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# 52012DC0713

**COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Maritime Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Seas /\* COM/2012/0713 final \*/**

  

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

A Maritime Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Seas

Located centrally in the northern
Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the contiguous Ionian Seas constitute an
important maritime and marine area in Europe. The prospect of EU accession
means that there will be a continuing increase in the free movement of people,
goods and services. Climate change and its impacts are posing an increasing
threat for coastal areas. Coastal countries still have uneven levels of
experience, technical capacity, financial resources and know-how to ensure the sustainable
development of their marine and coastal areas.

Seas, islands and coastal regions are complex and interconnected systems. It is thus no surprise that
the countries of the Adriatic and Ionian area have decided to step up their
cooperation starting from the sea, their main common natural asset.

INTRODUCTION

(1)
Objectives

This Communication assesses the needs and
potential of sea-related activities in the Adriatic and Ionian area, and sets
out a framework to move towards a coherent maritime strategy and corresponding
Action Plan by 2013. Should the EU Member States decide to ask the Commission
to prepare an EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region, this maritime
strategy might constitute the first component of such an EU macro-regional
strategy covering additional fields.

The
strategy will define viable actions and joint
initiatives addressing challenges and opportunities with a cross-border dimension
that can be solved only by common engagement. It will utilise the existing resources,
legislation and structures to foster cross-border partnerships and prioritise objectives around
which local, regional and national actors can be mobilized to turn the
priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy into targeted actions.

Thanks
to smart management, implementation of this strategy can act as an economic
driver without needing any extra money. It will also
help in better formulating project applications and coordinating their financing
and delivery, particularly with a view to more effective spending under the new
financial framework 2014-2020. Maritime projects can be financed under various
EU programmes and financial instruments, while respecting the competences of
Member States which are eligible for support. These include the ERDF, CF, ESF,
EFF[1] and other funding programmes
and instruments, both existing (such as FP7[2]
and LIFE+[3])
and future (such as the Connecting Europe Facility and the EMFF[4]). Furthermore, IPA[5] funds need to be mobilised in
order to involve candidate and potential candidate countries in future actions.
There are also other potential sources of funding, such as International
Financial Institutions, including through the Western Balkan Investment
Framework (WBIF), national, regional and local resources as well as private
investors. Attention should be paid to combining all them efficiently within the
strategic framework. Attention will also be given to competition rules if the
funding of a particular project can be considered as State aid.

It will lay the foundations
for growth by supporting long term sustainable and responsible fishing
activities, good environmental status of the marine environment and a safer and
more secure maritime space. It will also help address horizontal issues, such
as efficient adaptation to the impact of climate change. This will foster
smart, sustainable and inclusive growth of the maritime economy thus
contributing to achieving the targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy.[6]

(2)
Geographical scope

The Adriatic and Ionian[7] Seas link the territories of
seven countries: three EU Member States (Greece, Italy and Slovenia), one acceding country (Croatia), one candidate country (Montenegro) and two potential
candidate countries (Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina). Serbia, also a candidate country, is one of the eight members of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative.[8] Other countries in the area
also have a political and economic interest in maritime activities in the
Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and can thus be involved in specific activities on a
case-by-case basis.

(3)
Context

There is already extensive cooperation
between the coastal states of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, stemming partly
from European programmes, such as the IPA Cross-border Cooperation Adriatic
Programme and future programmes covering the area, and partly from other initiatives, such as the Adriatic Ionian
Initiative.

This Communication provides a framework to
adapt the Integrated Maritime Policy to the needs and potential of the natural
resources and socio-economic fabric of the Adriatic and Ionian marine and
coastal areas. In its Conclusions on the Integrated
Maritime Policy of December 2011, the Council expressed support for the ‘on-going
work of Adriatic and Ionian Member States to enhance maritime cooperation with
non-EU neighbours in the area within the framework of a macro regional strategy’. As highlighted in the ‘Limassol Declaration’[9], sea-basin cooperation is a
milestone in the development and implementation of the EU's Integrated Maritime
Policy. The experience acquired in the Baltic Sea[10], in the Danube[11] and in the Atlantic Sea[12] can provide useful examples
and lessons learnt. The ideas presented below have been confirmed by three
stakeholder workshops organised during 2012 in Greece, Italy and Slovenia.

