COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Blue Growth opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth
Date: 2012-09-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: aquaculture, biotechnology, exploitation of the seas, innovation, job creation, renewable energy, river tourism, shipping policy, sustainable development, underwater mineral resources

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 13.9.2012  
COM(2012) 494 final 

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

Blue Growth 

opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

EN 

   EN 

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

Blue Growth 

opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

If  we  count  all  economic  activities  that  depend  on  the  sea,  then  the  EU's  blue 
economy1  represents  5.4  million  jobs  and  a  gross  added  value  of  just  under  €500 
billion per year2. In all, 75% of Europe’s external trade3 and 37% of trade within the 
EU4  is  seaborne.  Much  of  this  activity  is  concentrated  around  Europe's  coasts,  but 
not  all.  Some  landlocked  countries  host  very  successful  manufacturers  of  marine 
equipment. 

The sea and the coasts are drivers of the economy. Because of their outward-looking 
geography,  ports  and  coastal  communities  have  traditionally  been  centres  for  new 
ideas and innovation. In addition to this traditional propensity for innovation, three 
new factors have now come into play. 

– 

– 

– 

First, there has been rapid technological progress in working offshore in ever-
deeper  waters.  Robotics,  video-surveillance  and  submersible  technology  are 
now  routinely  packaged  into  machinery  for  operations  that  were  not  feasible 
ten years ago. 

Second, we are increasingly aware that land and freshwater are finite resources. 
Further  clearing  of  forests  or  draining  of  wetland  will  deprive  future 
generations of the benefits they provide. We need to look how the 71% of the 
planet that is ocean can deliver human necessities such as food and energy in a 
way  that  is  more  sustainable.  Meeting  environmental  targets  can  also  be  a 
source of innovation and growth. 

Third,  the  need  to  reduce  greenhouse  gas  emissions  has  not  only  driven  the 
deployment of offshore renewable energy installations, but has also provided a 
further impetus for energy saving and an additional reason to favour seaborne 
transport  over  land  transport  due  to  its  lower  emissions  per  tonne-kilometre. 
There is significant potential to reduce these emissions which account for about 
3%  of  the  total  greenhouse  gas  emissions  by  further  improving  the  energy 
efficiency of ships. 

This  has  opened  up  an  opportunity  for  blue  growth  –  an  initiative  to  harness  the 
untapped  potential  of  Europe's  oceans,  seas  and  coasts  for  jobs  and  growth.  The 

1 
2 

3 
4 

not including military activities. 
based  on  data  from  the  Blue  Growth  Study  'Scenarios  and  drivers  for  sustainable  growth  from  the 
oceans, seas and coasts', ECORYS, 2012. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/content/2946  
by volume. 
per tonne-kilometre. 

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potential is significant, provided the appropriate investments and research are made. 
Growth in the blue economy offers new and innovative ways to help steer the EU out 
of  its  current  economic  crisis.  It  represents  the  maritime  dimension  of  the  Europe 
2020  strategy.  It  can  contribute  to  the  EU's  international  competitiveness,  resource 
efficiency5, job creation and new sources of growth whilst safeguarding biodiversity 
and protecting the marine environment, thus preserving the services that healthy and 
resilient marine and coastal ecosystems provide.  

This  Communication  drives  forward  the  Commission's  Integrated  Maritime  Policy 
and launches a process which will place the blue economy firmly on the agenda of 
Member States, regions, enterprise and civil society. It describes how Member States 
and EU policies are already supporting the blue economy. It then identifies specific 
areas where targeted action could provide an additional stimulus. A set of initiatives 
will subsequently be launched to explore and develop the growth potential in these 
areas. 

2. 

WHAT IS THE BLUE ECONOMY? 

The  individual  sectors  of  the  blue  economy  are  interdependent.  They  rely  on 
common  skills  and  shared  infrastructure  such  as  ports  and  electricity  distribution 
networks. They depend on others using the sea sustainably. 

5 

See Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe COM(2011) 571. 

