European  data  on  the  share  of  marine  and  coastal 
tourism,  yet  it  is  thought  to  be  considerable.  In  the  absence  of  recent  or  precise 
material,  one  indication,  from  the  Eurobarometer  survey  of  1998,  is  that  63  %  of 
European  holidaymakers  choose  the  sea  as  their  holiday  destination12.  Overall, 
tourism accounts directly for over 4% of the EU’s GDP and indirectly to over 11%13. 

European market share as a percentage of the world market14 

95%

44%

43%

42%

49%

35%

23%

21%

31%

20%

40%

38%

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Shipping &
Transport

Marine
Tourism

Offshore Oil
& Gas

Marine
equipment

Shipbuilding Ports

Cruise
industry

R&D

Marine
commerce

Marine IT Minerals &
Aggregates

Renew able
energy

The economic use of the oceans and seas and their resources is growing steadily. For 
example, maritime transport and tourism have displayed above average growth rates. 
Between  1990  and  2005  the  tonnage  of  the  world  fleet  grew  annually  by  3.2%  - 
while world GDP in constant prices at market exchange rates increased annually by 
2.6% over this period. The turnover on tourism rose by just over a quarter between 
1999  and  2002  –  it  was  outperformed  only  by  mining,  electricity,  gas  and  water 
supply, transport and communications15. Along with this growth in mature industries, 

12 
13 

14 

15 

Source: “The Europeans on Holiday“, Eurobarometer 48, 1998. 
Source:  “A  renewed  EU  Tourism  Policy:  Towards  a  stronger  partnership  for  European  Tourism“  - 
COM(2006) 134, 17.3.2006. 
Source: “Marine industries global market analysis”, March 2005, Douglas-Westwood Limited, Marine 
foresight. Series no 1, the Marine Institute, Ireland. 
Sources: Eurostat and World Travel and Tourism Council. 

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new  markets  with  considerable  potential  are  emerging,  such  as  offshore  renewable 
energy or blue biotech. 

The following table illustrates the expected growth rates for the second half of this 
decade. 

Global growth prospects in marine markets 2005-200916 

Sector 

Renewable Energy 

Submarine Telecoms 

Cruise Industry 

Marine Biotechnology 

Ports 

Marine Aquaculture 

Marine Tourism 

Education & Training 

Seaweed 

Offshore Oil & Gas 

Minerals & Aggregates 

Ocean Survey 

Growth  prospect  2005-
2009 

987% 

97% 

24% 

24% 

18% 

17% 

14% 

14% 

13% 

12% 

11% 

11% 

Rapidly growing sectors can only reach their potential under the right conditions. For 
example,  several  stakeholders  have  pointed  to  constraints  in  port  capacity,  stating 
that  to  accommodate  the  increasingly  large  ships  and  the  envisaged  growth  of  the 
market,  significant  and  urgent  investment  in  port  infrastructure  around  Europe  will 
be required over the coming years. 

The European Wind Energy Association notes that, at the end of 2006, less than 2 % 
of wind power capacity was generated from offshore, but the figure could be around 
50 % in 2030. The European Ocean Energy Association points to the steady progress 
in exploiting energy from waves and tidal currents and predicts that 3 GW installed 
capacity  could  be  available  in  the  EU  by  2020.  Apart  from  the  necessary 
technological development, expansion depends, in both cases, on public support and 
predictability, for example in planning the use of sea space for economic activity. 

According to a study carried out by Ecotec on behalf of the Commission in 200617, 
about  five  million  people  are  estimated  to  work  in  sea-related  sectors,  including 
traditional  transport-related  activities,  fisheries,  offshore  energy,  and  marine  and 
coastal  tourism.  This  study  brought  together  and  processed  existing  data  sources. 

16 

17 

“Marine  industries  global  market  analysis”,  March  2005,  Douglas-Westwood  Limited,  Marine 
foresight. Series no 1, the Marine Institute, Ireland. 
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/study_employment_en.html 

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Despite  the  lack  of  comparability  or  common  definitions,  the  results  give  a  first 
insight into the role of the maritime economy. 

The  following  tables  on  the  share  of  sea-related  jobs  in  national  employment 
highlight its role in coastal and island member states, but also show that sea-related 
jobs  exist,  albeit  to  a  minor  degree,  even  in  land-locked  countries.  As  the 
employment data for coastal tourism embody a high degree of uncertainty, the table 
distinguishes  between  traditional  maritime  (excluding  coastal  tourism)  and  overall 
sea-related jobs. 

Share of maritime employment in the EU-15 

Share of maritime employment in the EU-10 

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According to the Ecotec study, the growth prospects for employment are as follows: 

Moderate growth 

Marine equipment 

sector  employment 

Port 
peripheral regions 

in 

Offshore  supply;  manufacturing 
of 
installation  and 
extraction. 

tools  for 

Maritime R&D 

Ship brokerage 

Strong growth 

Coastal and, in particular, offshore 
wind energy 

Cruise tourism 

Maritime  works 
environmental 
particular) 

Coastal tourism 

(dredging  and 
in 
protection 

Recreational boating 

Economic  growth  does  not  always  translate  automatically  into  equally  high 
employment  growth.  For  example,  despite  the  global  growth  forecasts  in  the  port 
sector,  employment  in  ports  is  expected  to  remain  stable.  This  is  due  to  a 
combination of factors including expected efficiency gains due to the replacement of 
labour  by  capital  following  technological  investments.  Job  creation  may  also  only 
take place in a later phase, e.g. despite steady growth in wind energy, employment is 
expected to fall up to 2010 and only then is predicted to expand considerably. 

Conversely,  growth  is  hindered  by  a  lack  of  skilled  labour  for  the  maritime 
professions,  as  also  noted  by  several  stakeholders  during  the  consultation.  This 
concerns  both  seafaring  and  onshore  jobs,  notably  in  sectors  relying  on  hi-tech 
engineering skills. 

More  than  80%  of  the  members  of  the  International  Shipping  Federation  (ISF) 
reported  a  shortage  of  officers  in  2002.  The  2005  UK  Seafarers  Analysis18  noted  a 
drop  of  15%  in  the  number  of  active  seafarers  over  the  last  five  years.  In  the  UK, 
cadet recruitment has consistently failed over the past two decades to approach even 
half the figure estimated as necessary to meet future seagoing and shore-based needs. 
In  France  and  Greece  retired  officers  have  been  called  back  because  of  shortages. 
Studies from the OECD and the ISF/BIMCO have suggested that the ideal training 
level should be one cadet for every seven officers, or between 1 to 1.5 trainees per 
ship. There is extensive evidence to show that this target is not being met at present 
— even by some of the best EU owners and operators. 

According  to  the  Ecotec  study  and  the  public  consultation  this  lack  is  caused  by  a 
combination  of  factors  including  the  growing  technology-intensity,  an  ageing 
population  retiring  from  the  maritime  sectors  and  a  lack  of  awareness  among  new 
entrants to the labour market about the possibilities of a maritime career. There may 
also  be  a  need  to  review  social  conditions:  at  present,  a  number  of  EU  Directives 
regulating  social  rights  have  exemptions  for  seafarers19.  As  regards  safety  at  work, 
fisheries  is  a  high-risk  sector  with  about  24000  fatalities  each  year20,  which  is 
thought to reduce its attractiveness. 

18 
19 
20 

Source: London Metropolitan University’s Centre for International Transport Management. 
Background paper 2 “Employment in Maritime Sectors” provides a list of exemptions. 
Source: International Labour Organisation, 1999. 

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2.2. 

The need to protect the marine environment 

The  Impact  Assessment  report  prepared  on  the  EU’s  strategy  for  the  marine 
environment21  attempted  to  assess  the  value  of  the  marine  environment.  It  found 
several  widely  varying  estimates  and  noted  that  many  ecological  services  provided 
by oceans and seas are not readily apparent and are not marketed directly.  

The marine environment is under pressure, with loss or degradation of biodiversity, 
changes in its structures and functioning, loss of habitats, pollution, introduction of 
non-indigenous species, eutrophication and degradation of the coastal areas. During 
1988-2000,  it  is  estimated  that  European  waters  saw  the  introduction  of  one  non-
indigenous species every week. This can further destabilise ecosystems22. 

Detailed  fish  stock  assessments  regularly  provided  by  the  International  Council  on 
the Exploration of the Seas23 indicate that the majority of the most valuable ground 
fish stocks in EC waters are outside safe biological limits. 

Along  with  the  main  land-based  activities,  maritime  economic  activities  have 
contributed to the degradation of the marine environment. 

Causes of marine pollution24 

33%

12%

10%

1%

Landbased
discharge

Oil exploration and
production

44%

Dumping

Maritime Transport

Atmospheric inputs

Yet  the  contribution  of  shipping  to  marine  pollution  has  to  be  offset  against  its 
relatively good performance when it comes to CO2 emissions and energy efficiency. 

21 
22 

23 
24 

Impact Assessment regarding the Marine Environmental Strategy - SEC(2005) 1290. 
Vector Pathways and the Spread of Exotic Species in the Sea, ICES Cooperative Research Report No 
271, March 2005, p. 2. 
Stock assessments are available at http://www.ices.dk. 
Source:  Group  of  experts  on 
http://www.shippingfacts.com. 

the  scientific  aspects  of  marine  pollution  (GESAMP)  on 

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Comparative CO2 emissions25 (grams per tonne-kilometre) 

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Heavy truck with
trailer

Cargo vessel
(2000-8000 dwt)

Cargo vessel
over 8000 dwt

Air freight 747-
400 1200 km
flight

Technology  increasingly  provides  the  means  to  reduce  the  negative  impact  of 
shipping on the marine environment, for example podded electric drives for marine 
propulsion or sails are viable alternatives to traditional engines. In addition, ICTs can 
improve our abilities to monitor ocean phenomena or ship movements in order to i.a. 
tackle sub-standard or illegal activities or improve safety at sea. 

The maritime industries are furthermore demonstrating a growing awareness of their 
responsibility  for  sustainable  development  through  voluntary  commitments.  Good 
examples are the Green Award (a certificate for oil tankers), the Eco-ports initiative 
to  share  environmental  experience  or  the  Green  Key  and  Blue  Flag  certificates  to 
promote sustainable tourism26. 

In the face of the above environmental challenges, real change can be brought about 
if environmental, transport, research and industrial policies are better aligned. 

Climate change however puts the outlook for the future into a new perspective. The 
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)27 has observed unequivocal signals of 
global warming, including increases in ocean temperatures and melting of ice packs 
in  arctic  regions.  The  global  average  sea  level  has  risen  by  an  estimated  17 
centimetres during the 20th century and is projected to continue to rise further. IPCC 
suggests it will rise between 18 and 59 centimetres by the end of the 21st century. If 
the linear relation between the rate of sea-level rise and temperature as observed in 
the 20th century continues to hold throughout the 21st century, then a rise of over 1 
metre by 2100 in strong warming scenarios cannot be ruled out28. 

The  negative  impacts  of  climate  change  for  Europe  are  projected  to  include  more 
frequent  coastal  flooding  and  increased  erosion  due  to  storms  and  sea-level  rise. 
Climate change may lead to increased acidification of the marine environment and to 
the  alteration  of  the  carbon  dioxide  absorption  function  of  the  oceans.  Even  with 

25 
26 
27 
28 

Source: Swedish Network for Transport and the Environment on http://www.shippingfacts.com. 
http://greenaward.org; http://www.ecoports.com; http://www.green-key.org; http://www.blueflag.org 
http://www.ipcc.ch/ 
“A  Semi-Empirical  Approach  to  Projecting  Future  Sea-Level  Rise”  Stefan  Rahmstorf  Science, 
19.1.2007. 