SETTING AN AGENDA FOR SMART, SUSTAINABLE
AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH FROM THE SEA

PILLAR 1: Maximising the potential of the
blue economy

In the Communication on 'Blue
Growth: Opportunities for Marine and Maritime Sustainable Growth'[13], the
Commission provides a picture of Europe's blue economy. To harness economic
growth from the sea, countries need to put in place the right conditions for
innovation and competitiveness and to concentrate on areas of comparative
advantage.

1.1 Setting
the conditions for innovation and competitiveness

A number of drivers for
growth and bottlenecks need to be addressed to achieve the growth potential of
marine and maritime sectors. These include administrative simplification and
harmonisation, skills needs, research, development and innovation, maritime
clusters, smart and climate-proofed infrastructure and a qualified and mobile
workforce. Proper conditions for their development will help crucial sectors
for the area – such as shipbuilding, the boating industry and logistics –
to strengthen their competitive leverage and kick-starting new business
opportunities. In the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Ditenave provides a good
example of a maritime cluster bringing together high-tech industry,
universities and regional authorities.

The increased economic use of the marine and
coastal space might intensify the competition for space. Maritime Spatial
Planning (MSP) is a key element to achieve the kind of decision-making that
balances sectorial interests competing for marine space. Similarly, Integrated
Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) helps tackle increasing pressure on coastal
zones. The Priority Action Plan of UNEP/MAP[14] plays an important role in
supporting ICZM by Mediterranean countries, implementing the ICZM Protocol of
the Barcelona Convention.

In the light of the above, the following issues provide examples of
priority areas to develop:

·
Enhancing administrative cooperation to simplify
and harmonise formalities for shipping, as provided in the EU acquis;

·
Stimulating the creation of maritime clusters
and research networks as well as the formulation of a research strategy to spur
innovation;

·
Increasing the mobility and qualification of the
workforce, including transparency of qualifications;

·
Developing MSP and ICZM at
both at national and cross-border level, on the basis of the eco-system
approach and making the best use of results of key EU research projects on
Marine Protected Areas.[15]

1.2
Relevant marine and maritime sectors

1.2.1 Maritime transport

Given
their position both on the east-west and north-south axes of Europe, the
Adriatic and Ionian Seas constitute an important maritime transport route.
Several central European and landlocked countries depend heavily on the northern
Adriatic ports for their imports. Five Northern Adriatic ports (Koper, Ravenna, Rijeka, Venice, Trieste) have gathered within the logistical platform of the
North Adriatic Port Association (NAPA). The competitiveness of Adriatic and Ionian ports, as has been identified in the ongoing development of the EU's
ports strategy with relevant proposals planned for the first part of 2013, depends
between others on:

·
Their capacity to
enhance intermodality by integrating
seaborne and land transport. The Baltic-Adriatic and Mediterranean transport
corridors foreseen in the Connecting Europe Facility will tackle the lack of railways
and motorway connections;

·
Efficient and environmentally friendly
operations.

Ports play a crucial
role in ensuring territorial continuity and social cohesion. However, sea
connections for freight and passengers among Adriatic and Ionian countries are
rarely the preferred choice. Given the large number of countries and towns
around the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and the relatively short distances between
them by sea, the potential for development of short sea shipping is strong. The
Adriatic Motorway of the Sea[16] exemplifies efforts to provide a viable and, reliable transport
service through a trans-European multimodal transport system. Cross-border ferry connectivity is particularly important given the
high number of islands off the Croatian and Greek coasts.

In light of the above, the following issues provide examples of potential
priority areas to develop in the planned ports strategy and the future TEN-T
actions:

·
Optimising interfaces, procedures and
infrastructure to facilitate trade with southern, central and eastern Europe;

·
Optimising the connections by developing an
integrated, demand-based, low-carbon maritime transportation network across the
region, paying particular attention to island connectivity;

·
Increasing long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

Concrete
options to be considered could be improving connectivity of ports with their
hinterlands and ensuring the rapid implementation of the maritime transport
space without barriers (reducing administrative burden for intra-EU sea
exchanges in the region or promoting the efficiency and quality of port
services in the region).

