Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Towards an Integrated Maritime Policy for better governance in the Mediterranean
Date: 2009-09-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Mediterranean Sea, coastal region, environmental protection, governance, maritime area, maritime shipping, maritime transport, shipping policy

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 11.9.2009 
COM(2009) 466 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Towards an Integrated Maritime Policy for better governance in the Mediterranean 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Towards an Integrated Maritime Policy for better governance in the Mediterranean 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  extensive  public  consultation  that  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  EU  Integrated 
Maritime  Policy  in  2007  largely  supported  the  concept  that  increased  economic 
maritime  activity  and  environmental  protection  can  go  hand  in  hand  and  develop  a 
symbiotic  relationship  as  long  as  proper  governance  and  cross-cutting  mechanisms 
are in place. 

The  Mediterranean  is  a  prime  example  of  a  maritime  region  where  human  activity 
could  bring  higher  economic  returns  from  the  sea  with  a  far  lesser  impact  on  the 
ecosystem. Yet, the reality is one of over twenty coastal States with uneven levels of 
economic  development  and  administrative  capacities  and  important  political 
disagreements,  including  on  the  delimitation  of  territorial  and  maritime  spaces. 
Unlike other semi-enclosed seas such as the Baltic or the Black Sea, a large part of 
the  Mediterranean  Sea  remains  High  Seas  waters,  thereby  raising  specific 
governance issues. 

Seven of the coastal States are EU members, two are candidate countries and three 
are potential candidate countries covered by the EU's Enlargement Policy. The rest 
have  strong  and  well-established  relationships  with  the  EU,  mostly  through  the 
European  Neighbourhood  Policy.  All  but  one  are  members  of  the  Union  for  the 
Mediterranean. 

This Communication highlights the mechanisms and tools that should be mobilised 
to  achieve  an  integrated  approach  to  governing  maritime  activities  in  the 
Mediterranean sea-basin. It is meant to complement the various sectoral actions that 
the EU promotes in the Mediterranean area. While the Integrated Maritime Policy is 
primarily  addressed  to  Member  States,  this  Communication  calls  for  an  overall 
stronger co-operation with non-EU Mediterranean partners at the appropriate levels. 

2. 

KEY CHALLENGES 

The  Mediterranean  bears  30%  of  global  sea-borne  trade  in  volume  from  or  into  its 
more than 450 ports and terminals, and a quarter of worldwide sea-borne oil traffic. 
Its  coasts  are  home  to  more  than  150  million  inhabitants,  a  figure  which  doubles 
during the tourist season. Half of the EU’s fishing fleet is active there, mostly small-
sized  and  artisanal,  together  with  an  increasing  marine  aquaculture  production. 
Pressure on fish stocks is also exerted  by  vessels  from  the  Southern  Mediterranean 
and non-EU countries. 

This  very  high  pressure  from  economic  activities  in  the  Mediterranean  ecosystem 
continues  to  grow.  While  the  sector  is  seriously  affected  by  the  current  economic 
crisis, it is expected that maritime traffic will eventually continue to expand further 

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as  a  result  of  increased  transportation  needs  for  passengers,  tourists  and  goods 
including  energy.  Cruise  tourism,  for  example,  has  been  developing  rapidly,  with 
major  Mediterranean  ports  welcoming  annually  more  than  1  million  cruise  tourists 
each.  Infrastructure,  tourism  and  leisure  facilities  are  being  developed  on  already 
densely populated and built-up coasts (In several coastal regions of Italy, France and 
Spain,  the  coverage  of  built-up  areas  in  the  first  kilometre  coastal  strip  already 
exceeds 45%). 

This  ever-growing  human  and  economic  development  has  resulted  in  increased 
environmental degradation. The vulnerable marine environment in the Mediterranean 
faces  a  worrying  combination  of  pollution  from  land  sources  and  ships,  litter, 
impacts on biodiversity, overfishing and coastal degradation. The Mediterranean Sea 
has  been  classified,  under  MARPOL,  as  'special  areas'  for  oil  since  1983  and  for 
garbage since May 20091. The Union for the Mediterranean has highlighted among 
its priorities the de-pollution of the Mediterranean2. The coastline is under increasing 
threat, including its unique cultural and natural heritage of over 400 UNESCO sites.  

The  Mediterranean  region  is  identified  by  the  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate 
Change as a "hot spot" and is most at risk from flooding, coastal erosion and further 
land degradation3, which exacerbates the need for tools that can facilitate adaptation 
to climate change. Seaborne irregular immigration is a major concern in the region, 
calling for co-operation with Mediterranean partners to counter the phenomenon and 
prevent losses of human lives. 

