COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean
Date: 2017-04-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Mediterranean region (EU), Union for the Mediterranean, biodiversity, environmental protection, fishery management, maritime safety, maritime transport, regional cooperation, sustainable development, youth unemployment

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.4.2017  COM(2017) 183 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean {SWD(2017) 130 final}  
 
 
1. INTRODUCTION 

The  maritime  economy  of  the  western  Mediterranean  region  has  huge  potential  for 
development in all related sectors. The region has 200 ports and terminals and nearly 40 % of 
all goods (by value) pass through the Mediterranean.1  

The western Mediterranean region attracts the largest number of tourists in the Mediterranean 
basin,  in  part  because  of  its  art  and  cultural  wealth.  It  is  a  biodiversity  hotspot,  with  481 
marine  protected  areas,  including  Natura  2000  sites.2  The  region  is  a  rich  fishing  ground, 
accounting for over 30 % of the total value of landings at first sale in the Mediterranean and 
providing more than 36 000 direct jobs on fishing vessels.3 

Despite these major assets, the region faces a number of challenges which add to its general 
geopolitical  instability:  a  prolonged  economic  and  financial  crisis  with  high  youth 
unemployment in several countries, growing coastal urbanisation, the overexploitation of fish 
stocks, marine pollution and last but not least the refugee crisis. 

Climate change greatly affects the region,4 and the rise in sea level is a major threat to coastal 
ecosystems  and  economies.  Other  factors  such  as  population  growth  and  ageing,  migration 
and deepening globalisation will also magnify these pressures. 

There  is  therefore  a  clear  need  for  a  joint  initiative  to  enable  the  EU  and  neighbouring 
countries to work across borders to:  

 

increase safety and security;  

  promote sustainable blue growth and jobs; and  

  preserve ecosystems and biodiversity in the western Mediterranean.  

On  the  issue  of  maritime  governance,  joining  forces  will  also  allow  countries  to  coordinate 
action, use tools more effectively and maximise the use of funding and financial instruments, 
with  the  possibility  of  leveraging  more  private  investment  than  on  their  own,  including  by 
tapping into the recently launched EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform.5 

Consequently, in  2015 the Union for  the Mediterranean Ministerial  Declaration on the Blue 
Economy6  invited  the  participating  countries  to  explore  the  added  value  and  feasibility  of 
appropriate  maritime  strategies  at  sub-regional  level,  and  build  on  the  experience  of  the 
5+5 Dialogue. In October 2016, the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, 
Malta,  Mauritania,  Morocco,  Portugal,  Spain  and  Tunisia  encouraged  further  work  on  an 
initiative  for  the  sustainable  development  of  the  blue  economy,  together  with  the Union  for 
the Mediterranean Secretariat.7 

1   http://msp-platform.eu/sea-basins/west-mediterranean. 
2   http://www.mapamed.org (April 2016). 
3   http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5496e.pdf ( FAO 2016). 
4   http://www.cmcc.it/publications/regional-assessment-of-climate-change-in-the-mediterranean-climate-

impact-assessments. 

5   http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/news-and-events/state-union-2016-european-external-investment-plan_en. 
6   http://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-11-17-declaration-on-blue-economy_en.pdf 
7   http://ufmsecretariat.org/foreign-affairs-ministers-of-the-55-dialogue-discuss-pressing-regional-challenges-
and-highlight-the-positive-contribution-of-ufm-activities-to-the-enhancement-of-regional-cooperation/. 

2 

 
 
                                                            
This  Initiative  stems  from  that  request  and  comprises  this  Communication  and  the 
accompanying Framework for Action. Both have been drafted in close cooperation with the 
countries  concerned  and  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean  Secretariat.  The  Communication 
outlines  the  main  challenges,  the  shortcomings  that  need  to  be  addressed  and  possible 
solutions. The Framework for Action presents the proposed priorities and their added value, 
actions and projects in detail, with quantitative targets and deadlines to monitor progress over 
time. 

