Download European Community Shipowners` Associations D. 3567/10 SF

European Community Shipowners' Associations
D. 3567/10
SF
SUMMARY REPORT ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COUNCIL AND
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OF THE INTEGRATED MARITIME POLICY (IMP)
COUNCIL
On 14 June, the General Affairs Council adopted a set of conclusions on Integrated
Maritime Policy (IMP) acknowledging the recent developments since November
2009; and confirming the validity of the integrated approach to maritime affairs with
particular attention to coastal regions and the protection of biodiversity and the
marine environment.
Reference is made to the following key points:
 Europe 2020- The Council welcomes the Commission communication " A
European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth", and calls on
the Commission to pursue its work on the future sources of sustainable
growth and development of coastal regions and to identify the untapped future
potential of cutting-edge marine and maritime technologies, resources and
services as drivers for new innovations, competitiveness and, ultimately,
growth and jobs;
 Strategic approaches to regional sea basins-The Council calls on the
Commission to present an EU integrated strategy for the Atlantic Region by
June 2011, intended to address common challenges faced by the countries of
the region, including marine research, maritime surveillance, environmental
and economic challenges. Furthermore, the Council invites the Commission to
continue working on the integration of maritime policies in the Mediterranean
along the line of its Communication of 11 September 2009; and to promote a
close cooperation between Member States and non-EU Mediterranean
coastal States taking into account the (UNCLOS) and the relevant existing
international conventions, based on UNCLOS;
 Piracy- The Council reaffirms the high importance to continue pursuing the
actions to ensure freedom, safety and security of maritime activities and to
sustain the international efforts to combat piracy and armed robbery, namely
in the framework of Atalanta, and to address the root causes of piracy;
 Security Strategy for the global maritime domain - The Council recalled its
conclusions inviting the High Representative, together with the Commission
and the Member States, to undertake work with a view to preparing options for
the possible elaboration of a Security Strategy for the global maritime domain,
including the possible establishment of a Task Force. Work will take place in
the context of CFSP/CSDP, within the framework of the European Security
Strategy;
 Maritime Surveillance- The Council urges the Commission to finalise the
‘Roadmap towards establishing a Common Information Sharing Environment
for the EU maritime domain', in cooperation with Member States, by end 2010
and to submit it to the Council. This roadmap would be further detailed in
2011 to take into account the results from relevant cross sectoral and crossborder projects and research and development projects, in particular the pilot
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projects and lessons learned from CSDP operations relevant to the integrated
maritime surveillance.
 Social Maritime Agenda The Council awaits the upcoming Social Maritime
Agenda implementing IMP objectives of strengthening education, careers and
employment in the maritime sectors, as crucial elements to ensure the EU’s
competitiveness and sustainability in these sectors;
 European Maritime day recalling its Conclusions of 17 November 2009, the
Council agrees that the next central Stakeholders Conferences will be hosted
in Poland (Gdansk) in 2011, Sweden (Göteborg) in 2012, Malta (Valletta) in
2013 and Germany (Bremen) in 2014, thus guaranteeing the rotation between
sea basins.
EP (TRAN Committee)
1. Consideration of the draft report on the Integrated Maritime Policy
(Rapporteur: Gesine Meissner) by the TRAN Committee
On 22 June, German MEP Meissner (ALDE) presented to the TRAN Committee’s
Members her draft report on the Integrated Maritime Policy-Evaluation of progress
made and new challenges in the presence of Commissioner Ms Damanaki.
Meissner’s report is scheduled for adoption in the TRAN committee on 28/09/2010
whereas the indicative date for the EP plenary sitting is 18/10/2010.
The draft report recalls several points of the General Affairs’ Council conclusions
adopted on 14 June, such as the importance of UNCLOS and the need for a
Roadmap on maritime surveillance. It also focuses on the need to implement an
integrated approach to maritime policies in order to promote sustainable growth in
the European maritime sector in general, in the different sea-basins in particular.
In this context, it calls for several actions to be undertaken by the Commission:

A cross-sectoral strategy for sustainable growth in coastal regions and
maritime sectors by 2013, focusing in particular on shipbuilding and offshore energy development.

A Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning by 2011, to provide a crosssectoral tool for the implementation on IMP.

Specific strategies for sustainable tourism and for mitigation of the impact
of climate change on the coastal regions, and a fleet renewal programme
for old coastal shipping fleets.

In view of the oil spill catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, interventions on
EU and Member States legislation to identify and eliminate legislative
loopholes.