1.2.2 Coastal and maritime tourism

Tourism is economically significant as one of the main and fast-growing maritime activities. It strongly benefits the regional economy by creating jobs and
promoting the conservation of coastal and maritime cultural heritage. A common
trademark, "AdrIon", has been developed by the Forum of Adriatic and
Ionian Chambers of Commerce. Proper management of intensive coastal tourism is
fundamental in order to mitigate possible negative effects on the coastal and
marine environment on which it strongly depends. For example, the capacity of waste
or wastewater treatment plants needs to be adapted, to avoid discharging it
directly into the sea.

In the cruise sector, the Adriatic and Ionian
area is already seeing rapid growth. Venice and Dubrovnik rank among the
10 main cruise passenger ports in Europe. Increasing segmentation of the market
and new business models are opening up new opportunities for various ports.

Finally, cultural and archaeological heritage
in the coastal area and seabed constitutes an important element both in term of
tourism development and common identity.

In
the light of the above, the following issues provide examples of priority areas
to develop:

·
Supporting the sustainable development of
coastal and maritime tourism, encouraging innovation and common marketing
strategies and products;

·
Guaranteeing the sustainability of the sector by
limiting its environmental footprint, taking into consideration the impacts of
a changing climate;

·
Promoting the sustainable development of cruise
tourism;

·
Enhancing the value and appreciation of cultural
heritage.

Concrete options
to be considered could be enhancing common branding for the touristic promotion
of the region, in line with the work started by the Adriatic and Ionian
Chambers of Commerce, and identifying new business models in the cruise sector.

1.2.3 Aquaculture

The aquaculture
sector represents in the EU roughly 80.000 direct jobs, a vital source of
income in numerous EU coastal areas. Italy and Greece are amongst the first
producer countries in the whole Mediterranean for farmed fish, producing over 284,000
tonnes per year.

The development of a strong, high-quality European
aquaculture sector that is environmentally and economically sustainable has the
potential to contribute to the creation of jobs and to the supply of healthy
food products. Aquaculture can also alleviate fishing pressure and thus help to
preserve fish stocks. The mitigation of negative
impacts is duly taken into account by the body of the EU environmental
legislation.

A number of barriers prevent the development
of the full potential of EU aquaculture: limited access to space and licensing;
industry fragmentation; limited access to seed capital or loans for innovation;
time-consuming administrative procedures and red tape. In full respect of the
subsidiarity principle, the Common Fisheries Policy reform proposes to promote
aquaculture through a coordinated approach based on non-binding strategic
guidelines and common priorities and exchange of best practices through the
open method of coordination. In the light of the above,
the following issues provide examples of priority areas to develop:

·
Creating new jobs and business opportunities
through further research and innovation;

·
In line with the principles of MSP, working on
tools to properly site aquaculture in waters, including tools to identify
activities for potential co-location with other economic activities.

Concrete options to be considered could be cooperating
to reduce administrative burden and optimising spatial planning through
exchange of best practices.

PILLAR 2: Healthier marine
environment

The Adriatic and Ionian coastal
and marine environment host a high diversity of habitats and species. Posidonia meadows and
various marine mammals can be found in both seas.[17]

The combined action of high anthropogenic pressure
and topographic characteristics make these habitats highly susceptible to
pollution. Cooperation between coastal states takes
place within the regulatory frameworks of the Marine Strategy Framework
Directive, the Barcelona Convention and its protocols as well as the Joint
Commission for the Protection of the Adriatic Sea and its Coastal Areas.

A significant impact on the Adriatic Sea
comes from river runoff. Roughly one-third of the Mediterranean's continental
water flows into the northern and central Adriatic Sea. Resulting
eutrophication is one of the main threats to this area.[18]
Implementing the provisions of the Water Framework Directive is thus relevant
to achieving good environmental status of the marine environment.

Besides representing an aesthetic problem,
marine litter often poses significant risks to marine life. The major sources
of the litter are land-based activities: household waste, releases from
touristic facilities and run-off from waste dumps.

The area is also characterised by intensive
maritime transport, which implies ships and port emissions, risks of accidents and
the introduction of invasive alien species through
ballast water discharges. In
2005 Croatia, Italy and Slovenia signed an agreement on a Sub-Regional
Contingency Plan[19] setting a legal and operational framework for preventing and
combatting marine pollution incidents.