3. 

TOWARDS IMPROVED MARITIME GOVERNANCE 

The  challenges  above  require  tackling  two  major  governance  weaknesses.  First:  in 
most Mediterranean States, each sectoral policy is pursued by its own administration, 
just  as  each  international  agreement  is  performed  within  its  own  set  of  rules, 
rendering an overview of the cumulative impact of maritime activities, including at 
basin  level,  a  difficult  objective  to  attain.  Second:  the  large  proportion  of  marine 
space made up of high seas makes it difficult for coastal States to plan, organise and 
regulate  activities  that  directly  affect  their  territorial  seas  and  coasts.  The 
combination  of  these  two  elements  gives  rise  to  a  situation  where  policies  and 
activities  tend  to  develop  in  isolation  from  each  other  and  without  proper  co-
ordination  among  all  areas  of  activity  impacting  on  the  sea  as  well  as  all  local, 
national,  regional  and  international  actors.  This  comes  in  addition  to  other  issues 
essential  to  good  governance  -  stakeholder  participation,  transparency  of  decision-
making, and implementation of agreed rules. 

3.1. 

The role of Mediterranean coastal States 

The  development  of  a  strategic  and  integrated  approach  at  national  level  is  at  the 
roots  of  integrated  maritime  policy-making4.  Mediterranean  Member  States  are 
encouraged  to  pursue  their  efforts  in  drawing  up  their  own  integrated  maritime 

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MARPOL Annexes I (Oil) and V (Garbage). 
Paris Declaration of 13.07.2008 and related reference to the Horizon 2020 initiative. 
SEC (2008) 2868. 
COM (2008) 395. 

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policies.  To  facilitate  exchanges  of  best  practices,  the  Commission  has  set  up  a 
system to share information and document progress5. 

Some  Member  States  have  already  taken  concrete  steps  towards  an  improved 
governance of maritime affairs. Additional efforts are however required, particularly 
in setting up dedicated decision-making structures empowered to coordinate different 
policies.  

The Commission will: 

– 

– 

Propose that High Level Focal Points of Member States regularly address the 
Mediterranean  Sea  in  order  to  discuss  progress  made  in  integrated  maritime-
policy making. 

Encourage  Member  States  to  exchange  best  practices  in  integrated  maritime 
governance,  in  particular  through  the  European  Territorial  Co-operation 
Objective programmes for the Mediterranean. 

The semi-enclosed nature of the Mediterranean Sea and the trans-boundary impacts 
of  maritime  activities  call  for  increased  co-operation  with  non-EU  Mediterranean 
partners.  The  above-mentioned  information-exchange  exercise  shall  be  extended  to 
non-EU partners interested in an integrated approach. To this end, non-EU partners 
could be invited to appoint contact points who could participate, when appropriate, in 
a  basin-wide  high-level  dialogue.  Co-operation  on  integrated  maritime-policy 
making  and  better  governance  thereof,  will  also  build  on  the  current  multilateral 
framework,  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean,  existing  bilateral  agreements  and 
regional  cooperation  under  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy,  and  relations  with 
candidate and potential candidate countries. 

The Commission has decided to: 

– 

– 

Set up a working group dedicated to Integrated Maritime Policy, with a view to 
initiate  dialogue  and  exchange  best  practices  with  non-EU  Mediterranean 
coastal States. 

Provide  technical  assistance,  under  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  and 
Partnership Instrument6, for Mediterranean partners that express an interest in 
an  integrated  approach  to  maritime  affairs,  thereby  raising  awareness  and 
assisting in setting objectives and implementation mechanisms. 

3.2. 

Governance of the marine space 

The  1982  United  Nations  Convention  on  Law  of  the  Sea  (UNCLOS)  provides  the 
main framework for most maritime activities and reflects for many issues customary 
international  law.  All  Mediterranean  coastal  States,  with  the  exception  of  Turkey, 
Syria, Israel, and Libya, have ratified it. 

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6 

Links: http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/governance_memberstates_en.html 
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/memberstates_en.html 
ENPI regional strategy paper (2007-2013) for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. 

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At present, a large part of the Mediterranean marine space is made up of High Seas. 
Approximately  16%  of  the  marine  space  is  made  up  of  Territorial  Sea  and  31%  is 
made up of diverse maritime zones, often contested by other coastal States due either 
to the extent of the claim or its validity7. 