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modest scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions, the impact of climate change will be 
increasingly felt. Solutions are thus urgently needed for the sustainable development 
of economic activities in order to preserve the oceans and seas. 

Preserving the future of the oceans and seas is not something that individual regions, 
countries  or  even  a  continent  can  achieve  by  themselves:  a  concerted  effort  by  the 
international community is the only way forward. The Impact Assessment regarding 
the  strategy  for  the  Marine  Environment  noted  a  piecemeal  approach  to  policy 
making,  not  only  at  EU  but  also  at  international  level.  The  shortcomings  found 
include  a 
international  conventions,  poor 
implementation  and  enforcement  and  lack  of  a  coherent  system  for  assessment  and 
monitoring among relevant international instruments at UN level e.g. under the UN 
Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Seas  (UNCLOS),  the  United  Nations  Environment 
Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), 
the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  (CBD)  and  the  International  Maritime 
Organisation (IMO). 

lack  of  articulation  between 

2.3. 

Difficulties with Current Situation 

The  multiple  uses  of  the  oceans  and  seas  are  managed,  regulated  and  controlled 
through  a  range  of  sectoral  policies  e.g.  maritime  transport,  fisheries,  industry, 
regional development, employment, environment, energy, research, external relations 
and  are  of  freedom,  security  and  justice.  In  addition,  all  levels  of  governance  – 
regional, national, European or global – are involved in policy-making for maritime 
affairs. 

However,  the  parameters  for  addressing  maritime  affairs  have  radically  changed  in 
recent years. The unprecedented growth in traditional maritime activities at sea and 
the emergence of new activities, especially those, like wind farms, which require the 
placing  fixed  of  installations  in  the  sea,  call  for  a  thorough  overview  of  economic 
developments, how they interact and how they affect the oceans and seas. 

This growth is taking place against the backdrop of increasing pressure on the marine 
environment  and  the  effects  of  climate  change  on  the  oceans,  seas  and  coastal 
regions. Intentional or grossly negligent pollution of the sea can cause major costs or 
loss of revenue, e.g. for tourism, and must be prevented and prosecuted. 

The  combination  of  higher  economic  growth, 
the 
environment,  climate  change  and  security  considerations  makes  a  strong  case  for 
careful  consideration  of 
links  between  economic  and  environmental 
developments.  The  current  challenges  posed  by  illegal  immigration  across  the  sea, 
terrorism, drug trafficking or illegal fishing furthermore have to be considered within 
this  picture.  Answers  to  these  questions  are  increasingly  being  found  through 
research, technological development and innovation. 

increasing  pressure  on 

the 

In  view  of  the  increased  relevance  of  inter-connections  between  policy  issues, 
today’s  sector-based  approach  appears  insufficient  to  address  the  challenges  of 
maritime  affairs  in  the  future.  The  objectives  of  separate  sectoral  actions  in  the 
maritime sector – promoting innovative technologies, increasing safety, safeguarding 
jobs, protecting the environment – can be compromised by a limited awareness of the 
objectives of other sectors. To seek confirmation of this assumption, the Green Paper 

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asked  stakeholders  to  comment  on  the  degree  of  consistency  between  various  EU 
policies concerned with maritime affairs. 

Stakeholders indeed indicated conflicts between different sectors, a failure to exploit 
potential synergies between different sectors or insufficient information to arrive at 
an effective approach to governance or to deal with the impact of climate change. A 
number  of  these  issues  indicate  potential  bottlenecks  that,  if  not  dealt  with,  could 
seriously  hamper  Europe’s  ambitions  to  achieve  sustainable  growth.  Some 
illustrative examples of relevant contributions are given below: 

For instance the chairman of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) reported: 

all  major  port  investment  projects  currently  suffer  from  unacceptable  delays 
because  of  environmental  pressure  and  NIMBY  (Not  in  My  Back  Yard) 
attitudes.  Between  the  conception  of  a  project  and  the  actual  start  of  the 
construction works can easily elapse between five to ten years and even more. 
This puts us in a most unfavourable position on global level. (…) This would be 
contrary to the objectives of the Lisbon Agenda. 

The  Andalusian  Government  expressed  the  difficulties  in  balancing  the  different 
objectives: 

The coast of this region has beaches and coves with water suitable for bathing, 
which,  combined  with  very  mild  climate,  make  Andalusia  one  of  the  most 
important sun and beach tourist destinations in Europe. The Andalusian coast 
is also  the edge, the interchanger and filter of a population in the search for 
social  welfare  and  quality  of  life  coming  from  the  South,  with  which  culture 
and  history  is  shared;  it  is  also  the  reception  area  of  the  population  coming 
from  the  North  in  the  search  for  temporary  or  permanent  relaxation;  at  the 
same  time  as  being  the  Northern  edge  or  bank  of  one  of  the  most  important, 
dangerous and vulnerable navigation routes in the world. The difficulty in the 
management of the marine and coastal environments is especially evident if it 
is  taken  into  account  the  presence  and  distribution  of  responsibilities,  both 
from within the countries and between the coastal countries. 

Indeed  more  than  100  regional  authorities  or  consortia  of  regional  authorities 
expressed similar views. The need to develop mechanisms to find a balance between 
the benefits of jobs in the aquaculture industry and those in the tourist sector is clear 
from the contributions from the Scottish Salmon Producers Association (first quote) 
and the Irish Western Regional Fisheries Board (second): 

Salmon  farming  has  enormous  potential  within  Europe  to  maintain  remote 
coastal  communities,  promote  stewardship  of  the  marine  environment  and 
contribute to the quality seafood market. Europe leads the world in technical 
expertise  in  this  sector,  yet  the  industry is  enormously  restricted  in  what  it  is 
able to achieve, and much of this is due to environmental (and other) policies 
which  incorporate  the  Precautionary  Principle  in  areas  where  there  are 
knowledge gaps. 

The  advent  of  aquaculture,  heavily  State  funded  and  subsidised,  did  not 
compensate  for  the  loss  of  the  wild  fisheries.  The  number  of  jobs  created  by 

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finfish aquaculture is negligible compared to the previous employment levels in 
the  tourist  angling  business,  which  were  lost  as  a  direct  result  of  lice  from 
marine salmon farms. 

And  the  European  harbour  masters  point  out  inconsistencies  between  the  different 
sectoral regulations: 

One example is conflicting environmental and health regulations in the field of 
‘gassing’  of  containers.  Another  example  is  the  need  to  harmonise  ballast 
regulation. Furthermore, quarantine rules that apply to meat products conflict 
with regulations for depositing waste in ports that has been generated by ships. 

As  well  as  conflicting  objectives,  there  are  numerous  examples  where  a  failure  to 
exploit  synergies  results  in  inefficient  governance  and  an  inability  to  reap  the 
benefits  of  emerging  technologies.  For  example,  the  European  Ocean  Energy 
Association notes that: 

A recent announcement indicated that government funding on ocean energy in 
the  USA  (in  both  the  energy  and  military  sectors)  could  soon  surpass  that 
within the EU. 

The  need  for  better  coordination  between  the  various  efforts  aiming  to  improve 
knowledge of the marine environment and the human impact on it was the theme of 
many contributions. According to the EuroGOOS (European Association for Global 
Ocean Observing System) consortium: 

The marine research community has made major progress in both the capture 
of  data  and  information  and  the  advancement  of  knowledge  during  recent 
years.  (…)However,  the  implications  of  the  results  of  these  programmes  for 
European policy making and assessment have not been exploited. 

The  Commission  agrees  with  this  assessment.  The  Conference  of  Peripheral 
Maritime  Regions  of  Europe  pointed  to  the  difficulty  of  implementing  and 
monitoring a marine strategy: 

The system of information used to support the implementation and monitoring 
of  a  maritime  strategy  remains  fairly  incomplete,  heterogeneous  and  sector-
based. Moreover, the level of territorial and sectoral division of information is 
not  sufficient  on  a  regional  level  –  often  the  data  is  only  available  on  a 
national level. Databases on the state of coastal zones are yet to be completed 
and linked to economic data. 

It  is  not  only  research  organisations  and  those  concerned  with  advising  on  policy 
issues that need better access to data. The international Association for Oil and Gas 
Production indicated that they need data not only for exploration and exploitation but 
also for assessing impacts: 

Information  on  the  seabed  that  is  useful  for  the  offshore  oil  and  gas  industry 
includes  information  on  seabed  morphology,  chemistry  and  biology,  seabed 
topography, seabed depth and geological sub-seabed profile as well as seabed 
geotechnical  conditions.  Moreover,  as  OSPAR  and  the  EU  move  towards  the 

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establishment  of  Marine  Protected  Areas  and  Marine  Special  Areas  of 
Conservation,  habitat  and  biological  data  are  needed.  Sea-bed  data  are 
available for the most interesting areas for oil and gas production. Depending 
on  the  country  there  are  less  data  and  information  available  for  other  areas. 
The United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS), for example, has been mapped 
bathymetrically  for  the  purposes  of  general  navigation.  In  contrast,  only  a 
small proportion has been mapped for the purposes of habitat identification. 

The  Aerospace  and  Defence  Industries  Association  confirmed  the  Green  Paper’s 
statements  regarding  the  lack  of  integration  of  sectoral  maritime  reporting  and 
surveillance systems: 

Policy/procedure  restrictions  on  sharing  information  in  a  multi-level  security 
environment  have  also  significantly  reduced  effectiveness  of  multi-national 
operations. 

The  capabilities  for  processing  and  distributing  information  are  confined 
within  existing  organizations.  Users  outside  these  organizations  are  often 
neither aware nor benefiting of such capabilities. 

Redundant  data  across  multiple  systems  can  be  inconsistent  or  inaccurate, 
disrupting a common maritime picture. 

The  Commission  shares  this  point.  Given  the  strategic  importance  of  shipping  to 
Europe’s trade and supplies of food and energy, the retention of a skilled European 
seafaring  workforce  is  a  strategic  necessity.  However,  according  to  the  Greek 
Government: 

recent data indicate that many Europeans today leave the maritime profession 
or are reluctant to choose it, due to a variety at reasons, such as: (a) the poor 
image of seafaring, (b) the poor working conditions and (c) the criminalization 
of the seafarers’ profession. 

The Commission is aware of the grave shortage of ship officers. It is clear that action 
to understand and reverse this decline requires coordination across a large number of 
policy domains – employment, education, fisheries etc. 

2.4. 

Effects of non-action 

The  sector-based  fragmented  approach  has  implications  for  the  whole  of  Europe’s 
maritime  community,  including  its  coastal  Member  States  and  notably  its  maritime 
regions, the maritime sectors and their employees and other stakeholders. 

The  lack  of  a  single  vision  and  the  ambiguity  surrounding  the  interplay  between 
policies causes uncertainty. Stakeholders can only acquire a full understanding of the 
EU position regarding ocean- and sea-related issues by analysing the whole range of 
sectoral  policy  initiatives  with  a  maritime  dimension.  This  totality  represents  a 
complex  compilation  of  regulation,  policy  measures  and  finance  programmes,  for 
which no guidance is available as to how the various elements fit together. 

A  lack  of  clarity  about  these  connections  between  EU  policies  may  lead  to 
differences in interpretation in the Member States, late or erroneous implementation 

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or  controversy.  This  hampers  the  pursuit  of  sectoral  EU  policy  goals  in  maritime 
fields.  Moreover,  an  unclear  or  inconsistent  legal  and  policy  framework  in  the  EU 
will  have  an  impact  on  the  position  of  European  enterprises  in  the  world  market. 
Economic  actors  engaged  in  maritime  sectors  may  miss  out  in  terms  of  growth  or 
even face loss of competitive position. Maritime professionals may face more limited 
career perspectives. Bottlenecks in the transport and logistics chain would be felt on 
a broader scale, by raising the costs of materials and products traded internationally. 