The  Initiative  is  based  on  the  Commission’s  long-standing  experience  with  sea  basin  and 
macro-regional strategies8 (such as the Atlantic Strategy, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea 
Region and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region). It is also based on over two 
decades  of  work  within  the  5+5 Dialogue,  which  has  created  strong  ties  between  the 
participating  countries.  It  also  builds  on  other  EU  policies  linked  to  the  region,  such  as  the 
European  Neighbourhood  Policy  Review  priorities  and  the  recent  Communication  on 
International Ocean Governance.9 The Initiative benefits from: 

- 

the  regional  dialogue  taking  place  on  Maritime  Policy  and  the  Blue  Economy  under 
the umbrella of the Union for the Mediterranean; 

-  cooperation in fisheries management, which was recently strengthened by the Catania 
process  launched  in  2016,  and  cooperation  on  the  sustainable  development  of 
aquaculture, both within the framework of the General Fisheries Commission for the 
Mediterranean; and 

-  cooperation within the Barcelona convention for the protection of marine environment 
and  coastal  regions  of  the  Mediterranean  and  the  UN  2030 Agenda  for  Sustainable 
Development  and  the  efforts  made  in  implementing  the  Mediterranean  Strategy  for 
Sustainable Development. 

Although  the  Initiative  focuses  on  the  western  Mediterranean  region  and  the  10  countries 
mentioned above, its scope of action — and potential benefits — could easily extend beyond 
this  sub-basin.  Therefore,  depending  on  the  needs  to  be  addressed,  actions  may  involve 
partners  in  the  central  Mediterranean  and  north-east  Atlantic  and  will  remain  open  to  other 
partners. 

Given that it concerns both EU and partner countries, it will have to be politically endorsed 
first  in  the  EU  and  then  in  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean,  bringing  together  all  the  10 
countries concerned. 

8   COM(2014) 284 and COM(2016) 805. 
9   JOIN(2016) 49. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
2. CHALLENGES AND GAPS 

Extensive consultations between stakeholders and national authorities have pointed to a series 
of challenges and gaps that can be summarised in three main areas as follows: 

2.1 Safety and security 

On  average,  there  are  around  60  maritime  transport  accidents  a  year  in  the  western 
Mediterranean, 15 of which involve tankers transporting oil or chemicals.10 Nearly half of the 
accidents leading to significant spills (100 tonnes or more) over the last decade have occurred 
in the western Mediterranean Sea.11 The region still fares rather well compared to other sub-
basins,  but  new  economic  developments  may  expose  it  to  more  risks,  especially  in  areas 
where maritime traffic is congested (such as the Strait of Gibraltar, the Strait of Bonifacio or 
the Strait of Sicily), and within harbours and terminals. The doubling of the Suez Canal may 
exacerbate  traffic  congestion.  The  concentration  of  ships  increases  the  risk  of  collisions, 
environmental and noise pollution and accidents. 

This region is also particularly sensitive from a security perspective. In 2013-2015, an average 
of  11 000  illegal  migrants  crossed its  waters every  month,12  causing  growing  concerns  both 
for human lives and economic activities. The current demographic trends and climate change 
are  expected  to  heighten  the  current  competition  for  resources  and  fuel  the  geopolitical 
instability of the region. 

Ensuring  the  safety  and  security  of  maritime  activities  is  key  to  promoting  the  sustainable 
development  of  the  blue  economy  sectors  and  the  prosperity  and  stability  of  the  region. 
Efforts to address these risks and threats include: 

- 

- 

- 

- 

the  Regional  Transport  Action  Plan 
EMSA/SAFEMED projects; 

for 

the  Mediterranean  Region13  and 

the EU Maritime Security Strategy and its Action Plan; 

the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy and the Lomé Declaration on Maritime 
Security; 
the European Border and Coast Guard package14 and a related pilot project launched 
in  2016 to  improve operational  cooperation on Coast  Guard functions between three 
EU agencies (FRONTEX, EFCA and EMSA) in the western Mediterranean; 

Since the refugee crisis and migration control became a priority in 2015, numerous activities 
focusing on migration  have  been developed under the European  Agenda for Migration. The 
Seahorse  Mediterranean  Network,  the  European  and  Mediterranean  Coast  Guard  Functions 
Forums have also helped to improve cooperation between the countries involved.  