This set up means that a large part of the waters of the Mediterranean Sea is outside 
the  areas  under  the  jurisdiction  or  sovereign  rights  of  coastal  States.  Consequently 
these  States  do  not  have  prescriptive  and  enforcement  powers  to  regulate 
comprehensively human activities beyond such areas, including for the protection of 
the  marine  environment  and  how  fishing  and the development of energy sources is 
carried out. Beyond these areas, States can only adopt measures with regard to their 
own  nationals  and  vessels.  Certain  actions  can  be  jointly  undertaken  within  the 
limited  framework  of  regional  conventions,  for  the  protection  of  the  marine 
environment  and  the  conservation  and  management  of  living  resources,  although 
there  remains  the  problem  of  enforcement  of  decisions  adopted,  including  against 
third States non-party. 

This situation is due to the fact that in the Mediterranean problems of delimitation of 
the  boundaries  between  adjacent  States  are  linked  to  complex  and  politically 
sensitive  disputes  in  an  area  not  wider  than  400  nautical  miles.  This  situation  is  in 
contrast to that in other semi-enclosed seas around the EU, such as for instance the 
Baltic  Sea,  where  most  countries  have  resolved  delimitation  issues  on  the  basis  of 
UNCLOS and agreed on their maritime zones. 

With  regard  to  multilateral  cooperation,  with  few  exceptions,  the  international  and 
regional  agreements  that  regulate  maritime  activities  target  only  one  sector.  The 
Commission  has  launched  a  study  aimed  at  identifying  the  main  bottlenecks 
hampering  ratification,  implementation  and  compliance  with  decisions  by  existing 
agreements  and  organisations  dealing  with  maritime  affairs  in  the  basin,  and 
possibilities for improved multilateral co-operation and assistance in this respect. 

If progress towards a cross-sectoral approach to maritime affairs is to be achieved, a 
more  transparent  overview  of  the  work  done  by  these  organisations  is  required, 
including whether provisions adopted or promoted by these bodies are systematically 
monitored and fully implemented. Similarly greater clarity is required as to the roles 
and  responsibilities  of  coastal  States,  especially  with  regard  to  the  management  of 
maritime zones in a sustainable development perspective. 

Given  disparities  in  the  political  and  economic  situation,  improvement  of  the 
governance of the marine space at sub-regional level could be encouraged. Progress 
in  this  respect  is  achieved  in  particular  when  adjacent  States  agree  to  delimit  a 
common  marine  border  or  effectively  jointly  manage  their  living  or  non-living 
resources.  Stakeholders  have  already  drawn  the  attention  of  Governments  and 
international institutions to the urgency of making progress on these issues. 

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As  regards  the  water  column,  five  coastal  States  have  enacted  legislation  proclaiming  a  12nm 
contiguous zone, adjacent to their territorial sea, for the enforcement of customs, fiscal, immigration or 
sanitary laws and regulations. Five coastal States have declared an archaeological zone, adjacent to the 
territorial  sea  for  the  protection  of  underwater  cultural  heritage.  Four  coastal  States  have  declared 
fishing protection zones and three States have established zones of ecological protection. Five coastal 
States have declared Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), where the coastal State enjoys sovereign rights 
concerning living and non-living marine resources. 

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The Commission will: 

– 

– 

Support structured and informal dialogue amongst Mediterranean coastal States 
through  high-level  meetings,  academic  and  other  international  organisations, 
with  a  view  to  improving  governance  of  the  marine  space,  including  at  sub-
regional level. 

Provide  an  overview  of  existing  agreements  and  organisations  relating  to 
maritime affairs in the Mediterranean. 

–  Make  recommendations  for  the  improvement  of  cross-sectoral  cooperation 

between existing agreements and organisations. 

– 

– 

Continue  to  encourage  the  ratification  and  concerted  implementation  of 
UNCLOS in its bilateral relations. 

Launch a study on the costs and benefits of establishing maritime zones. 

3.3. 

Improved stakeholder involvement 

A  prominent  feature  of  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  since  the  outset  has  been  the 
strong involvement of stakeholders. Civil society is advocating improved dialogue at 
regional level as a means to improve governance in the Mediterranean. A Regional 
Advisory  Council  (RAC)  has  also  been  recently  set-up  in  the  Mediterranean, 
bringing together stakeholders from the fisheries sector. 