A lack of connection between sources of knowledge, research and innovation leads 
to sub-optimal responses to promote sustainable development. Failure to exploit such 
synergies  could  result  in  missed  growth  opportunities  with  consequent  effects  on 
employment. It could reinforce the pressures on the marine environment. There may 
be  adverse  impacts  on  the  ability  of  the  marine  environment  to  support  important 
functions such as nutrient recycling; gas and climate regulation; waste assimilation; 
food provision; habitat mediation; and other biological and chemical functions. 

The fragmented treatment of marine research and ocean data will do little to reduce 
the  existing  uncertainty  about  the  state  of  the  environment  or  the  exact  effects  of 
climate change, such as the expected rise in sea level. This may seriously hamper the 
ability of the maritime economy to attract investment and grow. This would mostly 
affect coastal regions, particularly activities that rely on proximity to the sea, such as 
various forms of recreation and tourism, fisheries and aquaculture. 

The  absence  of  a  strong  EU  strategy  to  mitigate  the  effects  of  climate  change  on 
coastal areas may have a considerable societal cost. Citizens would no longer be able 
to  enjoy  the  oceans  and  seas  and  their  coasts  to  live,  earn  their  living  or  spend 
holidays  in  the  same  way  as  today.  Storms  or  floods  can  severely  damage  critical 
coastal infrastructure, tourist accommodation, villages and cities situated close to the 
shore  as  well  as  ports.  Industrial  investments  may  be  at  risk.  The  UK  Office  of 
Climate Change estimates a possible loss of income of 5 % GDP if no action were to 
be  taken  against  climate  change29.  A  Dutch  study  estimated  the  adaptation  costs  to 
maintain  the  current  level  of  coastal  protection  at  €8.3  billion  in  case  of  a  60-
centimetre  sea  level  rise  and  at  €16.6  billion  in  the  event  of  an  85-centimetre  sea 
level rise in combination with 10 % extra storms and increased river runoff30. 

The  competitiveness  of  maritime  sectors,  notably  those  involved  in  international 
trade, the protection of the marine environment, the fight against climate change and 
safety and security all are issues with an important global dimension and cannot be 
addressed without action at international level. Fragmentation of the EU’s maritime 
agenda’s reduces its ability to realise its objectives within international fora as well 
as in bilateral relations (India, China) or relations with neighbouring countries. 

29 

30 

“Draft  Climate  Change  Bill  –  A  brief  summary  of  the  scientific  case  for  action,  Office  of  Climate 
Change”, UK, 2007. 
“Assessing  dangerous  climate  impacts  for  the  Netherlands”,  VU  Amsterdam,  International  Centre  for 
Integrated  Assessment  and  Sustainable  Development,  KNMI,  RIZA,  UNESCO-IHE  and  Universiteit 
Wageningen, November 2006. 

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2.5. 

Trends in maritime policy approaches 

Learning from experience around the globe 

In  the  preparatory  process  leading  up  to  the  Green  Paper,  the  MPTF  examined 
approaches  to  maritime  affairs  in  an  international  context,  including  the  vision 
adopted by the UN, the policies of third countries and the approach by EU Member 
States. Besides analysis of policy documents, members of the Task Force organised 
an  extensive  programme  of  meetings  with  the  governments  in  charge,  stakeholders 
and  scientists  during  study  trips.  This  provided  not  only  an  understanding  of  the 
approaches  and  ambitions,  but  also  an  in-depth  assessment  of  their  successes  or 
failures and delays by those directly concerned. 

A  holistic  vision  for  the  oceans  and  seas  has  been  advocated  at  international  level. 
The Preamble to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 stated 
that “the problems of ocean space are closely inter-related and need to be considered 
as a whole”. In 2002, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit 
on  Sustainable  Development  concluded  that  “ensuring  the  sustainable  development 
of the oceans requires effective coordination and cooperation”. 

Australia, Canada, Japan, the US and Norway all are moving towards an integrated 
policy approach, albeit at different rates. 

•  Australia  pursues  an  oceans  policy  to  improve  the  quality  of  life  in  a  way  that 
respects  ecological  processes.  In  terms  of  governance,  a  mechanism  provides 
sectoral  agencies  with  guidance  about  the  way  in  which  they  should  deal  with 
multiple-use issues. 

•  Canada’s Oceans Act, Strategy and Action Plan provide the strategic framework 
guiding the work of all ocean-related programmes and policies. It is based on the 
the 
principles  of  sustainable  development, 
precautionary  approach.  Its  management  is  based  on  a  participatory  approach 
involving government bodies at all levels, NGOs and citizens. 

integrated  management  and 

•  The US has been pursuing a maritime policy since 2004. Its components are better 
coordination of policies, advancing the understanding of the oceans, management 
of  the  coastal  areas,  transport  and  international  affairs.  Activities  include  for 
example  developing  the  structure  for  coordination,  the  definition  of  research 
priorities  and  a  national  conference  on  ocean  literacy.  Early  2007,  a  report  on 
progress with the 88 actions was published. 

•  Japan adopted a “Maritime Basic Law”, in April 2007, which provides a structure 
and legal means to approach maritime affairs in a cross-sectoral manner. This law 
provides for a new “Maritime Policy Headquarters” under the responsibility of the 
Prime  Minister’s  and  a  minister  for  maritime  policy.  A  second  law  sets  out  a 
framework  for  exploration  and  other  activities  in  the  Japanese  Exclusive 
Economic Zone (EEZ). 

•  Norway has put in place a model for managing development in the Barents Sea, 
which  provides  a  spatial  framework  for  the  sustainable  use  of  natural  resources 
and  goods  derived  from  the  sea.  Research  and  monitoring  programmes  are 

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guiding  its  implementation.  The  process  is  led  by  a  steering  committee  of 
Ministers. Impact assessments are drawn up for all relevant sectors and activities 
and  procedures  are  in  place  to  ensure  the  involvement  of  advisory  groups  and 
stakeholders.  The  plans  are  followed  up  systematically,  so  that  they  can  be 
adjusted according to new insights or to react to changes. 

From these visits, the following conclusions can be drawn: 

•  The  coordination  of  maritime  work  among  existing  departments  and  agencies  is 
generally  preferred  to  centralisation,  yet  it  is  very  important  to  ensure  that 
everyone  involved  signs  up  to  the  process  and  there  is  a  “champion”  furthering 
coordination and a holistic approach; 

•  Pooling science and data resources is essential to ensure a basis for strategic and 

forward-looking decision making; 

•  Clear communication about the policy and dialogue with stakeholders is essential; 

•  The  main  problems,  commonly  identified  in  the  various  countries,  which  slow 
down  implementation,  are  a  lack  of  involvement  among  the  actors  concerned  or 
the  failure  to  mobilise  the  necessary  funds  to  match  the  evolving  needs.  Also 
noted  is  the  long  time  it  takes  for  stakeholders  to  familiarise  themselves  with 
integrated policy thinking. In all cases, it has been observed that the introduction 
of an integrated maritime policy requires a culture change among actors, and thus 
patience and continuous dialogue. 

Trends within Member States 

The MPTF also examined the various approaches pursued within the EU. The report 
on Member State’ approaches to maritime affairs covered aspects of governance, the 
organisation of government activities at sea and coastal management. It also looked 
at the value of the oceans and seas in the EU in terms of both economic and cultural 
importance. 

The  findings  reveal  that  overall  within  the  EU,  the  trend  towards  integrative 
coordination  mechanisms  has  until  recently  not  been  especially  pronounced.  Some 
Member States, such as the Netherlands, have already developed structures for inter-
departmental  coordination  and  in  France  the  Secretariat  Général  de  la  Mer 
coordinates  sea-related  matters.  In  Germany,  the  Ministry  for  Economics  has  a 
Maritime Coordinator is placed in at the level of the State Secretary. It may be noted 
that  the  Poseidon  group,  which  gathered  together  public  and  private  experts  in 
maritime  affairs  recommended  in  its  report  of  December  2006  that  national 
ambitions should be implemented within the wider EU framework. 

After  launching  a  Strategic  Commission  on  Oceans  in  2003,  Portugal  adopted  in 
November 2006 a National Strategy for the Oceans, which aims to make better use of 
ocean  and  coastal  resources,  to  promote  sustainable  development  through  efficient, 
responsible  and  committed  coordination  and 
the 
international  oceans  agenda.  Ireland’s  Sea  Change  Strategy,  launched  in  February 
2007, aims to boost research and innovation. 

to  actively  contribute 

to 

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The UK released a Marine Bill White Paper in March 2007. Its Impact Assessment 
stated that a more strategic approach is needed in the marine area that moves away 
from  considering  individual  projects  or  sectors.  Otherwise  there  is  the  risk  that 
management arrangements will be unable to cope in future if they continue as they 
have  done  in  the  past:  “We  would  not  be  able  to  plan  the  future  development  of 
marine activities or emerging technologies, nor adapt to and combat challenges such 
as climate change, in an integrated and efficient way. Conflict between the various 
economic, social and environmental needs and objectives for the marine area would 
continue and potentially increase.” 

2.6. 

The added value of action at EU level 

Why act at EU level? 

There  appears  to  be  a  strong  case  for  more  coherence  to  overcome  the  problems 
associated  with  the  current  sector-based  approach.  A  clear  vision  of  the  totality  of 
EU objectives as regards maritime affairs will add to our ability to pursue EU policy 
goals internationally and in a more coherent fashion. 

An  integrated  Maritime  Policy  at  EU  level  is  necessary  as  there  are  numerous  EU 
policies  that  relate  to  the  sea,  but  which  have  been  developed  and  pursued  until 
recently in a fragmented fashion. To name but a few: 

•  Maritime transport and maritime security policy 

•  Border control and other law enforcement activities at sea 

•  Industrial policies in areas such as shipping, pleasure boats and tourism 

•  Marine  environmental  protection,  ship  dismantling,  climate  change  impacts  on 

coasts, integrated coastal zone management, ship pollution, water policy 

•  The Common Fisheries Policy 

•  Research policies relating to all these subjects 

•  Naval strategy as part of the European Security and Defence Policy 

Furthermore,  the  EU  has  set  up  a  number  of  agencies  in  order  to  support  the 
implementation  of  these  policies,  some  working  exclusively  on  sea-related  matters 
(EMSA, CFCA), some with important projects/mandates relating to the sea (Frontex, 
EDA), and others that devote only a small part of their activities to sea-related issues. 

Finally,  the  European  Community  is  a  member  of  international  organisations  or 
conventions  (FAO,  UNCLOS,  HELCOM,  OSPAR)  or  there  is  coordination  within 
the EU on policies and treaties in numerous other organisations (IMO, ILO, UNEP, 
CITES). 

If thus there is a case to overcome sectoral fragmentation, therefore the EU level has 
a key role to play in the light of its present activities. 

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Adopting  a  holistic  approach  at  EU  level  would  not  negatively  affect  similar 
approaches  in  Member  States  or  at  international  level.  Rather,  similarly  coherent 
approaches at various levels of government would mutually reinforce one another. 

The step towards more coherence in the EU approach towards existing competences 
in  maritime  affairs  does  not  have  implications  for  EU  competences  or  questions  of 
subsidiarity.  The  EC  and  EU  Treaties  and  the  associated  body  of  EU  law  do  not 
provide a specific legal basis for an EU Maritime Policy, in addition to the existing 
provisions for conducting sectoral policies impacting on maritime affairs. The latter 
will  continue  to  provide  the  basis  for  integrated  policy  proposals.  An  integrated, 
overarching  policy  will  find  its  expression  in  measures  that,  depending  on  their 
specific  content,  will  have  to  be  taken  under  one  or  more  existing  legal  bases  for 
sectoral action in the treaties. 