However,  initiatives  and  projects  are  still  relatively  scattered  across  the  region,  and  law 
enforcement capacities, data availability, accessibility, processing and understanding are still 
dissimilar and fragmented between the two shores. Cooperation between EU Member States 
and  southern  partner  countries  need  therefore  to  be  strengthened  to  address  those  gaps  by 

10Http://www.medmaritimeprojects.eu/download/ProjectMediamer/SH_Meeting_WME/WM_Transport_factshe
et_300115.pdf. 
11  http://arxiv.org/pdf/1510.00287.pdf. 
12  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/EPRS-AaG-565905-Recent-Migration-flows-to-the-EU-FINAL.pdf. 
13  Adopted by the EuroMed Transport Forum in March 2015. 
14  Regulations (EU) 2016/1624, 2016/1625 and 2016/1626. 

4 

 
 
                                                            
facilitating  interoperability  and  data  exchange,  building  capacity  and  improving  real-time 
response to emergency situations. 

2.2 High youth unemployment rates versus ageing maritime workforce 

There  is  an  employment  paradox  in  the  western  Mediterranean  region,  in  that  youth 
unemployment  rates  are  extremely  high  —  between  14 %  and  58 %  —  yet  maritime 
businesses  in  both  emerging  and  traditional  sectors  cannot  find  the  requisite  skills  and 
profiles. This mismatch between demand and supply is mainly due to a lack of dialogue and 
cooperation between industry and the different levels of education. 

There is also a dual R&D challenge. On the one hand, activities such as tourism, transport and 
fisheries that are traditionally at the forefront of the blue economy require greater innovation 
and diversification to remain sustainable, competitive and profitable over time and to provide 
qualified  employment.  On  the  other,  several  emerging  activities  and  value  chains  (such  as 
blue  biotechnology,  marine  renewable  energies,  living  and  mineral  resources)15  require 
dedicated  support  in  order  to  reach  their  full  potential,  achieve  sufficient  critical  mass  and 
attract tailored R&D and investment. 

A  number  of  strategic  initiatives  and  frameworks  are  currently  being  promoted  across  the 
western Mediterranean to boost economic activity, research and innovation. These include: 

- 

- 

- 

the EU Blue Growth Strategy and the Maritime Policy 
the EU Strategy for more jobs and growth in coastal and maritime tourism;16 

the BLUEMED Initiative; 

-  FAO Blue Growth. 

These initiatives target either the EU or the Neighbourhood countries, but not both. Initiatives 
implemented through EU calls do not always reflect the specific needs of beneficiaries in the 
western Mediterranean, and support for cross-cutting activities among southern and northern 
stakeholders  is  usually  limited.  Action  is  required  to  tackle  asymmetries  in  terms  of  their 
geographic scope, align funding instruments, generate the critical mass for economic activities 
currently not appealing to private investors, address the current mismatch between supply and 
demand for blue skills, increase stakeholders’ capacity for partnerships across the two shores 
of the region and finally boost investments and create jobs in the region. 

Other initiatives do cover both  shores of the region such  as the Action Plan  for Sustainable 
Consumption and Production and the Regional Transport Action Plan for the Mediterranean 
region. They offer an opportunity and would benefit from greater synergies and cooperation 
across stakeholders and greater private sector involvement in implementing them at western 
Mediterranean level. 

15   This  will  be  aligned  with  the  European  Bioeconomy  Strategy  and  related  to  the  International  Bioeconomy 

Forum.  

16  COM(2014) 86. 

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2.3 Diverging and competing interests at sea 

The western Mediterranean  region has  the greatest biodiversity17 and  the highest  number of 
endemic species in the entire basin. However, similarly to the rest of the sea basin, several of 
its  fish  stocks  have  been  subject  to  long-term  overfishing.18  Nationally  designated  marine 
protected areas and Natura 2000 sites cover around 3.5 % of its waters,19 which is still some 
way off the 10 % coastal and marine area conservation target.20 

The  region  generates  48 %  of  the  gross  value  added  and  45 %  of  the  employment  for  the 
Mediterranean  as  a  whole  thanks  to  the  main  maritime  sectors  of  tourism,  aquaculture, 
fisheries and transport. It is a hotspot of economic, demographic and environmental pressures 
and as many as 7 of the 13 areas of the Mediterranean where dense economic activity strongly 
interacts with conservation issues are found there.21 

Potentially competing maritime economic activities in the same waters may deter or prevent 
investments.  These  activities  may  also  increase  waste  generation  and  energy  and  water 
consumption, exacerbate the exploitation of biological and other resources and ultimately lead 
to more pollution and a serious deterioration of marine and coastal ecosystems.  