Stakeholder  involvement  will  remain  a  key  priority  in  Integrated  Maritime  Policy 
implementation in the Mediterranean. 

The Commission will:  

– 

Encourage  stakeholder  platforms  to  address  regularly  Mediterranean  Sea 
issues,  with  the  aim  of  suggesting  priorities  on  integrated  maritime  policy-
making at basin level. 

– 

Explore options for better associating stakeholders from all coastal States. 

4. 

CROSS-CUTTING TOOLS FOR INTEGRATED MARITIME GOVERNANCE 

Improved maritime governance needs to be matched by cross-cutting tools, geared at 
generating  additional  potential  for  sea-borne  economic  growth  and  securing 
environmental protection and a better future for coastal populations. 

4.1.  Maritime Spatial Planning and Marine Strategies 

Albeit  currently  affected  by  the  economic  crisis,  it  is  anticipated  that  maritime 
activity  in  the  Mediterranean  is  set  to  grow,  from  maritime  traffic  to  renewable 
energy  developments  and  tourism  flows.  Enhanced  use  of  the  basin’s  growth 
potential,  in  conditions  compatible  with  the  achievement  of  good  environmental 

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status,  and  consequent  optimisation  of  outputs,  can  be  better  achieved  through 
Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). 

The  latter  is  set  to  provide  an  effective  governance  tool  for  applying  ecosystem-
based management, addressing inter-related impacts of maritime activities, conflicts 
between  uses  of  space  and  the  preservation  of  marine  habitats.  The  Commission's 
roadmap Communication of 20088 provides a set of principles for the development 
of MSP approaches by EU Member States, and can similarly be useful in the wider 
context of the Mediterranean. 

Nevertheless, in comparison to other sea-basins, MSP practices in the Mediterranean 
remain  weak,  possibly  as  a  result  of  ongoing  sensitivity  around  maritime  zone 
establishment  and  border  delimitation.  These  challenges  need  to  be  addressed, 
allowing for spatial planning to be developed at the appropriate levels. 

EU  Member  States  have  agreed  on  achieving  good  environmental  status  in  marine 
waters  by  20209,  through  the  development  of  integrative  “Marine  Strategies” 
applying an ecosystem-based approach to human activities impacting on the sea, and 
which are closely related to MSP. Fulfilment of such obligations, where appropriate 
in co-operation within regional seas Conventions (notably the Barcelona Convention 
and  the  General  Fisheries  Commission  for  the  Mediterranean  (GFCM)),  or  at  sub-
regional  level,  is  key  to  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  implementation  in  the 
Mediterranean.  In  addition,  the  'Mediterranean  Regulation'10  already  aims  at  an 
integrated  ecosystem  approach  to  fisheries  management.  This  will  be  further 
enhanced through the forthcoming reform of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy11. 

The Commission will: 

– 

– 

– 

Launch a study on MSP in the Mediterranean basin, with the aim of identifying 
potential  areas  for  its  application,  analysing  obstacles  and  highlighting 
potential responses for its application in specific sub-regions or sea areas. 

Thereafter, launch a project to test the application of MSP at sub-regional level 
and encourage concrete cross-border practices. 

Assist Member States, through a Common Implementation Strategy, to deliver 
on their obligations under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in relation 
to  their  marine  strategies,  including  a  comprehensive  assessment  by  2010  of 
marine waters and related uses. 

4.2. 

Integrated management in coastal areas and islands 

Climate  change,  port  development,  coastal  tourism  and  associated  investments, 
concerns  for  the  protection  of  maritime  heritage  and  the  marine  environment, 
including  NATURA  2000  sites,  all  call  for  an  integrated  approach  to  the 

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COM (2008) 791. 
Directive 2008/56/EC of 25.06.2008. 
Council Regulation (EC) No. 1967/2006 of 21.12.2006. 
COM (2009) 163. 

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management  of  Mediterranean  coastal  areas.  The  Commission  is  committed  to 
ensuring that adaptation to climate change is given the necessary priority in coastal 
and marine areas, as indicated in the White Paper12. 

The  safeguarding  and  inter-linking  of  maritime  heritage,  in  tandem  with  economic 
and environmental interests, will also be pursued through existing instruments, such 
as the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) initiative and the EU Prize for 
Cultural  Heritage  /  Europa  Nostra  Awards.  In  this  respect,  there  exists  a  vast 
potential for further development in the whole of the Mediterranean basin, which is 
inherently rich in culture. 