The contribution of Maritime Policy to broader EU policy goals 

In seeking a coherent vision, the EU Maritime Policy aligns well with other policies 
concerned  with  maritime  affairs.  It  addresses  all  three  components  of  sustainable 
development; seeking a balance between them is at the heart of its approach. It aims 
to  contribute  to  EU  activities  under  both  the  Lisbon  agenda  and  the  Sustainable 
Development  Strategy31.  It  is  intended  to  help  realise  the  potential  of  maritime 
industries and clusters and is therefore fully consistent with LeaderSHIP 201532 and 
clustering initiatives under the EU’s Enterprise and Industry policy. 

The EU Maritime Policy incorporates the EU Strategy for the Marine Environment 
as  an  integrated  environmental  component  and  recognises  the  importance  of  the 
oceans for the quality of life of EU citizens, first and foremost in the coastal regions. 
It also supports actions to comply with international and European obligations to halt 
the  decline  in  biodiversity  by  2010.  Moreover,  in  view  of  the  so  far  largely 
unrealised  potential  of  offshore  wind  and  ocean  energy,  it  can  provide  support 
towards  reaching  the  EU’s  target  of  20%  of  overall  energy  consumption  from 
renewable resources by 2020. 

The  goal  of  coherence  of  policies,  both  within  and  between  pillars,  is  fully  in  line 
with treaty requirements. 

3. 

GENERAL POLICY OBJECTIVES/ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 

Building on a careful assessment of the problems set out in the previous section and 
the results of the public consultation, the challenge for the EU is to exploit fully the 
potential  of  oceans  and  seas  by  developing  a  new  holistic  approach  to  maritime 
policy. Such a policy should be anchored in the Lisbon agenda for growth and jobs 
and in the revised European Strategy for Sustainable Development. 

The  EU's  general  aim  is  therefore  to  develop  an  integrated  approach  to  Maritime 
Policy  which,  first,  aims  to  introduce  a  governance  framework  that  applies  the 

31 

32 

See http://ec.europa.eu/growthandjobs/index_en.htm and 
http://ec.europa.eu/sustainable/welcome/index_en.htm. 
“LeaderSHIP 2015” - COM(2003) 717, 21.11.2003. 

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integrated  approach  and,  second,  to  develop  horizontal  and  cross-cutting  tools  for 
integrated policy-making. The EU Maritime Policy should enhance the EU capacity 
to pursue the following objectives when dealing with oceans and seas: 

•  maximising the sustainable use of the oceans and seas; 

•  building a knowledge and innovation base for the Maritime Policy; 

•  delivering the highest quality of life in coastal regions; 

•  promoting Europe’s leadership in international maritime affairs; 

•  raising the visibility of Maritime Europe. 

4. 

POLICY OPTIONS: AN INTEGRATED POLICY OR NOT 

Assessing  the  implications  of  a  new  integrated  EU  Maritime  Policy  implies  two 
separate issues: first assessing whether the EU should develop an integrated approach 
to Maritime Policy and what type of framework would be best suited to achieve this. 
Second,  what  would  be  the  concrete  content  of  a  Maritime  Policy  and  the  likely 
added  value  of  the  actions  that  would  be  developed  under  the  chosen  overarching 
policy-making framework? 

This is why the present Impact Assessment examines both the options for and effects 
of  a  new  approach  to  maritime  affairs  (chapters  4  and  5)  and  the  instruments 
proposed for reaching the Maritime Policy goals (chapter 6). 

4.1. 

Integrated policy approach 

Stakeholders were asked how a maritime policy could add value to activities already 
undertaken in the maritime field. In their responses, they indicated the benefits that 
would  accrue  from  stronger  cooperation,  common  learning  and  more  transparency 
about maritime affairs in general. They expected that more integration would bring 
about  more  coherence  among  EU  policies  and  contribute  towards  its  overall 
objectives  for  growth,  jobs  and  sustainability.  Stakeholders  also  expected  to  see 
potential  benefits  in  terms  of  more  efficiency  in  managing  maritime  affairs.  Others 
expected Maritime Policy to promote the importance of Europe’s maritime economy 
and to set an example leading to higher standards internationally. 

Coordination has also proven its value in other domains of EU policy-making for a 
number of years. 

Reaching the EU’s objectives for more economic growth and more, and better, jobs, 
or  the  Lisbon  Strategy,  involves  a  range  of  sectoral  policies.  The  Commissioner’s 
Working  Group  on  Competitiveness,  chaired  by  President  Barroso,  mobilises  all 
potentially relevant instruments for this purpose. The Commission’s assessment was 
that  the  joint  effort  of  a  number  of  EU  policies  towards  clearly  defined  goals  had 
worked well and that it had started to deliver results. 

Equally,  since  2001,  the  EU’s  Sustainable  Development  Strategy  provides  a 
framework in which different Commission services work together towards common 

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goals.  The  Commission  noted  in  its  2005  review  of  the  sustainable  development 
strategy  that  since  the  launch  of  the  strategy,  ambitions  have  been  translated  into 
policy initiatives that are in turn bringing results on the ground33. 

The EU Industrial Policy34 is also geared towards a more integrated approach. Based 
on the screening of the implications of various policies for specific industrial sectors, 
this approach enables the precise targeting of those policy measures most relevant for 
each  sector.  A  number  of  policy  dimensions  have  been  brought  together  under  a 
single initiative, allowing a more powerful impact on competitiveness. 

The mainly positive assessments of the potential benefits of an integrated approach, 
as  expected  as  a  result  from  the  analyses  of  existing  policy  approaches  and  in  line 
with the views of stakeholders, should be offset against possible costs. The need for 
resources to implement an integrated approach depends on how this integration is to 
be  organised:  either  by  centralising  all  policy  issues  related  to  maritime  affairs  or 
through enhanced coordination. 

In practical terms there are three options for achieving these goals: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

abandoning  the  idea  of  an  EU  Maritime  Policy  and  pursuing  the  objectives 
only through single sectoral approaches; 

a structural approach – bringing together all aspects currently concerned with 
maritime  affairs,  i.e.  transport,  environment,  fisheries  research  etc  –  in  one 
organisation and integrating all legislation and budget for Maritime Policy; 

a  procedural  approach  –  coordinating  existing  sectoral  approaches  and 
creating new initiatives in areas only where a genuine cross-sectoral approach 
is needed. 

4.1.1.  No specific action/sector-based approach 

Maintaining  the  status  quo  implies  that  the  EU  would  not  develop  a  dedicated 
integrated  Maritime  Policy  for  ocean  and  sea-related  matters.  Under  this  scenario, 
policies would continue to be developed and implemented under the various sectoral 
policies relating to the oceans and seas. 

The  benefits  of  this  option  are  that  there  would  be  no  need  to  create  an  internal 
function within the Commission or budget to ensure coherence and holistic analysis 
and no need for other services to step up cooperation. 

Procedures  for  developing  proposals  would  not  need  to  be  linked  into  the  overall 
vision,  which  would  ensure  simpler  procedures  and  speedier  processes  for  policy-
making.  Equally,  in  Council  and  Parliament,  “normal”  work  in  sectoral  structures 
would  continue,  without  procedures  to  enhance cooperation across  sectors,  as  were 
already followed by both institutions in their response to the Green Paper. 

33 

34 

“Review  of  the  Sustainable  Development  Strategy:  A  platform  for  action”  -  COM(2005)  658, 
13.12.2005. 
“Implementing 
to  strengthen  EU 
manufacturing - towards amore integrated approach for industrial policy” - COM(2005) 474, 5.10.2005. 

the  Community  Lisbon  Programme:  A  policy  framework 

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Member  States  would  not  need  to  have  specific  contacts  within  the  Commission 
specifically  for  Maritime  Affairs.  External  stakeholders  would  not  be  confronted 
with any need to adapt their approach to EU policies regarding maritime affairs. 

However, the “gains”, in terms of time and resources, definitely do not outweigh the 
benefits,  in  terms  of  better  quality  of  decisions  through  consistency  and  coherence 
and the quality of a coordinated policy. This is all the more important in the light of 
the challenge at stake, which is the future of coastal regions, oceans and sea. 

In  addition,  non-action  would  clearly  go  against  the  results  of  the  consultation 
process. With very few exceptions, the question “should the EU have an integrated 
Maritime Policy?” was  answered with  a resounding  yes.  The comprehensive report 
on  the  public  consultation  that  followed  the  Green  Paper  on  Maritime  Policy 
concluded  that  it  will  provide  conditions  for  long-term  growth  and  development  in 
the maritime sectors. The expectation is that it will ensure a balance between policy 
objectives  and  focus  EU  intervention  on  cases  where  it  can  provide  added  value. 
Stronger cooperation between the sectors and sectoral policies, mutual learning and 
exchange  of  best  practice,  plus  transparency  are  highlighted  as  the  first  obvious 
benefits of an integrated approach35. 

It would also ignore the experiences gained in third countries and within a number of 
EU Member States in moving towards integrated ocean and seas’ policies as referred 
to in section 2.5. 

4.1.2.  A structural option – A centralised Maritime Policy function 

A  centralised  Maritime  Policy  function  covering  the  whole  spectrum  of  maritime 
affairs  would  require  substantial  internal  re-organisation  to  pool  sufficient  human 
resources. Integrating the complete legislative and budgetary environment for all the 
sea-related  elements  of  existing  sectoral  policies  would  create  reorganisation  costs 
and political risks. Their impacts would be unforeseeable and difficult to manage. 

Centralising  the  various  Maritime  Policy  functions  within  the  Commission  is  not 
seen as a cost-efficient option for the following reasons: 

•  In all cases except fisheries, sectoral maritime policy areas are also part of a wider 
policy domain. The integration of these elements within a Maritime Policy would 
trigger the fragmentation of the policies of which they are part. 

•  Community competences are uneven in the maritime domain and are aligned more 
to  the  wider  policy  domains  (e.g.  trade,  industry,  fisheries,  environment, 
transport). 

•  The present Commission organisation mirrors to some extent the structure of civil 

service departments in Member States. 

•  A  central  service  for  handling  all  maritime  affairs  would  require  increased 
resources.  It  would  need  to  handle  maritime  affairs  and  also  ensure  intense 

35 

“Detailed  report  on  the  contributions  to  the  consultation  process  on  Maritime  Policy”,  see 
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs. 

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coordination with the related sectoral policies (in such a setting, a central maritime 
service,  in  charge  of  e.g.  the  marine  environment  or  maritime  transport,  would 
have to handle considerable additional coordination with the overall environment 
or transport policies). 

•  A  centralised  policy  approach  would  lead  to  the  loss  of  existing  synergies  in 
sectoral  policy  areas  and  increase  the  risk  of  duplication.  The  delays  due  to  re-
organisation  could  substantially  harm  the  implementation  of  Maritime  Policy  in 
the initial phase, which may have consequences for its continuation. 

In  view  of  these  points,  this  option  does  not  appear  to  be  beneficial  for  the 
effectiveness of overall EU policy-making. 

4.1.3.  A procedural approach for coordination 

Enhanced  coordination  of  sectoral  policies  concerned  with  maritime  affairs  should 
resolve  inconsistencies,  duplications  and  uncertainties  in  sectoral  policy  initiatives. 
Common,  integrated,  tools  for  Maritime  Policy  could  be  developed  where  these 
would benefit more than one policy. This would bring about efficiency gains through 
better sharing of information and resources. 