This is why efforts have been made in the region to implement a wide range of initiatives and 
agreements  such  as  the  EU'’s  Maritime  Spatial  Planning  and  Marine  Strategy  Framework 
Directives,  Blue  Growth  Initiative  by  FAO,  UNEP/Mediterranean  Action  Plan  –  Barcelona 
Convention and its Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter and Protocol on Integrated Coastal 
Zones  Management  among  others.  The  recent  General  Fisheries  Commission  for  the 
Mediterranean mid-term strategy (2017-2020) towards the sustainability of Mediterranean and 
Black  Sea  fisheries  and  MEDFISH 4EVER  also  offer  a  good  basis  to  address  the  current 
overexploitation of fish stocks. 

While there is real political will to resolve environmental and fisheries challenges, the region 
is  still  lacking  appropriate  awareness,  dissemination  and  cross-sectorial  evidence-based 
policymaking.  Many  shortcomings  also  remain  in  implementation  and  enforcement,  in 
particular at national and local level. 

Moreover, stress tests on marine data indicate serious knowledge gaps on the geological and 
ecological  nature  of  the  southern  waters  and  a  decrease  of  public  investment  in  monitoring 
programmes in the north. Information gaps on catches and the effort of small-scale fisheries 
make the support to the fisheries sector quite challenging. 

17  Species  diversity  in  the  Mediterranean  increases  from  east  to  west:  43 %  of  known  species  occur  in  the 

eastern Mediterranean, 49 % in the Adriatic, and 87 % in the western Mediterranean. 

18  Notably,  44  out  of  48  stocks  assessed  in  2012-2014  were  considered  to  be  outside  safe  biological  limits. 
(source: Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries and General Fisheries Commission for 
the Mediterranean) . 

19  http://www.mapamed.org (April 2016). 
20  Established by the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 and adopted under Sustainable Development Goal 14.5. 
21  MEDTRENDS Report 2015: 

http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/medtrends_regional_report.pdf. 

6 

 
 
 
                                                            
3. THE RESPONSE: ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND FILL THE GAPS 

A rolling Framework for Action22 (see accompanying Staff Working Document) identifies the 
gaps that need to be filled and the potential added value of the priorities and actions proposed. 
The  Initiative  will  be  funded  by  existing  international,  EU,  national  and  regional  funds  and 
financial  instruments,  which  will  be  coordinated  and  complementary.  This  should  create 
leverage and attract funding from other public and private investors. Potential funding sources 
are  indicative  and  subject  and  without  prejudice  to  the  assessment  of  the  evaluation 
procedures and criteria for the concerned funds, programmes and project. 

By fostering the coordination and cooperation among the 10 countries this Initiative aims to:  

 

increase safety and security  

  promote sustainable blue growth and jobs; and 

  preserve ecosystems and biodiversity in the western Mediterranean region.  

Following extensive consultations with the national authorities and stakeholders, the Initiative 
will focus on three main goals that address these three main challenges. 

3.1 Goal 1 — A safer and more secure maritime space 

Ensuring  the  safety  and  security  of  activities  at  sea  is  essential  for  the  sustainable 
development  of  the  maritime  economy,  maintaining  and  creating  jobs  and  for  the  proper 
governance of the sea and coasts. 

Priorities: 

1.1 Cooperation between coastguards 

At present there are several initiatives developing maritime security and safety, but assets are 
deployed  at  different  levels  or  by  different  partners  in  the  western  Mediterranean  region. 
Progress  has  been  made  to  facilitate  voluntary  data  exchange,  but  cooperation  between 
coastguards  across  the  two  shores  remains  limited  and  the  real-time  response  to  emergency 
situations at sea still needs to be improved. 

Actions: 

 

Increase  cooperation  between  coastguards  across  the  two  shores  of  the  western 
Mediterranean region through actions such as networks among training centres, joint 
training and staff exchanges. 

  Support capacity building in areas such as illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, 
vessel traffic service, maritime search and rescue, fight against smuggling of migrants 
and other illicit trafficking at sea (including through the further development of the 
Seahorse Mediterranean Network). 