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Figure  1  Employment  and  economic  size  of  marine  and  maritime  economic  activities.  Please  note  the 
logarithmic scale. 

Figure 1 shows the blue economy's value chains in terms of gross value added 
and employment. This includes their upstream and downstream activities. For 
instance,  the  activity  of  the  important  shipbuilding  and  marine  equipment 
sectors has been distributed among the relevant value chains. 

The picture may look different by 2020. We need to prepare for technological 
progress,  demographic  shifts,  increasing  scarcity  of  natural  resources  and 
growth  in  hitherto  underdeveloped  economies,  including  our  neighbouring 
countries. A number of traditional activities will remain significant employers, 
while emerging sectors will provide new jobs.  

The  blue  economy  needs  to  be  sustainable  and  to  respect  potential 
environmental  concerns  given  the  fragile  nature  of  the  marine  environment. 
Efforts  are  needed  to  reduce  negative  environmental  impacts  of  maritime 
acitivies  such  as  the  emissions  of  pollutants  and  the  discharge  of  noxious 
substances. 

3. 

MEMBER STATE SUPPORT FOR THE BLUE ECONOMY  

Member  States  are  already  making  strategic  investments  to  unlock  the  potential  of 
the  blue  economy.  These  include  Ireland's  INFOMAR6  programme  for  mapping 
marine resources and the refurbishing of the Bremerhaven port to meet the needs of 
manufacturers  and  suppliers  in  the  offshore  wind  industry.  The  €8  billion  MOSE 
project currently under construction, is aimed at protecting the city of Venice from 
floods and morphological degradation. 

Legislative measures that reassure investors that there will be no unforeseen delays 
in  planning  processes  or  infrastructure  connections  can  give  as  much  impetus  to 
investment  as  financial  support.  A  UK  Department  for  Transport 
'Harbour 
Empowerment  Order'  gave  statutory  powers  to  the  London  Gateway  as  a  port  and 
distribution centre. Not only will this £1.5 billion private investment reduce carbon 
emissions by bringing containers nearer to their final destination, it will also deliver 
about 12000 new jobs by the end of 2013. 

Lack  of  access  to  finance  and  a  shortage  of  suitably  skilled  workers  have  been 
identified  as  blocking  growth  in  nearly  all  economic  sectors.  In  the  blue  economy, 
Member  States  are  tackling  this  by  developing  maritime  clusters.  These  are 
groupings of larger industries, smaller suppliers and educational establishments that 
reinforce  each  other  through  their  close  proximity.  The  better  communication 
brought about by geographical proximity mean that educational courses and research 
can  meet  the  needs  of  local  industry  and  suppliers  can  understand  the  market  and 
predict future trends. Examples include the offshore energy industry in Scotland and 
the  ship-repair  business  in  Brest  which  plays  host  to  France's  largest  maritime 
cluster, the 'Pôle de competitivité mer'. Ostend has made land and quays available for 
renewable energy companies close to research institutes; and the Marine Institute in 
Galway  is  developing  new  ideas  for  marine  observation  and  communication  with 
large multinationals and small businesses in its SmartBay project. 

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Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resources. 

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In  order  to  tackle  the  big  research  questions  more  efficiently  through  commonly 
agreed work programmes, Member States are collaborating on a Joint Programming 
Initiative on "Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans". 

4. 

ONGOING EU INITIATIVES 

EU policies are designed to reinforce the efforts of Member States and regions and 
provide common building blocks for a successful blue economy. These include the 
following: 

(1)  A  Commission  initiative  on  maritime  spatial  planning  and  integrated  coastal 
zone  management  which  should  provide  business  with  the  legal  certainty  it 
needs to invest. 

(2)  The  "Marine  Knowledge  2020"  initiative7.  This  will  provide  an  integrated 
knowledge infrastructure based on national data collection systems delivering 
data  products  at  a  European-level  through  the  internet.  This  will  include  a 
flagship multi-resolution digital seabed map of European waters as well as up-
to-date  information  on  the  water  column  by  2020.  Benefits  of  at  least  €500 
million a year8 through increased efficiency and innovation are expected. 
(3)  A Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE)9 for the surveillance of 
the EU maritime domain. This will allow maritime authorities responsible for 
activities  such  as  safe  navigation  or  fisheries  control  to  share  information  on 
risks and threats. This reduces their costs and the risk to businesses operating at 
sea. 