Such an approach would also rely on measures to promote collective learning and an 
enhanced consultation of stakeholders, and specifically: 

•  Dialogue with stakeholders can clarify the links between the sectoral policies and 
explain  their  overall  impact  on  the  oceans  and  seas.  Such  work  should  focus  on 
the promotion of a holistic vision on the oceans and seas. To avoid duplication or 
unnecessary  costs,  there  should  be  links  to  existing  tools  for  communicating 
sectoral policies and to organisations of external, public or private, stakeholders. 
As all European citizens are stakeholders in the future of the seas, communication 
should also reach them, through the appropriate information channels. 

•  Reporting  on  progress  towards  the  main  goals  of  Maritime  Policy,  results  of 
actions  and  new  challenges  and  access  to  comprehensive  information  via  a 
website are cost-efficient tools to provide a holistic perspective in written format. 

•  Exchanging  best  practices  is  instrumental  to  promote  a  holistic  approach  to 
maritime  affairs  within  the  EU  Member  States  that  fully  respects  Europe’s 
regional  traditions  and  the  principles  of  proportionality  and  subsidiarity.  That 
would  imply  providing  the  platform  for  exchanging  information,  by  way  of 
arranging discussion fora and ICT tools. A periodic conference would allow broad 
discussions  and  mutual  learning.  Studies  could  provide  the  networks  with  a 
factual  and  objective  underpinning.  The  work  should  lead  not  only  to  improved 
understanding  of  the  inter-linkages  between  different  maritime  activities  and 
policies, but also assist in setting objectives and defining benchmarks for policy. 

Compared to centralisation, enhanced co-ordination would entail less in the way of 
resources and budget. It would require efforts to organise the coordination process, 
gather  the  required  knowledge  base  and  engage  in  dialogue  with  stakeholders, 
maintaining and furthering the holistic vision of the oceans and seas. But it can build 

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29 

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on what exists already and has the advantage that substantial restructuring between 
Commission services would be unnecessary. 

Under  this  scenario,  what  would  be  necessary  is  that  the  Steering  Group  of 
Commissioners and the fruitful cooperation between Commission Services within the 
Interservice  Group  Maritime  Policy  continues  with  a  view  to  full  and  speedy 
implementation of new policy initiatives. The functions of the MPTF should in this 
case  be  integrated  into  the  new  organigram  of  the  present  Directorate-General  for 
Fisheries and Maritime Affairs in such a way as to ensure maximum coherence i.a. 
between fisheries policy, coastal development and maritime policy in the sea regions 
surrounding Europe. The thus restructured Directorate-General should stay in charge 
of coordinating and monitoring the implementation and future policy development. It 
should continue to service the Steering Group and animate the Interservice Group on 
Maritime Policy. 

Success  depends  on  the  involvement  of  stakeholders  as  well  as  on  the  degree  to 
which  the  results  permeate  into  policy-making  within  the  Member  States.  A  truly 
inclusive bottom-up approach should lead to the necessary acceptance or ownership 
of  the  results  by  stakeholders.  To  be  effective,  the  results  should  be  disseminated 
beyond the network  to  reach everyone who is directly or indirectly  concerned  with 
them. An important dimension of the work to collect best practice examples will be 
lost in the absence of an appropriate dissemination strategy. 

As the holistic approach is also about changing mindsets as regards the way in which 
we  organise  our  policies  that  affect  the  oceans  and  seas,  the  true  success  of  an 
integrated approach will extend beyond its own operations and the policies for which 
it is responsible. Maritime Policy relies on the commitment of sectoral policy-makers 
and actors to commonly work towards a single vision. It also depends on the extent 
to  which  public  authorities  throughout  the  EU  and  in  international  fora  adopt  a 
similar  approach.  Convincing  evidence  and  clear  promotion  of  the  importance  of 
moving  towards  a  single  vision  both  inside  and  outside  the  Commission,  together 
with the development of tools for this purpose, is thus a crucial element for success. 

By  practicing  enhanced  cooperation  and  following  a  holistic  approach  in  its  policy 
measures specifically concerning the seas, oceans or coastal regions, the Commission 
can lead the way in encouraging other EU institutions, public authorities at all levels 
of governance as well as science and business to pursue themselves a more holistic 
approach and structure their own organisation accordingly. 

In the light of the above, enhanced coordination appears to be the most effective and 
cost-efficient tool to realise the objectives of EU Maritime Policy. 

5. 

ACHIEVING MARITIME POLICY GOALS 

This  section  describes  the  way  in  which  policy  integration  through  enhanced 
coordination would contribute to achieve the broad goals of Maritime Policy. 

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30 

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5.1.  Maximising the Sustainable Use of the Oceans and Seas 

A  range  of  policies,  i.e.  on  fisheries,  maritime  transport,  industry,  tourism, 
employment,  environment  and  regional  development,  are  already  in  place  to  deal 
with the three components of sustainable development, i.e. economic growth, social 
well-being and a healthy environment. Policy integration will hence be the primary 
tool  to  forge  stronger  linkages  where  maritime  affairs  are  concerned.  More 
integration can specifically contribute to reinforcing the competitive position of the 
entire  maritime  cluster,  creating  better  conditions  for  job  mobility  among  different 
sectors,  finding  alternative  employment  for  e.g.  fishers  and  ensuring  fair  burden-
sharing  in  tackling  the  effects  of  marine  pollution  and  climate  change.  A  clear  and 
consistent  regulatory  framework  and  self-regulation  where  possible  can  reduce  the 
time and costs for industry in dealing with the implications of policy. 

Responsibility  for  a  healthy  marine  environment  devolves  principally  on  EU 
environmental  policy.  As  a  Marine  Environmental  Strategy  is  well  on  the  way  to 
being  implemented,  efforts  should  concentrate  on  ensuring  its  good  functioning 
within  Maritime  Policy  as  well  as  continuing  commitment  to  marine  nature 
protection  sites  under  the  Birds  and  Habitats  Directives36.  Nonetheless,  close 
coordination is needed with the Common Fisheries Policy, which has instruments to 
maintain  biodiversity  and  restore  fish  stocks  and  other  policies,  such  as  energy 
policy, which impacts on the oceans through climate change, or agricultural policy, 
which  affects  the  nutrient  load  carried  by  estuaries  into  the  seas,  should  not  be 
neglected either. 

Responsibility  for  measures  to  boost  competitiveness,  growth  and  jobs  involves  a 
range of Commission departments. In addition to integration, therefore, cross-cutting 
activities  can  be  developed  to  cover  the  totality  of  maritime  issues  beyond  the 
individual remits of sectoral policies. This can for example involve a comprehensive 
analysis of all different sea-related sectors, their interactions and competitive strength 
or shared legal constraints. As clusters are being developed on the basis of different 
models, there is also scope for exchanging best practice. 

The  integration  of  data  and  surveillance  will  produce  information  that  is  important 
for  purposes  of  environmental  protection  and  socio-economic  development.  For 
example, better ocean data will not only help to identifying more precisely the need 
for environmental policy responses in line with the precautionary principle, but also 
ensure that these are proportional with minimal impact for industry. Better data will 
also allow industry to find appropriate responses to ocean phenomena, e.g. to adapt 
the construction and the routes of cruise ships to wave patterns. 

Maritime  surveillance  can  help  track  non-compliance  with  safety,  security  or 
environmental  obligations  or  illegal  activities,  thus  not  only  improving  the 
prevention  and  combating  of  such  activities,  but  also  reducing  the  competitive 
advantage  of  substandard  operations.  A  secure  and  safe  environment  will  reduce 
risks and their associated costs for shipping and related activities. 

36 

79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC respectively. 

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31 

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Finally, forward-looking spatial planning helps to optimise both the development of 
economic  activities  and  activities  to  protect  the  marine  environment.  A  predictable 
public  strategy  for  the  future  use  of  the  sea  will  also  be  conducive  to  attracting 
investment  in  future  economic  growth  and  the  creation  of  new  jobs.  This  is 
particularly  important  for  offshore  projects,  which  often  require  large-scale 
investment and long lead times. 

5.2. 

Building a Knowledge and Innovation Base for the Maritime Policy 

Policy integration in this area will facilitate priority-setting within EU Programmes, 
in line with EU policy goals. It can help reduce the ecological footprint of activities 
at  sea  and  encourage  development  whereby  economic  growth  and  environmental 
protection go hand in hand, such as offshore renewable energy, carbon capture and 
storage  or  the  exploitation  of  methane  hydrates.  It  can  also  bring  about  a  more 
targeted use of research funds to enhance the competitiveness of European maritime 
industries. 

Research networks, including industrial and governmental stakeholders can provide 
broader access through platforms for common learning to ensure that research results 
permeate  into  entrepreneurial  society.  There  are  already  good  examples  of 
cooperation to build on, such as the Waterborne Technology Platform. 

Policy integration can identify and trigger action needed to improve the availability 
of  skills  for  the  maritime  sectors.  Coordination  between  industrial,  transport  and 
social  policies  will  help  develop  a  broader  approach  to  training  and  education  and 
equip  people  with  skills  that  offer  broader  career  perspectives  and  job  mobility 
across  sectors  and  countries.  This  should  provide  the  well-educated  workforce  that 
the industry needs, while at the same time offering an attractive work environment. 

Broader  access  to  marine  observation  and  data  systems  as  well  as  enhanced 
monitoring  and  surveillance  capabilities  will  make  direct  and  undeniably  positive 
contributions to achieving Europe’s knowledge potential. 

5.3. 

Delivering the Highest Quality of Life in Coastal Regions 

Policy  integration  will  allow  Europe’s  maritime  regions  to  benefit  more  from  the 
enormous  potential  of  the  Structural  Funds  for  contributing  to  the  harmonious 
development  of  coastal areas and  islands and cross-border links. Coordination  with 
the  Common  Fisheries  Policy  will  be  advantageous  for  these  regions  as  fishing 
constitutes  a  traditionally  important  source  of  activity  in  coastal  communities, 
especially  in  remote  areas,  e.g.  it  will  help  in  finding  alternative  employment  for 
fishers in new areas, such as guardians of the sea, helping to protect the environment, 
becoming involved in education, etc. 

Policy  integration  can  help  to  ensure  a  better  oversight  of  expenditure  under  the 
Structural  Funds.  Furthermore,  integration  can  help  to  better  align  port  policy  with 
environmental  legislation,  notably  the  Birds  and  Habitat  Directives,  the  Water 
Framework Directives and the forthcoming Marine Strategy. 

In addition to policy integration, other instruments of Maritime Policy add value in 
improving the quality of life on the coast. 

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Recognising the maritime regions as key partners in achieving this objective makes a 
pro-active  dialogue  with  coastal  regions  imperative.  Such  a  dialogue  is  crucial  in 
building sound understanding of the challenges of maritime regions. Drawing on the 
diversity  and  experience  of  these  regions,  common  learning  can  be  encouraged 
through platforms for exchanging best practice in areas of specific interest. 

Spatial  planning  provides  promising  opportunities 
to  avoid  competing  and 
conflicting uses of the sea. Allocating space to specific types of users in an optimal 
way will help to ensure that favourable economic development can go hand in hand 
with safeguarding the attractiveness of the coast in other terms, e.g. their cultural or 
recreational value, and with nature conservation. 

Better  marine  observation  and  data  will  feed  into  spatial  planning  processes  and 
make them more effective. Better data will also help provide an understanding of the 
effects  of  climate  change  on  life  on  the  coast  and  hence  provide  more  evidence  to 
assist coastal regions in their efforts regarding risk reduction and coastal protection. 