Potential  funding  sources:  European  Maritime  and  Fisheries  Fund  (EMFF),  European 
Neighbourhood  Instrument  (ENI),  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF), 
Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) 

22   The Framework for Action will be regularly revised and updated as new needs emerge. 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
1.2 Maritime safety and response to marine pollution 

Maritime  data  sharing  needs  to  be  optimised  across  the  two  shores  of  the  western 
Mediterranean  region  in  order  to  improve  situational  awareness,  ensure  national  funding  is 
used effectively and improve cooperation on cross-border operations. Some partner countries 
share environmental data through EMSA/SAFEMED, while bottlenecks prevent their access 
to SafeSeaNet. 

Actions: 

their 

  Encourage  data  sharing  on  maritime  traffic  by  giving  southern  countries  support  to 
improve 
Identification  System/Vessel  Traffic 
Monitoring  and  Information  System)  and  help  them  access  existing  platforms 
(SafeSeaNet  and  Marine  Pollution  Common  Emergency  Communication  and 
Information System). 

infrastructure 

(Automatic 

  Enhance capacity (planning, preparedness and tools) to respond to and counter marine 

pollution from accidents. 

Potential funding sources: ENI, ERDF, EU Horizon 2020, National Funds 

Targets for goal 1 

  Full coverage of Automatic Identification System by 2018 aiming to share more maritime 

traffic monitoring data at regional level; 

  Border  surveillance  strengthened  by  involving  neighbourhood  countries  in  the  Seahorse 

Mediterranean Network by 2018. 

3.2 Goal 2 — A smart and resilient blue economy 

Innovation and knowledge sharing are key to addressing the generational change in the labour 
market  and  making  the  region  more  sustainable,  competitive  and  resilient  to  cyclical  crisis 
and  shocks.  This  goal  largely  builds  on  existing  initiatives  such  as  BLUEMED23  and  its 
Strategic  Research  and  Innovation  Agenda,  and  encourages  partner  countries  to  be  better 
involved. 

Priorities: 

2.1 Strategic research and innovation 

Partners  and  stakeholders  from  the  southern  shore  of  the  western  Mediterranean  will  be 
invited to join the BLUEMED Initiative to create economies of scale and foster partnerships 
between research and industry across the two shores. 

23  A research and innovation initiative for blue jobs and growth in the Mediterranean area, jointly developed by 

Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Actions: 

  Promote  bio-based  innovative  industries  and  services,  including  food  ingredients, 

pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, materials and energy. 

  Develop  new  technologies  for  ocean  observation  and  monitoring,  including  of  deep-

water and seafloor biological and other resources. 

  Develop new concepts and protocols by private companies and maritime operators to 
maximise the use of infrastructure, ships and platforms for scientific, environmental, 
safety and security purposes. 

  Develop  tailor-made  solutions  and  new  technologies  to  harness  marine  renewable 

energies and to mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

  Develop capacity building for knowledge and technology transfer. 
 

Potential  funding  sources:  EU  Horizon  2020,  National  funds,  EMFF,  ERDF,  ENI,  LIFE, 
Green Climate Fund 

2.2 Maritime clusters development 

Maritime clusters clearly contribute to creating innovation, jobs and growth. They play a key 
role  in  generating  the  critical  mass  for  economic  activities  that  do  not  currently  appeal  to 
private investors. 

Actions: 

  Support the development of medium, small and micro enterprises in the blue economy 
(through national maritime clusters, incubators, boosters, business angel services and 
tailor-made financial vehicles). 

  Foster an effective network of maritime clusters across the region. 
  Establish regional clusters on renewable energy, wellbeing and active ageing, based on 

marine and maritime resources and technologies. 

Potential funding sources: EMFF, COSME, ENI, ERDF, National funds, European Fund for 
Strategic Investments (EFSI), European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD) 

2.3 Skills development and circulation 

Maritime  training  and  education  institutions  have  identified  a  number  of  possible  ways  to 
address the current mismatch between supply and demand of maritime skills and to increase 
cooperation. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Actions: 

  Foster  the  development  of  innovative  maritime  skills  through  a  range  of  strategic 

actions to match demand and supply. 

  Promote networking and exchanges between maritime, port and logistics institutes and 

academies. 