In the light of the above, the following issues provide examples of
priority areas to develop in the respective EU policies:

·
Ensuring good environmental and ecological status
of the marine and coastal environment by 2020 in line with the relevant EU acquis
and the Ecosystem Approach of the Barcelona Convention;

·
Preserving biodiversity, ecosystems and their services
by implementing the European ecological network Natura 2000 and managing it,
considering also related work within the Barcelona Convention;

·
Reducing marine litter, including through better
waste management in coastal areas;

·
Continuing improving sub-regional cooperation and
monitoring the existing mechanisms, particularly those set up by EMSA as
regards prevention, preparedness and coordinated response to major oil spills
and exploring how to make better use of available EU resources.

Concrete options to be considered could be exchanging
best practices among managing authorities of Marine Protected Areas aiming to
preserve biodiversity, building on the work of the Adriatic Protected Areas
Network (AdriaPAN), as well as implementing the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan, possibly
extending it to other Adriatic and Ionian countries.

PILLAR 3: A safer and more secure maritime
space

Human and environmental health, safety and
security challenges are not limited to the maritime borders of one single
country. The aim should be a synergetic regional response, with harmonised
implementation of the existing EU and international rules and exploitation of
new technologies.

There is a need for some third countries in
the region to improve their performance as flag states and their ranking in the
performance list of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on port state
control. Rigorous implementation of the EU and international
rules will eventually contribute to the development of quality shipping in the
region, result in a level playing field, encourage mobility and progressively
prepare candidate and potential candidate countries for accession to the EU. The establishment of a culture of compliance with existing EU and international
rules shall be pursued.

There are also more passenger
ships' crossings per year compared to other regions, while oil and gas
transportation is increasing. Beyond commercial maritime traffic, the Adriatic and Ionian seas are used by criminal networks engaged in irregular migration and
other illegal activities. The capabilities of public authorities to monitor
maritime traffic, respond to emergencies, save human lives, restore the marine
environment, control fisheries activities, and cope with security threats and
illegal activities shall be enhanced.

The following issues
provide examples of priority areas to be developed particularly in the
neighbouring countries in the region, taking into account ongoing actions in
the framework of the EU acquis and in coherence with the national institutional frameworks involved:

·
Improving the culture of compliance in flag and port state control, liability and insurance of shipping,
ship sanitation and control of communicable diseases on ships, accident
investigation and port security;

·
Enhancing cooperation between national or
regional maritime authorities with the EU, establishing mechanisms to enable
maritime traffic information exchange between national VTMIS[20] systems through SafeSeaNet;

·
Supporting the development of decision support
systems, accident response capacities, and contingency plans;

·
Ensuring adequate
sources of information for crews and navigators, such as bathymetry, sea-bed
mapping and hydrographical surveys, and incorporating this information into
electronic nautical charts (e-navigation), especially for use by passenger
ships.

A concrete option to be considered in order to achieve these
objectives, as emerged during the first round of stakeholder consultations,
could be upgrading the existing ADRIREP[21] system and integrating it with SafeSeaNet.

PILLAR 4: Sustainable and
responsible fishing activities

The strategy should enhance efforts towards
long-term sustainable and responsible fisheries so that fishing activities can
continue to provide an economic resource for coastal areas.

Firstly, effective
implementation of the principles of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) should be
sought. The CFP advocates the promotion of a bottom up approach to fisheries
management. Common principles and tools for marine protected areas of fishery
interest[22] including the adoption of measures for the protection of sensitive
habitats and certain species (e.g. turtles, dolphins), would also be beneficial
for this area.

There is already cooperation
on the commercial aspects of fisheries among administrative bodies and producer
organizations in Croatia, Italy and Slovenia leading for example to the establishment
of the Socio-Economic Observatory for Fishing and Aquaculture in the North Adriatic. Its scope could be extended to develop market intelligence and services to
ensure better traceability and allow for marketing of products.

In the field of control,
monitoring and surveillance, the culture of compliance needs to increase and the
transfer of information facilitated, based on the exchange of expertise and
best practices and the further development of common operational initiatives.
The upgrade of all the proper operational tools (systems, equipment and other
resources) should also be investigated.

There is already cooperation
on scientific issues and fisheries management within the multilateral framework
of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and FAO regional
projects (Adriamed and Eastmed).
These projects need to be reinforced by increasing participation of all
subscribing countries. In parallel, further scientific cooperation between the
region's countries could be promoted to better link scientific research with
the needs of fisheries and aquaculture.