Cross-cutting  governance  tools  can  help  Mediterranean  coastal  regions  to  better 
address  social,  environmental  and  economic  sustainability  in  an  integrated  manner. 
Integrated  Coastal  Zone  Management  (ICZM)  national  strategies  are  being 
developed by Member States in the Mediterranean and the EC has recently signed a 
first  basin-wide  legal  instrument  on  ICZM,  adopted  within  the  framework  of  the 
Barcelona Convention13. 

Further  efforts  are  nevertheless  necessitated,  such  as  enhancing  co-ordination 
between  the  management  of  offshore  maritime  development  and  its  associated 
development on-shore (land-sea boundary). This is particularly relevant for islands, 
where  connectivity  is  of  particular  importance.  In  this  context,  Member  States  are 
encouraged to develop integrated strategies to tackle the challenges of island regions 
and establish a system of exchange of best practices. The knowledge-base on ICZM 
practices in the Mediterranean also needs to be strengthened. 

In  consistently  promoting  a  coherent  approach  across  the  land-sea  boundary, 
following an ecosystem-based approach, the development of an Integrated Maritime 
Policy  in  the  Mediterranean  basin  should  provide  new  impetus  to  exploiting  the 
potential of ICZM. 

The Commission will: 

– 

– 

– 

Provide a web-based inventory of ICZM tools, best practices and case studies, 
with a view to enhance its implementation. 

Support  under  the  EU's  7th  Framework  Programme  (FP7)  the  development  of 
the  knowledge-base  on  ICZM  in  the  Mediterranean,  with  particular  focus  on 
international co-operation. 

Test possibilities for strengthening the land-sea interface, in particular linking 
up terrestrial and maritime planning, through the MSP actions proposed under 
section 4.1. 

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13 

COM (2009) 147. 
Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean, signed in Madrid, Spain, on 21 
January 2008. 

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4.3. 

Facilitating knowledge-based action 

The  development  of  sustainable  maritime  economies  and  effective  coastal 
management  requires  policies  built  on  foundations  of  best  available  scientific 
knowledge. 

The periodical collection of basic data is needed to assess the environmental status of 
our seas and possible yields of natural resources. The Commission will continue to 
promote  the  importance  of  scientific  advice  and  data  collection  in  applying  the 
Common  Fisheries  Policy  and  environmental  legislation  in  the  Mediterranean. 
Further  cooperation  for  the  collection  of  basic  data  with  Mediterranean  non-EU 
countries, through joint programmes and capacity-building, will also be explored. 

The  recent  EU  Strategy  for  Marine  and  Maritime  Research14  seeks  to  improve 
efficiency  and  excellence  by  stimulating  integrated  research  efforts.  It  equally 
recognizes the importance of strengthening international scientific co-operation as an 
important vehicle for integrated management of maritime activities in shared seas. Its 
implementation  in  the  Mediterranean  will  be  pursued  as  a  basis  for  enhancing 
integrated  governance.  Strengthened  marine  research  infrastructure,  integrated 
Research and Technology Development (RTD) efforts through maritime clusters and 
Technology  Platforms,  and  synergies  between  Member  States  and  regions,  are 
necessary to find coherent solutions for realising the full economic potential of our 
seas  within  an  ecosystem-based  approach.  In  particular,  the  development  of 
multidisciplinary seabed observations that can help understand and monitor tsunami 
risks should be pursued. 

In  addition,  the  Commission  is  in  the  process  of  developing  a  European  Marine 
Observation  and  Data  Network  (EMODNET)  to  improve  knowledge  infrastructure 
and overcome barriers to discovery, access and use of data. A European Atlas of the 
Seas  is  being  developed  so  as  to  raise  awareness  and  develop  a  shared  maritime 
identity in sea-basins. These tools will have a basin-wide coverage. 

The Commission will: 

– 

– 

– 

Pay particular attention to the Mediterranean in setting-up an integrated marine 
ERA-NET  (European  Research  Area  Network)  aimed  at  strengthening 
coordination in marine research between Member States. 

Define a long-term strategic framework for basin-wide scientific co-operation 
in the Mediterranean, enabling marine research co-operation to develop within 
a structured agenda, responding to agreed common challenges. 

Develop a major cross-thematic research effort under the EU's FP7, targeted at 
integrating knowledge on the Mediterranean Sea across all relevant disciplines. 

14 

COM (2008) 534. 

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4.4. 