Maritime  surveillance  will  allow  a  better  and  earlier  identification  and  response  to 
threats  from  the  sea,  such  as  accidents,  marine  pollution,  and  illegal  or  criminal 
activities. This will also be of benefit for the quality of life in coastal regions. 

5.4. 

Promoting Europe’s Leadership in International Maritime Affairs 

trade,  development  aid,  cooperation  with 

Policy  integration  embracing  the  Community’s  external  policies,  including  external 
relations, 
third  countries  and 
neighbourhood  policy  can  help  build  EU  leadership  as  regards  the  oceans  and  seas 
around  the  world.  The  neighbourhood  policy  and  its  instruments  could  play  an 
important role in dealing with the specificities of Europe’s marine regions. 

Achieving  EU  goals  via  international  means  allows  us  to  maintain  an  international 
level playing field, avoiding specific European measures that risk duplication or loss 
of  competitiveness.  However,  given  that  this  depends  on  the  readiness  of  Member 
States  to  act,  the  EU  could  monitor  and  encourage  the  ratification  of  international 
conventions  under  its  coordinated  Maritime  Policy.  Such  efforts  will,  if  successful, 
meet  Europe’s  environmental  and  safety  requirements,  without  negatively  affecting 
the competitive position of European enterprises. 

5.5. 

Raising the visibility of Maritime Europe 

Raising  the  visibility  of  the  maritime  sectors  would  require  a  concerted  effort  with 
policies on maritime transport, industry, employment, education and communication. 

Specific  action  could  be  taken  to  communicate  a  holistic  picture  embracing  all 
aspects  of  maritime  affairs.  The  consultation  process  highlighted  the  existence  of 
such promotional and educational initiatives. The Ecotec study for example provides 
a  list  of  national  activities  to  promote  the  maritime  professions.  Encouraging  such 
initiatives by spreading examples of best practice, including through awards, would 
have a multiplier effect, e.g. through extensive media attention. 

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Such promotional activities at EU level could be centred as far as possible around a 
maritime event. Concentrating promotion and outreach efforts and labelling them as 
a Maritime Day or Week is a clear signal of their political importance. 

A  better  dialogue  with  stakeholders  and  citizens  will  mobilise  the  public  support 
essential for realising the Maritime Policy goals. It will also help to bridge the gap 
with  the  EU’s  citizens,  which  fits  in  well  with  the  Commission’s  objectives  for 
transparency and dialogue with citizens. 

6. 

WHICH  ACTIONS  FOR  A  NEW  EUROPEAN  MARITIME  POLICY?  THE  ACTION  PLAN 
FOR A EUROPEAN MARITIME POLICY 

The  Commission’s  vision  of  an  EU  Maritime  Policy  is  accompanied  by  an  Action 
Plan,  providing  an  overview  of  the  main  actions  to  be  developed  in  order  to 
contribute to achieve the vision’s objectives.  

In addition to providing a framework within which maritime-related policies can be 
managed in a more efficient, coherent and transparent way, Maritime Policy also is 
intended  to  bring  together  and  steer  the  development  of  the  various  sector-specific 
policy  initiatives  that  underpin  it.  Therefore,  besides  cross-cutting  actions  to 
implement  Maritime  Policy,  it  also  includes the  most  significant  sectoral  initiatives 
that can be expected during the lifetime of this Commission – i.e. before November 
2009. This list of sectoral initiatives is not exhaustive. 

The  process  for  selecting  the  cross-sectoral  themes  in  the  list  was  as  follows:  The 
Green Paper on Maritime Policy put 59 questions to stakeholders on the way forward 
and set out a number of possible activities to be developed in a range of areas. The 
themes  in  the  Action  Plan  are  those  from  the  Green  Paper  which  were  clearly 
endorsed  by  the  stakeholders.  For  instance,  the  Green  Paper  suggested  ideas  for  a 
common EU-coastguard and using military assets for civil purposes. To quote just an 
example, stakeholders mostly rejected the idea of a centralised EU coast guard, but 
would  encourage  further  cooperation.  This  idea  is  therefore  not  retained,  but  a 
dialogue with European navies on their contribution to the execution of tasks falling 
outside  the  European  Security  and  Defence  Policy  has  begun  within  a  different 
context. 

In addition, the criterion for the selection and design of cross-sectoral themes was the 
added value resulting of an integrated approach, which mainly comprises: 

•  Increased synergies between previously fragmented policy areas; 

•  Increased predictability of future regulatory decisions that favour the development 

of future economic projects and their ability to attract investors; 

•  Better  reconciliation  of  economic,  social  and  environmental  objectives  with  a 

view to promoting sustainability. 

It is not possible at this stage to assess the likely impacts on the economy, the society 
and  the  environment  of  each  and  every  initiative  mentioned  in  the  Action  Plan  as 
their precise content and form will be elaborated further in the integrated approach to 

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Maritime  Policy.  The  measures  introduced  in  the  Action  Plan,  such  as  collective 
learning  and stakeholder relations will themselves contribute  towards  future  impact 
assessments. Where the type of action to be envisaged requires Impact Assessment, 
this will be conducted in line with the Commission rules on Impact Assessment. 

The following sections provide a summary account of the initiatives included in the 
Action  Plan  and  explain  why  they  are  instrumental  to  further  the  five  general 
objectives  of  a  new  Maritime  Policy.  The  Action  Plan  provides,  for  each  of  the 
different areas of action, a fiche presenting in greater detail the general context, the 
planned actions and a summary analysis of the expected costs and benefits as well as 
relevance for an integrated Maritime Policy. 

6.1.  Maritime Governance 

An  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  requires  a  governance  framework  that  applies  the 
integrated  approach  at  every  level,  as  well  as  horizontal  and  cross-cutting  policy 
tools. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

An  EU  Maritime  Policy  will  realise  its  full  potential  only  if  analogous 
arrangements are also adopted by Member States in line with the subsidiarity 
principle,  to  provide  for  the  improved  coordination  of  all  maritime-related 
affairs.  This  requires  a  number  of  common  arrangements  at  European  level. 
To promote a more holistic approach towards maritime affairs throughout the 
entire EU, principles and guidelines would be helpful. 

An  integrated  approach  to  maritime  affairs  should  develop  policies  and 
legislative proposals that are both coherent and mutually compatible. One of 
its  tools  should  be  a  list  of  existing  obstacles  or  inconsistencies,  in  order  to 
allow the streamlining and improvement of a coherent regulatory framework. 
Such  a  list  will  provide  a  basis  for  further  reflection  on  possible  regulatory 
amendments. 

An  integrated  Maritime  Policy  will  benefit  greatly  from  stakeholder 
involvement. Such involvement allows to exchange information, best practice 
and learning from experiences. Such collective learning process will bring a 
faster exchange of ideas and experience between different regions and greater 
opportunities for individuals and interest groups to make their voice heard in 
policy development. 

6.2. 

Cross-cutting and Integrated Maritime Policy Tools 

A new integrated governance framework for  maritime  affairs requires cross-cutting 
tools to help policy makers and economic and environmental actors to join up their 
policies, interlink their activities and optimise the use of the marine and coastal space 
in an environmentally sustainable manner. 

These tools, as set out in the Blue Paper, comprise the development of an EU Marine 
Observation  and  Data  Network  to  optimise  and  bring  coherence  to  the  current 
fragmented  initiatives  that  gather  data  on  oceans  and  seas;  the  development  of 
maritime  and  coastal  spatial  planning,  assisted  by  a  road  map  drawn  up  by  the 
Commission  and  a  more  integrated  network  of  surveillance  systems  for  European 

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waters.  Indeed,  the  improvement  in  data  and  information,  in  planning,  and  in  the 
monitoring and surveillance of our oceans and seas will facilitate  cross-fertilisation 
between  all  Maritime  Policy  activities,  ultimately  leading  to  a  more  integrated 
approach. 

Therefore,  in  the  Action  Plan,  the  following  actions  on  data,  spatial  planning  and 
surveillance  presented  below  will  contribute  towards  the  development  of  the  Tools 
for Integrated Policy-making, set out in the Blue Paper. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

To  overcome  current  fragmentation,  a  European  Marine  Observation  and 
Data  Network  aims  to  encourage  sharing  of  marine  data  collected  for 
different  purposes.  Integrated  access  to  data  will  enable  broader  use  of  data 
and the provision of customised services to different users. Such integration 
of  data  sources  and  supply  mechanisms  will  help  to  improve  the  common 
understanding  of  the  oceans  and  seas,  which,  in  turn,  will  benefit  activities 
related  to  protection  of  the  marine  environment,  science  and  research  and 
technology  development.  Sharing  this  knowledge  is  one  of  the  cornerstones 
of an integrated approach. 

Action towards integration of maritime surveillance systems aims to improve 
overall  surveillance  of  activities  in  coastal  waters,  hereby  enhancing  the 
ability  of  authorities  to  identify  anomalous  behaviour  and  both  raise  the 
effectiveness  and  reduce  the  costs  of  surveillance.  More  efficient  and 
compatible  surveillance  and  monitoring  systems  would  ultimately  provide 
government agencies in the Member States access to a fully-integrated, single 
picture  with  complete  information  on  ship  movement  and  activities.  This 
would also help the Member States to carry out  search and rescue  activities 
more efficiently, thus preventing loss of life at sea. 

Integrated  maritime  spatial  planning  across  EU  waters  is  a  essential  for 
continued sustainable development of maritime economic activities, because 
it  constitutes  a  neutral  tool  that  arbitrates  between  conflicting  or  competing 
activities or interests. Building on Integrated Coastal Zone Management and 
the  proposed  Marine  Strategy  Directive,  EU  support  for  maritime  spatial 
planning  will  encourage  more  effective  implementation  of  environmental 
measures  and  acceleration  of  planning  decisions.  It  will  promote  regional 
responsibility and facilitate the resolution of trans-boundary planning issues. 
It will yield its full benefits only if all coastal Member States introduce such 
systems,  that  they  use  compatible  and  comparable  systems  and  learn  from 
each other’s experiences. 

6.3.  Maximising the Sustainable Use of the Oceans and Seas 

Europe is intimately linked to the seas and oceans that surround it. It is not just the 
shipping or fisheries industries and their related activities. It is also shipbuilding and 
ports,  marine  equipment  and  offshore  energy,  maritime  and  coastal  tourism, 
aquaculture,  submarine  telecommunications,  blue  biotech  and  the  protection  of  the 
marine environment. Many of these activities are growing fast keeping Europe as a 
world  leader  in  the  global  maritime  economy,  with  its  large  fleet  and  vibrant 
shipping  services  industry,  its  cutting-edge  cruise  liners  and  its  numerous  ports. 

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Nevertheless,  in  the  fierce  competition  of  today’s  globalised  economy  Europe’s 
leadership cannot be taken for granted.  

Europe  should  therefore  not  only  focus  on  maintaining  the  competitiveness  of 
existing  sea-related  industries  and  activities  but  should  also  actively  promote  their 
development over the long term and the creation of more and better jobs. In line with 
the Lisbon Strategy, this is what the Commission intends to pursue with the aim of 
maximising the use of Europe’s oceans and seas. 

This  use,  however,  needs  to  be  sustainable  as  the  marine  environment  is  the  base-
resource  for  all  maritime  economic  activities.  The  question  of  the  sustainability  of 
our  oceans  and  seas  is  therefore  a  critical  one  in  the  Blue  Paper’s  vision  for  our 
oceans and seas. Indeed, the very scale of the oceans and seas has traditionally led 
people  to  perceive  them  as  an  inexhaustible  source  of  wealth.  Nevertheless,  the 
current fragmented approach to maritime activities and their sectoral policies has not 
allowed  us  to  decouple  economic  development  from  environmental  degradation. 
Huge  strides  in  technology,  climate  change  impacts  and  the  growing  coastal 
population  have  combined  to  create  added  pressures  on  available  resources, 
particularly  in  relation  to  fishing,  transport,  recreational  navigation  and  the 
exploitation of oil and gas as well as the marine environment itself.  