2. Exchange of views with Commissioner Damanaki on the IMP as well as
DG MARE’S main priorities
Consideration of MEP Meissner’s draft report was followed by an Exchange of views
with Commissioner Damanaki on the IMP as well as DG MARE’S main priorities.
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Commissioner Damanaki welcomed Ms Meissner's draft report on the Integrated
Maritime Policy, saying that the EP’s involvement confirmed the “democratic
legitimacy of the IMP”. She mentioned the concrete benefits of an integrated
approach to maritime affairs, making reference to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or
the rapid expansion of Piracy as two examples of a much bigger network of
challenges. The European Commission’s response to all the challenges facing
marine environment– loss of biodiversity, climate change, increased exploitation of
marine resources including overfishing –has to be based on a coherent and
balanced vision that cuts across policy lines, she said. In this respect, she stressed
that the essence of the Integrated Maritime Policy is therefore to develop positive
interactions between existing policies, economic and social interests, and to combine
and coordinate the various sectoral efforts in order to increase their efficiency.
Commissioner Damanaki then presented the different main priorities that she
served since she took office in last February.
 First, with regards to the EU2020, Commissioner Damanaki believes in the
potential that different maritime sectors can offer to the goals of sustainable
and inclusive economic growth, employment and innovation. She informed
that DG MARE launched last month a study on the "Scenarios and drivers
for sustainable growth from oceans, sea and coasts". This study will
contribute to the ultimate goal of establishing a cross-sectoral strategy for
sustainable growth in coastal regions and maritime sectors, and to new
opportunities for jobs in coastal regions, particularly for the traditional maritime
professions like the seafarers or the fishermen - for whom she intends to
promote “secured and attractive careers”. The results of this study will be
available in 2012.
 Another priority is to connect the protection of the marine environment to the
development of our seas and coastal regions by defining the limits of
sustainability of all human activities with an impact on the marine
environment. According to Commissioner Damanaki, this finds its practical
expression in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
and of the EU Climate change and Energy package.
 The third priority she mentioned relates to sea-basin strategies. In this
regard, she stressed that the IMP's regional focus allows for tailor-made
priority-setting that are adapted to specific regional needs, depending on the
different political, socio-economic and natural situations. The Commission
applied this approach to the Communication on the EU and the Arctic Region,
the Baltic Sea Strategy and the Communication on the IMP in the
Mediterranean. Furthermore, in line with the Conclusions of the June General
affairs and external relations Council, DG MARE will present an EU Strategy
for the Atlantic by June 2011.
 A fourth priority relates to cross-cutting tools of the IMP, namely maritime
spatial planning, integration of surveillance and the networking of marine data
and science. Commission Damanaki expressed her satisfaction,
acknowledging that the work on these tools has progressed well. DG MARE
plans to issue a Communication on maritime spatial planning before the
end of this year, reporting on the progress and setting out options including a
legislative option, for shaping a common approach across the EU. As for the
integration of maritime surveillance, she also informed that the Commission is
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working with the Member States, in order to propose, by October 2010, a
roadmap towards the establishment of a common information-sharing
environment (CISE). The realisation of this project would enable the national
authorities operating at sea, - whether they are fighting illegal immigration,
other illegal activities or simply monitoring fisheries activities - to benefit from
information generated by other sectors. Furthermore, she recalled that he
forthcoming launch in October 2010 of the European maritime Atlas will
improve awareness of the seas and oceans among the European citizens.
Finally, the publication at the same time of the Communication on Marine
knowledge will be a positive step towards the creation of the European Marine
Observation Data Network (EMODNET), she said.
 Furthermore, Commisioner Damanaki made it clear that the development of
the IMP's international dimension is another great challenge. This will
involve building on Europe's leading role in improving global maritime
governance, for example through a continued support for the ratification and
implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Furthermore,
she said that the Commission “will also need to continue working to obtain a
better role for the EU in international maritime fora, such as the
International Maritime Organization”.
 Finally, In order to achieve these ambitious goals with the appropriate financial
tools, Commissioner Damanaki informed that after the summer, the
Commission will propose a draft Regulation on financing the IMP in the
coming two years. Particularly, DG MARE is proposing 50 Million Euros over
the years 2011 – 2013, building on the amounts the EP has already granted
as for pilot and preparatory projects. Commissioner Damanaki felt confident
about the EP’s support to ensure a timely entry into force of this regulation in
2011 and to make sure that the newly Integrated Maritime Policy finds a
rightful place in the work on the next financial perspective.
It should be noted that during the debate, Commissioner Damanaki was also asked
what her remit was within the new European Commission. There are doubts as to
your remit,” said Spanish MEP Luis de Grandes Pascual (PPE), “It seems that you
are the new maritime transport commissioner. This may lead to a conflict of interest
with Mr Kallas.” Although she partly appreciated that there was “confusion” within
industry and government about who exactly headed policy in Brussels,
Commissioner Damanaki gave assurances that she did not want to “interfere” with
the transport commissioner in the formation of maritime policy.
Dario Bazargan
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