  Raise awareness of maritime professions and their appeal to young people. 
  Match  supply  and  demand  for  jobs  in  multimodal  freight  transport  services,  supply 

chains and infrastructure. 

  Harmonise  existing  skills  and  functions  for  managing  migration  issues  across  the 

region and promote more effective circular migration. 

Potential  funding  sources:  EMFF,  Blue  Growth  Initiative  —  FAO,  European  Social  Fund 
(ESF), ENI, ERASMUS+, Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), National funds 

2.4 Sustainable  consumption  and  production  (maritime  transport,  ports,  maritime  and 

costal tourism, marine aquaculture) 

Maritime and land-based activities, along with the progressive urbanisation of the coastline, 
exert pressure on the marine and coastal ecosystems of the sub-basin and can affect the long-
term  sustainability  of  sectors  such  as  marine  aquaculture  and  maritime  and  coastal  tourism. 
This  priority  will  encourage  the  implementation  of  the  Action  Plan  for  Sustainable 
Consumption and Production in the region and a shift towards smarter and greener mobility, 
sustainable tourism and sustainable aquaculture practices. 

Actions: 

 

Implement sustainable consumption and production models and practices; support the 
use of clean energy sources for seawater desalination; promote energy efficiency and 
adaptation to climate change in coastal cities. 

  Promote  green  shipping  and  port  infrastructure  for  alternative  fuels;  optimise  port 
infrastructure,  interfaces  and  procedures/operations;  further  develop  the  Trans 
European  Network  for  Transport  and  motorways  of  the  sea  and  related  port 
connections. 

  Develop new theme-based tourist products and services including: 

-  natural,  cultural  and  historical  itineraries,  nautical  and  cruise  tourism, 

sustainable marinas, pesca-tourism and recreational fishing; 

-  building eco-friendly artificial reefs; 

- 

linking up sea and inland attractors (food, culture, sports, etc.). 

  Develop  common  technical  standards  for  sustainable  marine  aquaculture  across 

countries, diversify the sector and build capacity. 

Potential  funding  sources:  EMFF,  COSME,  CEF,  LIFE,  ENI,  ERDF,  EU  Horizon  2020, 
National  funds,  Blue  Growth  Initiative  —  FAO,  European  Investment  Project  Portal,  EFSI, 
EFSD 

10 

 
 
 
Targets for goal 2 

-  Western Mediterranean countries included in the BLUEMED Initiative and in its Strategic 

Research Agenda by 2017; 

-  25 % increase in certified eco-ports and marinas by 2022; 

-  20 % increase in sustainable aquaculture production value by 2022; 

-  20 % increase in off-season tourist arrivals by 2022. 

3.3 Goal 3 — Better governance of the sea 

Achieving  healthy  marine  and  coastal  ecosystems  while  promoting  socioeconomic 
development  requires  a  solid  institutional,  legal  and  technical  framework  that  can  balance 
competing demands for limited natural resources and space. 

Priorities: 

3.1 Spatial planning and coastal management 

Consistency will be sought in the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and 
Marine Strategy Framework Directives and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) 
protocol. 

Actions: 

 

 

Improve the management of maritime and coastal areas by local actors and ensure an 
appropriate  and  coordinated  implementation  of  the  MSP  Directive  and  the  ICZM 
protocol, including an ecosystem-based approach. 
Improve  knowledge  of  land-sea  interactions  and  develop  eco-friendly  engineering 
solutions for the good environmental status of seas and coasts. 

  Develop  tools  to  select  appropriate  sites  for  offshore  installations  and  to  fulfil  the 

energy and environmental requirements of the region. 

Potential funding sources: EMFF, ERDF, ENI, EU Horizon 2020, National funds 

3.2 Marine and maritime knowledge 

Evidence-based policy making requires harmonised and up-to-date marine and maritime data 
on areas such as investments, gross value added, employment, waste production and disposal, 
bathymetry,  water  quality  and  environmental  monitoring.  Necessary  data  are  often  either 
unavailable or available only to some countries. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actions: 

  Promote  data  collection,  maintenance  and  storage  through  the  existing  instruments, 
databases and projects (notably the European Marine Observation and Data Network 
-  EMODNET,  the  Virtual  Knowledge  Centre  that  is  managed  by  the  Union  for  the 
Mediterranean Secretariat and Horizon 2020 projects) and expand their geographical 
and thematic scope across the region. 