Good  governance  and  an  integrated  approach  require  us  to  move  towards  a  more 
overarching  strategy  that  joins  up  sectoral  policies  for  maritime  activities  and 
environmental  policy  relating  to  Europe’s  seas.  The  Commission  intends  to  follow 
this path with the aim of maximising the sustainable use of the oceans and seas. 

With  this  objective  in  mind,  the  Commission  is  proposing  a  number  of  actions 
covering  maritime  transport;  ports  and  logistics;  the  development  of  multisectoral 
clusters  enhancing  the  competitiveness  of  Europe’s  maritime  companies;  the 
strengthening  of  careers  and  employment  in  the  maritime  sectors;  sustainable 
maritime tourism; reduction of air pollution from ships; ship dismantling; mitigation 
and adaptation to climate change; and the protection of the high seas; these will be 
accompanied by action strengthening the ecosystem approach to maritime activities 
and to fisheries in particular. 

(1) 

(2) 

Clustering  works  particularly  well  for  many  maritime  businesses,  as  their 
activities  are  often  closely  inter-related.  The  promotion  of  multi-sectoral 
clusters  and  regional  centres  of  maritime  excellence  will  bring  increased 
awareness  of  market  developments  via  better  linkages  with  research  and 
technology  development  and  strengthen  employment  prospects  through 
targeted  training  and  better  mobility.  An  integrated  Maritime  Policy  that 
creates  the  right  framework  conditions  for  maritime  clusters  can  help  them 
become engines of value creation and prosperity. 

Further steps to promote maritime transport, including removing obstacles to 
intra-European maritime transport and the promotion of e-maritime, will give 
an impetus to economic growth, not only for the sector itself but also for the 
further development of the maritime economy in coastal regions. It will also 
strengthen  the  contribution  of  transport  policy  to  mitigating  global  climate 
change by facilitating the modal shift from road to sea. 

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(3)  Maritime  development  will  only  be  genuinely  sustainable  if  it  is  socially 
acceptable and allows the maritime professions to share in the benefits of the 
EU social model. Proposals for strengthening employment, qualifications and 
working conditions in the maritime sectors will link a number of EU policies 
including employment, transport, fisheries and education policies in order to 
increase  the  currently  unacceptably  low  number  of  Europeans  seeking 
maritime  careers.  Action  will  require  not  only  coordination  of  all  actors 
involved,  but  also  coordination  between  the  EU  policies  concerned.  The 
different  levels  of  competence  furthermore  call  for  the  support  and  active 
participation  of  Member  State  and  regional  authorities  and  institutions. 
Seafarers in the EU, including fishers, and the maritime cluster, would benefit 
from a more integrated approach to employment. 

(4) 

(5) 

The  ports  policy  will  enable  harmonious  development  of  ports  with  their 
environment  so  that  this  not  only  eases  logistics,  but  addresses  also  related 
issues  such  as  the  quality  of  life,  regional  development,  tourism  and 
environmental protection. In addition many ports are not destined to play an 
expanding  role  in  the  logistics  function  but  rather  to  specialise  in  other 
activities, including fishing. Ports policy will be developed with the linkages 
to  other  areas  in  mind  as  well  as  the  need  to  ensure  joined  up  policy 
development regarding all aspects of ports, including their contribution to the 
culture  and  tourist  potential  of  port  cities.  This  broader  view  of  the 
multifunctional role of ports will need to be developed in close consultation 
with all stakeholders. 

Action to reduce air pollution from ships will improve the environment both 
globally and especially near ports. The potential benefits of action in this area 
will  range  from  better  fuel  economy  to  increased  use  of  renewables  and  a 
cleaner  environment  in  and  around  ports  –  including  for  tourism.  The 
development of proposals to reduce air pollution by ships should thus be seen 
both in the context of the EU’s action on the environment and climate change, 
and  in  the  context  of  a  joined-up  approach  to  ports  and  port  cities  and  the 
quality of life in coastal regions. Finally, addressing air pollution by ships is 
part of an overall drive for the development of quality shipping, which itself 
is  part  of  the  two  concepts  of  a  quality  maritime  economy  and  a  quality 
coastal  state  and  a  key  element  in  keeping  European  shipbuilding  and 
shipping competitive. 

(6)  Measures  for  ship  dismantling  and  de-pollution  aim  to  protect  the  workers 
who  undertake  this  work  and  prevent  damage  to  the  environment.  The 
coordination  of  action,  involving  all  international  partners,  as  well  as  EU 
policies in various sectors, will lead to a solution that takes into account the 
interests  of  the  shipping  industry,  dismantling  operators  and  host  countries, 
and will benefit the environment. 

(7) 

Enhanced  attention  for  the  role  of  the  oceans  and  seas  in  energy  policy,  as 
well  as  a  solid  link  between  Energy  and  Maritime  Policy  will  facilitate 
dealing  with  offshore  energy.  A  forward-looking  vision  for  the  oceans  and 
seas  will  create  the  clarity  and  stability  needed  to  attract  investments  in 
marine-based energy infrastructures and resources, which normally are large-
scale  and  involve  several  Member  States.  A  coherent  approach  to  maritime 

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(8) 

(9) 

affairs  will  also  facilitate  the  necessary  cross-border  cooperation  regarding 
offshore energy infrastructures. 

Action  for  the  situation  of  fishermen  at  sea  aims  to  reduce  the  currently 
unacceptable accident rate, increase alternative employment possibilities and 
create better conditions for achieving sustainable fisheries. The integration of 
fishermen  into  broader  maritime  economic  activities  can  be  beneficial,  both 
for their job prospects and for the development of the conditions under which 
they work and under which their sector operates. In addition the well-being of 
traditional fishing communities is an important element of the quality of life 
in coastal areas. The Commission’s joined-up approach to Maritime Policy is 
essential to ensure that the necessary linkages are developed. 

Strengthening the implementation of the ecosystem approach in the Common 
Fisheries  Policy  (CFP)  will  ensure  more  coherence  between  fisheries  and 
environmental policies. This is part of an overall approach towards the eco-
system  based  management  of  maritime  activities  and  an  integrated  marine 
environment  strategy,  which  promotes  the  sustainability  of  the  maritime 
economy. Action for the progressive elimination of discards is one of a series 
of  actions  aimed  specifically  at  reducing  the  environmental  impact  of 
fisheries. 

(10)  Proposals for the protection of fisheries resources in international waters will 
contribute  to  achieving  the  ecosystem  and  sustainable  development  goals  of 
the  Johannesburg  World  Summit.  Combating  IUU  fisheries  is  part  of  an 
integrated  approach  towards  the  protection  and  sustainable  management  of 
marine resources and is linked to actions for the protection of the high seas, 
the integration of the eco-system approach within the CFP and the regulation 
of destructive fishing practices. As to the latter, this action is also part of an 
overall  approach  towards  the  eco-system  based  management  of  maritime 
activities  and  part  of  an  integrated  marine  environment  strategy,  which 
promotes a sustainable maritime economy. 

6.4. 

Building a Knowledge and Innovation Base for the Maritime Policy 

An  integrated  Maritime  Policy  has  to  be  based  on  sound  knowledge  of  how  the 
oceans and seas work, and how they can best be managed. While our understanding 
of the factors affecting the sustainability of the marine environment is increasing all 
the time, intensive scientific research is still needed to ensure the preservation of its 
ecosystems. We also need to be able to deal with the cumulative impacts we make on 
the oceans  and seas and not  continue dealing with them separately. This is another 
key  reason  to  change  the  current  governance  framework  of  maritime  affairs  by 
introducing a new and more integrated Maritime Policy.  

European  companies  are  continually  developing  further  know-how  in  pollution 
control,  renewable  marine  resources,  oceanographic  research,  deep-sea  exploration 
and maritime works and coastal engineering. Such innovative knowledge constitutes 
an opportunity for Europe’s economy and deserves to be supported. Indeed, science 
and technology are one of the keys to reconciling the economic growth of sea-based 
activities with environmental sustainability. 

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Therefore, in the wake of the Blue Paper on the EU Maritime Policy, we need to take 
a qualitative step forward in strengthening linking it to technology development.. The 
following action on an EU strategy for marine research will give Europe the basis for 
this step and will deliver the science and research pillar of the EU Maritime Policy. 

(1) 

A  Maritime  Research  Strategy  aims  to  strengthen  cooperation  within  the 
maritime and marine science community. It should define common priorities 
with a view to creating a sound knowledge base for policy and the sustainable 
use of the oceans and seas. Science, research and technology are themselves 
cross-cutting  activities  that  underpin  all  aspects  of  Maritime  Policy,  both 
economic  activities  and  the  work  done  to  ensure  sustainability  and 
environmental  protection.  The  importance  of  the  task  at  hand  requires  the 
mobilisation of the resources and expertise of all EU stakeholders, including 
Member States. 

6.5. 

Delivering the Highest Quality of Life in Coastal Regions 

Europe’s coastal regions, including the outermost regions, are its gateway to the sea, 
and  beyond  that,  to  the  wider  world.  They  are  a  source  of  wealth,  and  a  store  of 
history and culture, in their own right. So it is not surprising that they have been one 
of the strongest supporters of the Commission’s consultation on the Green Paper on a 
Future  Maritime  Policy  for  the  Union.  Coastal  Regions  have  also  been  quick  to 
recognise  the  challenges,  and  opportunities  of  an  emerging  Maritime  Policy  for 
Europe’s coasts and maritime sectors.  

The opportunities are clear: while more and more Europeans wish to live and to work 
in  our  coastal  regions  and  islands,  because  of  the  growing  economic  opportunities 
they  offer  and  the  attractiveness  of  the  coastal  environment,  the  maritime  regions 
already generate over 40% of Europe’s GDP. The economic potential offered by the 
sea in an age of globalisation is enormous. A worldwide boom in maritime transport, 
especially in container shipping, has triggered rapid growth in port construction and 
shipbuilding, as well as in related services. Demand for seafood is constantly rising 
and maritime and coastal tourism growing steadily, while blue biotech holds out the 
promise  of  new  uses  for  the  sea’s  natural  resources.  Meanwhile,  off-shore  wind 
farms, together with tidal and wave energy, are set to provide an increasing share of 
renewables in Europe’s energy mix. 

However, only if we can strike the right balance between economic development and 
environmental  sustainability  can  we  ensure  that  the  quality  of  life  in  our  coastal 
regions  continues  to  grow  along  with  their  GDP.  To  do  this  effectively,  the  right 
mixture of central coordination and decentralised decision-making must be found. 

The  following  actions  constitute  a  first  step  by  the  European  Commission  in 
addressing  this  central  objective  of  promoting  the  quality  of  life  in  Europe’s 
maritime regions: 

(1) 

Regions along the coasts of Europe have been active in developing projects to 
strengthen  their  maritime  economy  and  its  sustainable  development.  An 
integrated approach to Maritime Policy calls for the best practices developed 
in these projects to be made visible and used for future initiatives. It is equally 
important  to  ensure  coherence  in  both  the  design  of  projects  and  in  their 

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(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

funding to achieve the kind of added value that is sought by the EU Maritime 
Policy. Better information on Community projects in coastal regions and their 
funding will enable better dissemination of best practice and lessons learned 
and permit a better assessment of the need for change. Progress depends on 
ensuring transparency on current EU assistance and future possibilities. 