(4)  The  Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive10  which  introduces  an  ecosystem-
based  approach,  aiming  to  ensure  that  the  collective  pressure  of  human 
activities  on  the  environment  is  kept  within  levels  compatible  with  the 
achievement  of  good  environmental  status  by  2020.  The  Rio+20  Summit 
commitments also address the sustainable use of a diverse marine ecosystem. 

(5)  The  European  Maritime  Transport  Space  without  Barriers,  which  aims  at 
simplifying  administrative  procedures  for  maritime  transport11  and  which 
should  be  further  developed  into  a  'Blue  Belt'  of  free  maritime  movement  in 
and around Europe. 

(6)  An  Action  Plan  to  facilitate  access  to  finance  for  Europe’s  23  million  SMEs, 
adopted by the Commission in December 201112 and a proposal for a new EU 
framework creating a genuine single market for venture capital funds.13 

(7)  Actions in education and training financed by the forthcoming 'Erasmus for All 
Programme',  such  as  Knowledge  Alliances  and  Sector  Skills  Alliances; 
instruments  for  facilitating  the  mutual  recognition  of  skills  and  qualifications 
such as European Qualifications Frameworks; and better anticipation of skills 

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10 
11 
12 
13 

COM(2012) 473 final. 
European Marine Observation and Data Network Impact Assessment, 8.9.2010, SEC(2010) 998.  
COM(2010) 584 final. 
2008/56/EC. 
COM(2009) 10. 
COM(2011) 870.  
COM(2011) 860. 

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and labour market needs through European Sector Skills Councils and the EU 
Skills Panorama. 

(8)  The  EU's  programmes  for  marine  and  maritime  research  and  innovation14 
funded through the framework programme. These include dedicated initiatives, 
such as the FP7 Ocean of Tomorrow calls, to further our understanding of the 
marine environment and its climatic and non-climatic stressors and to promote 
the sustainable use of marine resources. The future Horizon 2020 programme 
will  target  research  and  innovation  on  food  security,  clean  energy,  green 
transport,  climate  action  and  resource  efficiency,  as  well  as  cross-thematic 
marine and maritime research. 

(9)  The LeaderSHIP 2015 initiative which is currently under review with the aim 
of adapting the strategy to better tackle the new challenges the EU shipbuilding 
sector is facing.15 

EU  funding  under  the  2014-2020  financial  framework  can  reinforce  these  efforts. 
Member States and regions will be able to focus EU-funded investment on promising 
maritime economic activities and their supporting infrastructures. 

Sea-basin strategies, such as those for the Baltic, the Atlantic and the Adriatic-Ionian, 
complement  preparations  for  the  new  financial  framework  by  identifying  common 
issues, solutions and actions. They offer a platform for Member States to engage at 
an early stage in defining priorities. For instance, through the Commission's Atlantic 
strategy, national and regional authorities along the Atlantic seaboard are identifying 
which  priority  investments  could  be  funded  under  the  2014-2020  structural  budget 
envelope and which knowledge gaps could be filled by research within the Horizon 
2020  initiative.  Bringing  in  private  sector  funding,  including  through  the  European 
Investment Bank, will also help unlock the potential of the blue economy. 

5. 

BLUE GROWTH FOCUS AREAS 
An analysis of the job-creation potential16, as well as the potential for research and 
development  to  deliver  technology  improvements  and  innovation  and  the  need  for 
action at EU level, has suggested that the following five value chains could deliver 
sustainable growth and jobs in the blue economy. They could therefore benefit from 
clear-sighted  policymaking,  allowing  the  private  sector  to  play  a  leading  role  in 
helping the blue economy reach its sustainable growth potential. This list should not 
be considered exhaustive. Ongoing EU initiatives are already encouraging innovation 
in  sectors  such  as  maritime  transport.  Other value chains may emerge over time as 
suitable areas for further policy focus.  