Integrated surveillance for a safer and secure maritime space 

Surveillance of maritime activities and operations is required in order to successfully 
manage  sea-borne  activities  and  counter  key  safety  and  security  concerns  in  the 
Mediterranean. 

Strict  implementation  of  EU  legislation  on  maritime  safety  by  EU  Member  States 
and  capacity-building  in  Mediterranean  partner  countries'  maritime  administrations 
and  port  authorities,  are  essential  in  preventing  accidents  and  pollution  by  ships, 
including  illegal  oil  discharges.  The  EU-funded  regional  SAFEMED  project  in  the 
area  of  maritime  safety,  security  and  the  protection  of  the  marine  environment, 
contributes  to  closing  the  regulatory  and  structural  gaps  between  Mediterranean 
Member States and partner countries. The Commission will in addition propose that 
the  European  Maritime  Safety  Agency  (EMSA)  starts  technical  co-operation  with 
Mediterranean  partners,  including  in  case  of  pollution  accidents,  by  providing  anti-
pollution vessels15. As regards surveillance of ship movements, a possible extension 
of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) regional Mediterranean server will be 
considered. 

Frontex has in the last years intensified the support that it provides to Mediterranean 
Member States which are subject to an overwhelming irregular migratory pressure16. 
The  Commission  will  promote,  through  dialogue  and  financial  assistance  to 
Mediterranean  partner  countries,  the  involvement  of  the  latter  in  the  activities 
coordinated  by  Frontex  in  the  Mediterranean.  As  for  maritime  drug  enforcement, 
reinforced co-operation is taking place in the context of the Maritime Analysis and 
Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N) and the Centre de Coordination pour la 
Lutte Anti-Drogue en Méditerranée (CeCLAD-M). 

Yet  so  far,  maritime  surveillance  has  often  been  carried  out  in  a  sectoral  manner, 
characterised by multiplied surveillance data gathering at national level and amongst 
different authorities. In this context, one of the key aims of the Integrated Maritime 
Policy  is  that  of  integrating  maritime  surveillance  by  promoting  information 
exchanges  and  enhancing  cooperation  between  national  authorities  responsible  for 
monitoring  and  surveillance  at  sea17,  without  affecting  their  missions  and 
competencies  as  established  by  EU  and  national  legislation.  This  may  improve  not 
only the overall surveillance level in terms of information gathering and processing, 
thus allowing for better coordinated responses at sea or in ports, but may also reduce 
surveillance costs by taking advantage of unexploited economies of scale. Inclusion 
of  Mediterranean  partner  countries  in  the  integration  of  maritime  surveillance 
deserves further consideration. 

15 
16 

17 

COM (2009) 301. 
The  European  Council  of  19  June  2009  reiterated  its  concern  about  illegal  immigration,  stating  that 
"Recent  events  in  Cyprus,  Greece,  Italy  and  Malta  underline  the  urgency  of  strengthening  efforts  to 
prevent  and  combat  illegal  immigration  in  an  efficient  manner  at  the  EU's  Southern  maritime 
borders…". 
SEC (2008) 2737 and COM (2008) 68. 

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The Commission is: 

– 

– 

Launching a pilot project to improve co-operation amongst national authorities 
of  Mediterranean  Member  States  responsible  for  maritime  monitoring, 
surveillance operations and exchange of information between port authorities. 

Presenting  a  set  of  principles  guiding  integrated  maritime  surveillance  in  the 
EU  in  a  forthcoming  Communication,  so  as  to  move  progressively  from  a 
sectoral to an integrated approach to maritime surveillance at EU and national 
level. 

5. 

CONCLUSION 

The  challenges  affecting  the  Mediterranean  Sea  call  for  shared  and,  above  all, 
integrated  responses,  rooted  in  improved  maritime  governance.  This  is  particularly 
relevant  when  considering  the  ever-increasing  demands  for  natural  resources  and 
pressures on the marine environment, as well as the continued need for growth and 
jobs in maritime sectors and regions. 

An  integrated  approach  to  maritime  affairs  should  clearly  not  undermine  the  tools 
and  objectives  that  have  been  set  for  moving  forward  in  specific  areas  of  maritime 
relevance.  On  the  contrary,  it  seeks  to  provide  the  necessary  cross-cutting 
governance perspective and tools so as to be able to minimise impacts and optimise 
efficiency and outputs. 

The Commission therefore invites the Council and the European Parliament to: 

- Endorse the objectives and actions presented in this Communication; 

- Sustain the proposed approach within their respective areas of responsibility. 

EN 

11 

   EN