EU Maritime Policy should recognise the specific situation of remote regions 
and  islands  and  adapt  maritime  policies  to  take  these  specificities  into 
account,  thus  placing  these  regions  in  a  better  position  to  exploit  their 
particular  assets.  A  strategy  will  be  developed  to  deal  with  Europe’s 
outermost regions and islands by placing them in a better position to exploit 
their particular assets. 

Strategies for the protection of the coasts and prevention of risks, taking into 
account  the  latest  research  and  technologies,  should  be  developed  in  the 
context  of  policies  for  adaptation  to  climate  change,  risk  reduction  and  EU 
crisis  management,  and  should  be  linked  to  regional  policy  initiatives  and 
projects.  Networks  of  exchange  of  best  practice  can  be  instrumental  in 
ensuring the involvement of stakeholders, particularly in coastal regions. An 
enabling  legal  framework  for  Carbon  Capture  and  Storage  (CCS)  aims  to 
define  the  conditions  on  the  CO2  streams  for  storage,  risk  management  and 
the  adaptation  of  existing  legislation  to  enable  CCS,  including  removal  of 
barriers to storage in sub sea formations. As technologies for seabed storage 
of  CO2  will  have  important  inter-linkages  with  other  forms  of  seabed 
exploration,  their  compatibility  must  be  ensured.  For  example,  such 
technologies can also be used to develop the capture and storage of methane 
hydrate gas extracted from the ocean floor. Seabed exploration also needs an 
international legal framework and operational international cooperation. The 
transport  of  CO2  to  sub  sea  sites  must  also  be  included  in  maritime  spatial 
planning.  Finally,  the  technology  used  must  ensure  that  the  environmental 
gain  form  carbon  storage  is  offset  by  deterioration  of  the  local  marine 
environment. An integrated approach to these issues is thus essential. 

Developments  related  to  coastal  and  maritime  tourism  are  closely  linked  to 
the state of the coastal and marine environment, to development of ports and 
the  quality  of  life  in  maritime  regions.  An  integrated  Maritime  Policy, 
bringing  more  coherence  between  policies  concerned  with  these  issues,  will 
underpin  efforts  to  promote  sustainable  coastal  and  maritime  tourism.  The 
Commission  intends  to  take  due  account  of  the  importance  of  coastal  and 
marine  tourism  in  its  Agenda  for  Sustainable  and  Competitive  European 
Tourism.  In  this  context,  the  inter-linkages  between  the  current  growth  in 
cruise  tourism  and  the  development  of  ports  will  be  further  assessed.  The 
Commission  can  act  as  a  facilitator  in  this,  yet  genuinely  achieving 
sustainable  development  requires  the  involvement  of  actors  at  national, 
regional  and  local  levels.  In  this  light,  the  exchange  of  best  practice  among 
these actors could be beneficial. 

(5) 

Policy  design  and  projects,  as  well  as  maritime  clusters  and  regions,  need 
more  and  better  data  covering  all  socio-economic  aspects  of  the  maritime 
economy.  The  development  of  widely  accepted  and  used  concepts  and 
definitions, and better data collection, assessment, and dissemination methods 

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should  be  an  important  element  in  an  integrated  Maritime  Policy.  Better 
socio-economic  data  on  maritime  sectors  and  maritime  regions  will  provide 
the necessary factual basis for an integrated Maritime Policy. 

6.6. 

Promoting Europe’s Leadership in Maritime Affairs 

Europe’s leading position in maritime activities and scientific research gives it a duty 
to maximise its influence in international maritime affairs. Bringing the EU external 
policy and its development and cooperation instruments into the core of an integrated 
Maritime Policy will allow the EU to play this leadership role. 

The following actions will develop the external dimension of the European Maritime 
Policy,  in  line  with  the  Blue  Paper  objective  of  promoting  Europe’s  leadership  in 
maritime affairs: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

The  international  nature  of  shipping  and  governance  of  global  commons 
demands  that  their  activities  be  governed  to  a  very  large  extent  by 
international  rules,  which  also  need  to  be  implemented.  Raising  the  EU’s 
profile  in  international  fora  and  relations  with  partners  should  increase  the 
chances  that  proposals  agreed  at  a  European  level  will  be  adopted 
internationally.  At  the  same  time,  the  linkage  between  environmental 
concerns  and  economic  activities  is  also  important  in  the  high  seas.  To  be 
consistent,  the  integrated  approach  to  European  maritime  affairs  must  be 
reflected in our contacts with international bodies and partners and coherence 
of EU action must be ensured as well. 

Including  Maritime  Policy  objectives  in  the  context  of  the  European 
Neighbourhood  policy  aims  to  ensure  that  these  objectives  are  achieved  in 
those  waters  with  coastlines  shared  by  EU  and  non-EU  countries.  It  will 
support  the  Barcelona  Process  objective  of  building  a  zone  of  shared 
prosperity  in  the  Mediterranean  partly,  but  not  only  by  promoting  good 
practice in the sustainable exploitation of marine resources. It is in the EU’s 
interest  to  ensure  that  an  integrated  approach  is  also  promoted  in 
neighbouring countries and waters. Its success in doing so will depend on the 
extent to which it can successfully share its ideas with third country partners. 

A  report  on  strategic  issues  for  the  EU  in  relation  to  the  Arctic  will  further 
clarify  the  diverse  interests  within  Europe  relating  to  the  Artic  Ocean.  The 
diversity  of  the  issues  relating  to  the  Artic  Ocean  requires  an  integrated, 
cross-sectoral approach. This will allow us to arrive at an overall assessment 
of European interests and concerns, based on an analysis of different sectoral 
interests and their interrelationships. 

Action for protection on the high seas would contribute to European efforts to 
further international measures to protect vulnerable habitats from destructive 
fishing practices and maintain a healthy global ecosystem. Such action must 
be seen in conjunction and coherent with EU internal action on the protection 
of  habitats,  and  the  implementation  of  an  eco-system  based  approach, 
including  in  fisheries.  An  integrated  approach  to  these  issues  should  go 
beyond the current sectoral fragmentation of measures in the high seas. The 
joint implementation of international commitments under UN instruments is 

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necessary  to  ensure  coherent  action  by  economic  sectors  in  the  high  seas,  a 
condition for sustainable development in areas beyond national jurisdiction. 

6.7. 

Raising the Visibility of Maritime Europe 

Raising the visibility of Maritime Europe is one of the key objectives of an integrated 
Maritime Policy. The Commission will begin to pursue this goal through a number of 
proposals,  including  the  decision  to  celebrate  a  European  Maritime  Day  and  the 
creation of a European Atlas of the Seas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

The successful implementation of an integrated approach to Maritime Policy 
will  require  constant  contact  with  and  involvement  of  stakeholders.  It  will 
also require networking of actors who do not otherwise automatically get in 
touch. A European Maritime Week, an Annual Report, and maritime awards 
will bring stakeholders together with the aim to generate innovation, reward 
excellence  and  provide  a  monitoring  facility  on  the  progress  of  collective 
learning.  Such  activities  will  not  only  allow  enhanced  stakeholder 
commitment, but also provide a visible recognition of success stories in order 
to generate further efforts and innovative ideas. 

Tools to make visible the holistic nature of Europe’s marine environment and 
maritime  heritage  would  contribute  to  raising  a  generation  of  citizens  and 
stakeholder  for  whom  an  integrated  approach  to  Maritime  Policy  is  self-
evident.  The  development  of  an  EU  Atlas  of  the  Seas  will  demonstrate  the 
relevance of setting up an integrated data network, and the importance of the 
cross-sectoral  accessibility  of  such  data.  It  will  provide  a  means  to  educate 
citizens on the beauty, value and diversity of Europe’s oceans and seas. 

Developing  an  integrated  approach  requires  transparent  information,  the 
visibility  of  the  actions  undertaken  and  the  linkages  between  them.  Making 
information on Commission proposals on Maritime Affairs publicly available 
will  allow  stakeholders  to  point  out  inconsistencies  or  gaps  in  the  EU’s 
activities and contribute significantly to a sense of ownership of stakeholders 
and  citizens.  It  will  also  contribute  significantly  to  a  sense  of  ownership 
among stakeholders and citizens. 

7. 

CORE INDICATORS OF PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING THE OBJECTIVES 

Policy integration 

The EU Maritime Policy will focus on coordinating sectoral policies, which should 
all be geared towards a single future vision for the oceans and seas. As a first step in 
monitoring  this  process,  annual  reports  will  be  drawn  up  on  the  coherence  and 
evolution of sectoral policies and Maritime Policy-led actions. The annual report will 
include indicators that can be tracked for the years to come based on the objectives 
defined.  As  the  policy  is  expected  to  evolve  as  it  matures  and  will  be  updated  to 
respond  adequately  to  changing  conditions,  the  indicators  will  be  developed  and 
added to as better data become available and objectives are defined in more detail. 

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Preparatory actions – cross-cutting projects 

In line with the requirements for both Impact Assessment and Ex-Ante Evaluations, 
an outline is provided below of the projects to be funded under preparatory actions. 
The  main  milestones  in  the  three  preparatory  projects  for  the  European  Marine 
Observation and Data Network, surveillance and spatial planning are: 

•  Completion  of  the  legal  study  on  barriers  to  access  and  sharing  of  information. 
This will be launched in October with results available in the first half of 2008. 

•  Launching  of  actions,  these  will  enable  lessons  to  be  learned  from  prototype 
regional-scale  tests  before  a  full-scale  proposal  is  made.  The  call  for  proposals 
should be launched in early 2008 and contracts signed in autumn 2008. 

•  Setting up of an advisory structure (see point 3 below). 

The Commission will monitor those actions under a four pronged strategy: 

•  Inter-service sub-groups to follow each theme. These sub-groups already exist 
and have helped in defining the action plans. They will monitor compatibility with 
past and future sectoral initiatives. 

•  representatives  nominated  by  Member  States.  The  appropriate  forum  has 

already been set up and meets regularly. 

•  advisory groups to be set up to monitor each theme. This is a new development. 
These  groups  will  ensure  an  appropriate  sectoral  and  geographical  balance. 
Member  States  and  interest  groups  will  be  welcome  to  provide  suggestions  for 
membership. Their responsibilities will vary according to the particular theme but 
some  indications  have  already  been  established  –  determining  the  priorities  for 
data  to  be  collected  in  the  case  of  the  European  marine  observation  and  data 
network,  assessing  the  compatibility  of  the  proposed  integrated  system  with 
existing  sectoral  systems  for  vessel  surveillance  and  choosing  appropriate 
European  standards  for  the  description  of  restrictions  and  obligations  for  marine 
spatial planning. 

•  special  studies  or  projects  to  quantify  specific  aspects  of  costs  and  benefits 
where  this  is  possible  –  for  instance  (1)  the  benefit  of  improved  surveillance  in 
terms of fewer false positives, (2) reduced uncertainty in climate change projects 
or reduced cost of collating data for impact assessments with better ocean data or 
(3) cost of developing maritime basin fora for spatial planning. 

The above actions will be evaluated towards the end of their implementation phase 
(interim/ex-post  evaluation)  in  accordance  with  Article  21(3)  of  the  Implementing 
Rules  for  the  Financial  Regulation.  These  evaluation  findings  will  feed  into  the 
preparation  of  any  future  proposals:  the  interim/ex-post  evaluation(s)  will  provide 
useful  information  for  the  ex-ante  evaluation  and  Impact  Assessment  of  activities 
that might be proposed later to concretise the themes set out in the Action Plan. 

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