In the light of the above, the following
issues provide examples of priority areas to develop:

·
Achieving the sustainable management of
fisheries, including the development of multiannual plans and measures such as
Marine Protected Areas in their wider sense;

·
Contributing to the profitability and
sustainability of fisheries, by strengthening stakeholders' involvement in
fisheries management and other actions;

·
Improving the culture of compliance, saving
resources, facilitating the transfer of information and enhancing cooperation
for the control of fishing activities;

·
Developing scientific cooperation on fisheries.

Concrete options to be
considered might be developing market intelligence and services to ensure that
marketing of fisheries and aquaculture products in the region is clear,
efficient and fully compliant with applicable rules, as well as exchanging
socio-economic data in the fishing sector.

NEXT STEPS: TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN

The maritime strategy for
the Adriatic and Ionian Seas will be spelled out in detail in an Action Plan due
in the second half of 2013, respecting the ongoing and planned actions of
relevant EU policies. Based on the pillars identified in this Communication, it
will include priority areas and actions recommended for support in order to
respond to the challenges and opportunities set out above. It will also set
clear targets in line with those for the Europe 2020 strategy. Such actions
will be undertaken by stakeholders in the region with whom the Commission will
work, including governments and agencies, regions, municipalities, business
actors, researchers and international and non-governmental organisations.

The Commission will work
with these stakeholders and other institutions, programming bodies and
intergovernmental organisations active in the region, to align, where
appropriate, their activities with the objectives of the strategy and to identify
co-ordinating bodies for the envisaged actions and projects.

The governance of the strategy
should be defined with a view to establish, monitor and implement its Action
Plan in the most coherent way.

CONCLUSIONS

The Commission is
convinced that this framework will support all countries in delivering on the
Europe 2020 objectives with regard to their maritime assets, their potential
and sustainable use. It will promote European integration and territorial
cooperation in a flexible and inclusive way, while respecting the subsidiarity
principle. The European Commission would like to know if the priority areas
identified cover the main issues at stake, for which further cooperation can
make a difference. The European Commission would also be interested in ideas
for an effective and flexible governance set-up to accompany the Strategy and
Action Plan and to put actions into practice. It therefore invites the Council,
the European Parliament, the Committee of the Region and the European Economic
and Social Committee to examine and endorse this Communication.

[1]                      European
Regional Development Funds, Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund, European
Fisheries Fund.

[2]                      The future
Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon 2020).

[3]                      The Financial
Instrument for the Environment.

[4]                      European
Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

[5]                      Instrument
for Pre-Accession Assistance.

[6]                      COM(2010)
2020 final.

[7]                      For the scope
of this work we refer to the International Hydrographic Organisation definition
that indicates the southern limit of the Ionian as the line from Cape Tenaron
to Capo Passero.

[8]                      The AII is an
initiative for regional cooperation launched by the Ancona Declaration in 2000.
Serbia became an AII member succeeding to the State Union of Serbia and
Montenegro.

[9]                      Declaration
of the European Ministers responsible for the Integrated Maritime Policy and
the European Commission on a Marine and Maritime Agenda for growth and jobs
adopted on 8 October 2012.

[10]                    COM(2009) 248
final and COM(2012) 128 final.

[11]                    COM(2010) 715
final.

[12]                    COM(2011) 782
final.

[13]                    COM(2012) 494
final, 13 September 2012.

[14]                    The
Coordinating Unit of UNEP/MAP is the body charged with the implementation of
the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and Coastal Region
of the Mediterranean.

[15]                    e.g. FP7-OCEAN
project COCONET.

[16]                    ADRIAMOS.

[17]                    Initial
integrated Assessment of the Mediterranean Sea fulfilling step 3 of the
ecosystem approach process.

[18]                    Idem.

[19]                    Sub-Regional
Contingency Plan for Prevention of, Preparedness for and Response to Major
Marine Pollution Incidents in the Adriatic Sea.

[20]                    Vessel Traffic
Management Information System.

[21]                    Adriatic
Traffic Reporting System.

[22]                    Such as fishing
protected areas under Art. 19 of the Mediterranean Regulation, fisheries
restricted areas under the GFCM framework and Specially Protected Areas of
Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs) under the Barcelona Convention.

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