5.1. 

Blue energy 

Marine energies have the potential to enhance the efficiency of harvesting the 
European energy resource, minimize land-use requirements of the power sector 
and  reduce  the  European  greenhouse  gas  emissions  (by  about  65  Mt  CO2  in 
2020).  Thanks  to  the  EU  renewable  energy  targets  and  incentives  for 
investments  such  as  feed-in  tariffs  or  green  certificates,  offshore  wind  power 
generation  has  started  to  expand  rapidly  in  Europe.  In  2011,  offshore  wind 

14 
15 
16 

COM(2008) 534.  
COM(2003) 717. 
See Blue Growth Study, ECORYS, 2012. 

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accounted for 10% of installed capacity, employed 35000 people directly and 
indirectly across Europe and represented €2.4bn in annual investments. By the 
end of 2011 the total capacity offshore was  3.8GW.  On  the  basis  of  Member 
States' National Renewable Energy Action Plans, the electricity produced from 
wind  power  in  2020  will  be  494.6  TWh  and  of  that  133.3  TWh  will  be 
generated offshore. By 2030 the annual installation of offshore capacity could 
exceed  that  onshore.  Offshore  wind  could  meet  4%  of  the  EU  electricity 
demand  by  2020  and  14%  by  2030.  This  would  mean  170000  jobs  by  2020, 
increasing to 300000 by 2030. Continued efforts to reduce the cost of offshore 
wind  technology  will  accelerate  this  growth.  This  is  a  prime  objective  of  the 
Strategic Energy Technology Plan's (SET-Plan)17 European Industrial initiative 
on wind energy. Several Member States are active in this plan. 

Other  offshore  renewable  energy  technologies  are  still  at  an  early  stage  of 
development, with Member States planning to install only a moderate capacity 
of 2 to 4 GW by 2020. The challenge is to accelerate the commercialisation of 
ocean energy through reductions in technology costs as world-wide demand is 
expected  to  double  annually  in  the  near  future.  Different  combinations  of 
geographic  and  oceanographic  conditions  suit  different  technologies.  These 
technologies  offer  a  more  predictable  base-load  supply  of  electricity  that 
compensates the fluctuating supply from wind: 

– 

Tidal barrage, a dam-like structure used to capture energy from masses of 
water  moving  in  and  out  of  a  bay  or  estuary.  The  best  example  of  this 
technology  in  Europe  is  the  La  Rance  Power  Station  in  France  with 
capacity of 240MW, which is the second largest plant of its kind in the 
world. 

–  Wave  power  devices  are  currently  being  demonstrated  and  underwater 
turbines driven by currents (tidal or other) are close to commercialisation. 
In all, 22MW of wave and current devices were installed in 2012.  

– 

Ocean thermal energy conversion, which uses the temperature difference 
between cooler deep ocean waters and warmer shallow or surface ocean 
waters  to  run  a  heat  engine  could  be  a  feasible  option  for  the  EU's 
overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.  

Commercial  operation  of  blue  energy  technologies  will  need  investments  in 
grid  connections  and  transmission  capacity.  Long-term  support  mechanisms, 
which  have  been  successful  in  encouraging  investment  in  other  types  of 
renewable  energy,  will  also  be  needed  for  emerging  wave  and  tidal  current 
technologies. 

As recently stressed in the Communication "Renewable Energy: a major player 
in  the  European  energy  market"18,  further  efforts  to  reinforce  research  and 
development in the field of ocean energy are needed. This will help to further 
reduce costs, lengthen the operating life of equipment and streamline logistics 
in technologies that will help to achieve the 2020 targets. Given the long lead 
time  for  EU  research  projects,  increased  effort  should  now  be  devoted  to 

17 
18 

COM(2007) 723 and COM(2009) (519). 
COM(2012) 271. 