  Maintain and update information on erosion phenomena and coastal risks; harmonise 
and expand the coastline monitoring systems at sub-basin scale, and develop common 
tools to assess the impacts of human activities. 

  Develop unmanned autonomous vehicles and related underwater infrastructure. 
  Build capacity on maritime affairs. 

Potential  funding  sources:  EMFF,  ENI,  ERDF,  LIFE,  EU  Horizon  2020,  National  Funds, 
Green Climate Fund 

3.3 Biodiversity and marine habitat conservation 

The region’s biodiversity is threatened by pollution, eutrophication, the destruction of marine 
and  coastal  habitats,  disruption  of  wildlife  migratory  routes,  changes  in  coastal  dynamics, 
marine  litter  and  noise.  Countries  will  be  supported  in  their  efforts  to  meet  agreed 
international  commitments  such  as  the  Barcelona  Convention,  including  its  Marine  Litter 
Regional Plan in the Mediterranean and the Convention on Biodiversity. 

Actions: 

  Assess  the  atmosphere-land-sea  pressures  and  the  risks  for  both  ecosystems  and 

human health. 

  Help  to  establish  and  manage  marine  protected  areas,  reduce  marine  litter,  manage 

ballast water and monitor acoustic pollution. 

  Reinforce  the  local  ability  to  identify  invasive  alien  species  and  routes  of  invasion 

and the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. 

  Support  awareness  campaigns  on  marine  environment  and  biodiversity  and 

environmental volunteering across the region. 

Potential funding sources: LIFE, ERDF, ENI, EMFF, EU Horizon 2020, National Funds 

3.4 Sustainable fisheries and coastal community development 

Actions are currently fragmented across the two shores, so greater regional coordination and 
cooperation will be pursued through the implementation of the General Fisheries Commission 
for  the  Mediterranean  mid-term  strategy  (2017-2020)  towards  the  sustainability  of 
Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries. This will also ensure that the common fisheries policy 
is implemented more consistently at sub-basin level. 

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Actions: 

  Foster  the  sustainable  development  of  small-scale  fisheries  and  coastal  communities 
by increasing the region’s ability to manage fish stocks through multiannual fisheries 
plans, technical measures, area closures and other specific conservation measures. 
  Boost  the  region’s  ability  to  ensure  proper  data  collection,  regular  scientific 

assessments and an adequate legal framework for control and inspection. 

  Establish  local  technical  groups  to  analyse  specific  opportunities  and  threats  and 

define joint measures and intervention techniques. 

  Disseminate  best  practices  for  the  marketing  of  fisheries  products,  increase  their 
added  value  and  diversify  economic  activities  in  coastal  communities  (also  through 
bottom-up approaches such as the Community-Led Local Development). 

Potential funding sources: EMFF, ENI, Blue Growth Initiative — FAO, GFCM. 

Targets for goal 3 

-  100 % of the waters under national jurisdiction and 100 % of coastlines to be covered by 
Maritime  Spatial  Planning  and  Integrated  Coastal  Management  and  their  implementing 
mechanisms by 2021; 

-  At least 10 % of the coastal and marine areas to be covered by marine protected areas and 

other effective area-based conservation measures by 2020; 

-  20 % reduction in marine litter on beaches by 2024; 

-  Southern Mediterranean countries to be included in EMODNET by 2020; 

-  All States equipped with adequate legal framework and human and technical capabilities 
to  meet  their  fisheries  control  and  inspection  responsibilities  as  flag,  coastal  and  port 
States by 2020; 

-  100 %  of  key  Mediterranean  stocks24  to  be  subject  to  adequate  data  collection, 
scientifically  assessed  on  a  regular  basis  and  managed  through  a  multiannual  fisheries 
plan by 2020. 

4. GOVERNANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION 

4.1 Coordination 

Political coordination will be provided through the existing mechanisms and processes of the 
Union for the Mediterranean, including senior officers’ and ministerial meetings. Operational 
coordination  will  be  ensured  through  a  WestMED  Task  Force  linked  to  the  Union  for  the 
Mediterranean  Working  Group  on  the  Blue  Economy  and  will  include  national  focal  points 
from the relevant ministries, the European Commission and the Union for the Mediterranean 
Secretariat.  Representatives  of  existing  Mediterranean  regional  organisations  could  be  also 
invited to join the Task Force. 