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technologies  such  as  wave  and  currents  that  will  reach  full  maturity  in  the 
coming decades.  

EU  measures,  including  funding,  can  have  a  crucial  role  in  providing  a 
framework  that  gives  investors  the  confidence  to  invest.  The  European 
Investment Bank lent €3.3 billion fo r offshore wind projects between 2005 and 
2011.  The  sale  of  the  first  200  million  allowances  for  the  NER300  funding 
instrument19  will  raise  nearly  €1.5  billion  by  October  2012.  A  proportion  of 
this will support demonstration projects for offshore energy in Member States. 
These  efforts  in  new  technologies  should  be  sustained  and  structural  funds 
should be mobilised for demonstration projects. At the same time efforts must 
be  deployed  to  reconcile  tidal  barrages  with  EU  nature  protection  legislation, 
possibly in the framework of integrated coastal zone management or strategic 
planning. 

EU industry is a world leader in blue energy and can contribute to reductions in 
carbon  emissions  outside  Europe  through  exports.  In  addition,  synergies  can 
also be explored with the offshore conventional energy sector, for example by 
tackling  safety  and  infrastructure  challenges  together.  The  Commission 
proposal  for  levellling  up  safety  standards  in  the  offshore  oil  and  gas  sector 
EU-wide20  is  a  key  initiative.  Working  together  with  the  conventional  energy 
sector will help secure affordable energy supplies in the EU. 

5.2. 

Aquaculture 

Fish  accounts  for  about  15.7%  of  the  animal  protein  consumed  globally.  The 
UN  Food  and  Agriculture  Organisation  estimates21  that  aquaculture  provides 
half of this and that by 2030 it will reach 65%. It is currently 25% in the EU. 
Globally, it has a growth rate of 6.6% per annum, making it the fastest-growing 
animal-food-producing  sector  and  faster  than  the  1.8%  annual  global 
population increase. It is thus contributing to an overall improvement in human 
diet.  Growth  in  the  aquaculture  sector  in  Asia,  which  accounts  for  more  than 
89%  of  global  production  is  more  than  5%  a  year,  while  EU  growth  in  the 
sector is stagnant.  

More  than  90%  of  aquaculture  businesses  in  the  EU  are  SMEs,  providing 
around 80000 jobs22. Aquaculture has the potential to grow by providing more 
quality  merchandise  to  consumers  willing  to  choose  fresh,  trustworthy 
products,  increasingly  including  those  that  are  sustainably  or  organically 
produced. Moreover, it can help coastal communities diversify their activities 
while alleviating fishing pressure and thus helping to preserve fish stocks. 

Lack of available maritime space for aquaculture activities, competition in the 
global market and administrative constraints in particular concerning licensing 
procedures are amongst the challenges to growth. Sustainable aquaculture must 
also consider potential impacts on wild fish stocks and water quality.  Since the 
start of the present economic crisis, investment has been limited by the lack of 
capital.  

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22 

http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/lowcarbon/ner300/index_en.htm 
COM(2011) 688 final. 
FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2010. 
70258 reported under the EU's Data Collection Framework. 

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As part of the Common Fisheries Policy23 reform, the Commission proposes to 
promote  aquaculture  through  an  'open  method  of  coordination'  based  on  non-
binding  strategic  guidelines,  multiannual  national  strategic  plans  and  the 
exchange of best practice. There is a wide scope for improving administrative 
practices, especially in licensing. Member States need to be aware of ways of 
increasing production that are sustainable and that meet the concerns of other 
users  of  coastal  or  sea  space  –  for  example,  by  building  cages  along  with 
offshore windfarms or by integrated multi-trophic aquaculture. Such measures 
will be supported financially by the proposed European Maritime and Fisheries 
Fund.24  The  future  Horizon  2020  programme  for  research  and  innovation 
should  also  play  an  important  role  in  unlocking  the  growth  potential  of 
European  aquaculture  for  instance  through  the  farming  of  new  species  or 
moving further offshore.  

5.3.  Maritime, coastal and cruise tourism 

The extraordinary beauty and diversity of Europe's coasts, as well as the wide 
range  of  facilities  and  activities  on  offer,  make  them  the  preferred  holiday 
destination  of  63%  of  European  tourists25.  The  maritime  and  coastal  tourism 
sub-sector  has  now  become  the  largest  single  maritime  economic  activity, 
employing 2.35 million people, equivalent to 1.1% of total EU employment.26 
More  than  90%  of  enterprises  employ  less  than  10  people.  In  some  areas, 
tourism  is  an  additional  source  of  income  for  coastal  communities,  but  in 
others it can dominate the local economy.  

While  many  of  these  tourists  may  not  venture  far  from  the  shoreline,  open-
water  activities  are  on  the  increase.  Yachting  is  expected  to  grow  by  2-3%  a 
year.  The  cruise  industry  is  also  growing.  Within  Europe  it  employs  nearly 
150000  people  and  generates  direct  turnover  of  €14.5  billion 27.  EU  shipyards 
have been successful in serving this specialised market – both with large cruise 
ships and small leisure vessels. 

A  healthy  environment  is  fundamental  to  any  form  of  'blue'  tourism  and 
favours  the  growth  potential  of  new  forms  of  tourism.  High  quality  bathing 
waters  and  pristine  coastal  and  marine  habitats  have  a  high  recreation  value. 
This  increases  the  attractiveness  of  coastal  areas  which  in  turn  increases  the 
growth  potential  of  activities  such  as  nautical  tourism  and  sports,  and  green 
tourism such as whale watching. The sheer variety of Europe's tourism means 
that most growth-generating initiatives will inevitably be on a local or regional 
scale.  Each  of  Europe's  sea-basins  presents  different  challenges  and 
opportunities,  requiring  tailor-made  approaches.  Public  administrations  will 
need  to  take  a  strategic  approach  to  investments  in  enabling  infrastructures 
such  as  berthing  capacity,  port  facilities  and  transport.  Higher  education 
courses  need  to  deliver  a  solid  grounding  in  the  specific  skills  needed  to 
maintain  and  increase  market  share  in  a  discerning  and  competitive  global 
market.  This  needs  to  be  accompanied  by  measures  that  help  to  improve  the 

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26 
27 

COM(2011) 417 and COM(2011) 425. 
COM/2011/0804. 
‘Facts and figures on the Europeans on holiday 1997–98’, Eurobarometer 48, Brussels, 1998. 
based on data from the Blue Growth Study.  
European Cruise Council (2011). 
http://download.ecorys.com/fuu/downloads/Europe_cruise_industry_markets_2011_ecc_jun11.pdf  

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tourism offer for low-season tourism and reduce the high carbon footprint and 
environmental impact of coastal tourism. 

Given  the  sheer  magnitude  of  the  activity,  the  precariousness  and  low-skill 
level of much of its current workforce as well as tourism's dominant impact on 
many  European  coastal  and  marine  environments,  measures  at  a  sea-basin  or 
EU level could have a significant positive impact. Cross-border coordination as 
part  of  a  sea-basin  strategy  can  contribute  to  the  development  of  high-value 
tourism  areas.  The  Commission  is  already  tackling  issues  such  as  the 
regulatory  burden  on  small  and  medium  enterprises.  It  will  shortly  begin  an 
assessment of further specific measures to enhance the sector. 

5.4.  Marine mineral resources 

Between 2000 and 2010 there has been an annual increase of about 15% in the 
price  of  many  non-energy  raw  materials28,  mainly  as  a  result  of  consumer 
demand in emerging economies. There is a risk of supply shortage for several 
of these, including those identified as critical to Europe's economy29. 

Advances  in  technology  as  well  as  concerns  over  security  of  supply  have 
encouraged  mining  companies  to  consider  what  the  sea  can  provide.  The 
exploitation and mining of minerals, other than sand and gravel, from the sea 
have just started. Most current activity is in shallow water. By 2020, 5% of the 
world's minerals, including cobalt, copper and zinc could come from the ocean 
floors.  This  could  rise  to  10%  by  2030.  Global  annual  turnover  of  marine 
mineral mining can be expected to grow from virtually nothing to €5 billion in 
the next 10 years and up to €10 billion by 2030 30. 