24  http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/faoweb/GFCM/News/Mid-term_strategy-e.pdf. 

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4.2 Implementation and reporting 

For the Initiative to work, a number of key conditions must be met: 

-  ministerial endorsement to acknowledge that the Initiative cuts across policies, ministries 
and  levels  of  government.  The  countries  shall  set  priorities,  take  ownership  and 
responsibility, align policies and funds at country level and provide the decision  makers 
and  those  implementing  the  policies  with  the  appropriate  powers  and  resources  at  all 
administrative levels; 

- 

the Commission shall ensure a strategic approach at EU level, including coordination with 
existing EU-related initiatives; 

-  governments  shall  monitor,  report  to  the  Task  Force  and  evaluate  national  progress  and 

provide guidance for implementation; 

- 

- 

- 

coordination with the work of existing regional organisations shall be ensured through the 
Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat; 

the key stakeholders shall be involved: national, regional and local authorities, including 
managing  authorities,  economic  and  social  actors,  citizens,  academia  and  non-
governmental  organisations.  Public  events  will  also  promote  this  involvement  (for 
example annual forums, business to business and investors pitch/speed-funding events); 

a  dedicated  assistance  mechanism  shall  provide  support  upfront  to  countries  and  to  the 
Task  Force;  support  should  also  include  the  involvement  of  and  partnering  between 
stakeholders  and  the  collection  of  any  data  needed  to  establish  baselines,  monitor  and 
report on progress. 

5. LINKS WITH EU POLICIES 

Instead  of  creating  new  legislation,  this  Initiative  aims  to  achieve  the  Union’s  goals  (the 
priorities on ‘Jobs, growth and Investment’, ‘Energy Union and climate change’, ‘Migration’ 
and  ‘A  stronger  global  actor’)  by  strengthening  the  policies  relevant  to  the  region  and 
fostering compliance with EU law. 

The  emphasis  is  on  a  better  coordination  between  the  funding  instruments  and  on  a  truly 
integrated approach that ties together different policy strands and strongly interconnects EU 
policies and initiatives such as the maritime policy, the common fisheries policy, the cohesion 
policy, environment and marine and coastal policies, the global strategy for EU's foreign and 
security policy, the border and coastguard package, the strategies on Blue Growth, Maritime 
Security, MEDFISH 4EVER, biodiversity, adaptation to climate change, the 7th Environment 
Action  Programme,  the  R&D  framework  programmes  and  the  Communications  on  ‘A 
Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the Southern Mediterranean’25 and on 
‘International Ocean Governance’.26 

25  COM(2011) 200. 
26  JOIN(2016) 49. 

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6. WIDER LINKS 

Coordination  is  needed  with  Mediterranean-wide  programmes27  and  initiatives  and  with  the 
adjoining  Atlantic  Action  Plan  and  the  EU  Strategy  for  the  Adriatic  and  Ionian  Region,  as 
well  as  with  the  BLUEMED  and  PRIMA28  Initiatives.  The  INTERACT  programme  can 
provide assistance in this respect within the limit of its competence. 

The Initiative must also be consistent with existing legislation. Synergies must be sought with 
the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean  process,  the  5+5 Dialogue,  the  Regional  Transport  Action 
Plan for the Mediterranean Region, the Trans-Mediterranean Transport Network, and broader 
frameworks  such  as  those  provided  by  the  Barcelona  Convention  and  the  General  Fisheries 
Commission for the Mediterranean. 

By showcasing sustainable ideas and creating jobs and growth, the projects supported by the 
Initiative could spread to other parts of the Mediterranean, making the Initiative a gateway for 
sustainable growth in the basin. 

7. CONCLUSION 

The  Commission  invites  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  to  endorse  this 
Communication.  The  Commission  also  invites  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  and  the 
European Economic and Social Committee to provide Opinions on this Initiative. 

The  Commission  will  report  on  the  implementation  of  this  Initiative  to  the  Council  and  the 
European Parliament by 2022 based on countries' reporting. 

27  For  examples:  Mediterranean  Programme  and  European  Neighbourhood  Instrument  Cross-Border 

Cooperation Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme. 

28  Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area. 

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