It  may  also  become  economically  feasible  to  extract  dissolved  minerals,  such 
as boron or lithium, from seawater. The most promising deposits are found in 
metallic  sulphides  which  emerge  from  hydrothermal  ore  deposits  (such  as 
'black  smokers')  in  volcanically  active  zones.  The  temperatures  and  pressures 
in these regions are extreme and the impact of disturbance on these hot spots of 
marine  biodiversity,  which  under  the  UN  Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea 
(UNCLOS)  should  be  protected31,  is  largely  unknown.  Such  operations  are 
currently  mostly  located  within  areas  under  national  jurisdiction  (exclusive 
economic  zones  and  continental  shelf)  where  it  is  easier  to  transport  ores  to 
land.  However  there  are  opportunities  outside  jurisdictional  marine  areas.  In 
these  areas,  the  International  Seabed  Authority  (ISA)  is  responsible  for 
organising  and  controlling  activities,  including  monitoring  all  mineral-related 
activities.  This  includes  protecting  the  marine  environment  in  line  with  the 
provisions  of  UNCLOS,  to  which  the  EU  and  all  its  Member  States  are 
contracting parties. 

If  this  expansion  in  extracting  minerals  from  the  seafloor  does  take  place, 
European  companies,  with  their  long  experience  in  specialised  ships  and 

28 

29 

30 
31 

WTO  (2010)  'Trade  growth  to  ease  in  2011  but  despite  2010  record  surge,  crisis  hangover  persists', 
PRESS/628, 7 April 2011. 
London Metal Exchange (LME) indicates a price increase of about 256% for the period 2000 to 2010 
for  non-ferrous  base  metals.  See  also  COM(2011)  25  final  and  its  accompanying  staff  working 
document. 
based on estimates given by industrial stakeholders in the Blue Growth Study.  
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Article 194 paragraph 5. 

EN 

10 

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underwater  handling,  are  currently  well  positioned  to  provide  high-quality 
products  and  services.  Their  continued  competitiveness  depends  on  access  to 
finance  in  an  inherently  risky  market,  targeted  research  and  development  in 
extraction techniques, the ability to obtain licences in international waters and 
robust  measures  to  avoid  harming  unique  ecosystems.  The  marine  minerals 
sector  will  be  able  to  benefit  from  the  experiences  of  the  offhore  oil  and  gas 
sector here. 

EU support could include measures to ensure that European companies are not 
squeezed  out  of  the  value  chain  for  marine  minerals  by  state-supported 
competitors.  This  might  include  a  pilot  action  within  the  framework  of  the 
proposed European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials32, supported by a 
structured  EU  research  effort  addressing  main  technology  challenges.  EU 
engagement  would  help  to  ensure  that  high  environmental,  legal  and  security 
standards are upheld. 

5.5. 

Blue biotechnology 

The  unexplored  and  understudied  nature  of  much  of  the  underwater  world 
means  that  the  capacity  of  marine  organisms  other  than  fish  and  shellfish  to 
provide  inputs  to  the  blue  economy  is  only  just  beginning  to  be  appreciated, 
partly through new gene sequencing technologies for living organisms. There 
have already been successes. The anti-viral drugs Zovirax and Acyclovir were 
obtained  from  nucleosides  isolated  from  Caribbean  sponges.  Yondelis, 
developed from small soft-bodied marine animals was the first drug of marine 
origin  to  fight  cancer.  Exploration  of  the  sea  biodiversity  is  now  helping  us 
understand  for  example  how  organisms  that  can  withstand  extremes  of 
temperature and pressure and grow without light could be used to develop new 
industrial  enzymes  or  pharmaceuticals.  At  the  same  time,  concerns  about  the 
land-use  impact  and  the  thirst  for  water  of  terrestrial  crops  grown  for  biofuel 
are  driving  efforts  to  explore  the  use  of  algae  as  a  source  of  biofuels,  along 
with high added-value chemicals and bioactive compounds. 

While estimated current employment in the sector in Europe is still relatively 
low, and a gross value added of €0.8 billion,  the growth of the sector will offer 
high-skilled  employment,  especially 
if  ground-breaking  drugs  can  be 
developed  from  marine  organisms,  and  significant  downstream  opportunities. 
In  the  very  short  term,  the  sector  is  expected  to  emerge  as  a  niche  market 
focused  on  high-value  products  for  the  health,  cosmetic  and  industrial  bio-
materials sectors. By 2020, it could grow as a medium-sized market, expanding 
towards the production of metabolites and primary compounds (lipids, sugars, 
polymers,  proteins)  as  inputs  for  the  food,  feed  and  chemical  industries.  In  a 
third  stage,  around  15  years  from  now  and  subject  to  technological 
breakthroughs, the blue biotechnology sector could become a provider of mass-
market  products,  together  with  a  range  of  high  added  value  specialised 
products.  

Accelerating this process will require a combination of basic research on ocean 
life  and  applied  research  on  possible  industrial  applications  with  low 
probabilities but high rewards for success.  

32 

COM(2012) 82. 

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11 

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A  strategic  approach  to  research  and  innovation  would  provide  the  scientific 
and technological bases for substantiating the strategic decisions that emerging 
industrial  sectors  need.  By  reducing  technical  bottlenecks  in  this  area,  the 
whole sector would become more attractive to investors. It would also help EU 
industry  to  move  from  the  developmental  stage  to  the  commercialisation  of 
innovative  products.  A  European  approach  would  raise  awareness  among 
policy  makers,  the  private  sector  and  the  general  public  of  the  potential  of 
marine aquatic products. 

6. 

CONCLUSION  

This  Communication  has  identified  five  areas  where  additional  effort  at  EU  level 
could  stimulate  long-term  growth  and  jobs  in  the  blue  economy,  in  line  with  the 
objectives  of  the  Europe  2020  strategy.  With  increasing  awareness  of  the  blue 
economy,  and  further  analysis,  other  promising  areas  for  EU  policymaking  may 
emerge. 

For  each  of  the  five  activities  highlighted  the  Commission  will  analyse  policy 
options and consider further initiatives. This will involve: 

– 

Assessing  the  options  for  giving  industry  the  confidence  to  invest  in  ocean 
renewable energy, taking into account the framework provided by the Strategic 
Energy  Technology  Plan,  the  aim  being  to  address  ocean  renewable  energy 
issues in a Communication in 2013.  

–  Working  collaboratively  with  Member  States  to  develop  best  practice  and 
agree on Strategic Guidelines on Aquaculture in the EU to be adopted in early 
2013. 

– 

– 

– 

Assessing  how  maritime  and  coastal  tourism  can  further  contribute  to 
economic  growth  and  provide  less  precarious  jobs  whilst  improving  its 
environmental  sustainability.  An  impact  assessment  will  be  followed  by  a 
Communication in 2013. 

Assessing  how  European  industry  can  become  competitive  in  extracting 
minerals  from  the  seafloor  and  how  best  to  ensure  that  this  activity  does  not 
prevent 
from  hitherto  untouched 
from  benefiting 
ecosystems.  An  impact  assessment  followed  by  a  Communication  will  be 
delivered in 2014. 

future  generations 

Assessing the options for blue biotechnology to harness the diversity of marine 
life.  An  impact  assessment  followed  by  a  Communication  will  also  be 
delivered in 2014. 

In  each  of  these  areas  the  assessment  of  options  will  begin  with  consultations  with 
Member States and industry and other relevant stakeholders in order to develop joint 
approaches that will provide the extra push that the blue economy needs in order to 
provide a positive contribution to Europe's economic future, while safeguarding our 
unique marine environment for future generations. 

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12 

   EN