Integrated maritime policy: programme to support the further development

2010/0257(COD)

PURPOSE: to establish a programme to support the further development on an Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP).

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND:

On 10 October 2007, the Commission published the Communication on an Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union (‘Blue Paper’), which was accompanied by an action plan which sets out a number of actions to be taken as a first step in implementing a newIMP. In October 2009, the Commission adopted a Progress Report on the EU’s which charted the course for its next implementation phase.

In its conclusions of 16 November 2009, the General Affairs Council highlighted the importance of funding for the further development and implementation of the IMP by inviting the Commission to present the necessary proposals for the financing of integrated maritime policy actions within the existing Financial Perspective, with a view to entry into force by 2011.

Further development and implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy along the lines set out by the Commission and endorsed by the Council is at risk because there are insufficient means to fund the necessary actions over the remaining period (2011 – 2013) of the current Financial Perspective. Pilot schemes and preparatory actions relating to the Integrated Maritime Policy can be financed only until the end of 2010.

A continued modest financial underpinning is needed to enable the EU to implement and further develop the Integrated Maritime Policy in line with Parliament’s resolution of 20 May 2008 and to pursue the overarching objectives as set out in the Commission's Blue Paper, confirmed in the Progress Report and endorsed by the General Affairs Council conclusions of November 2009.

This financing will enable the continuation of the exploratory work that has already been initiated through preparatory actions and pilot projects, and to further develop and concretise options for implementation of the IMP.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the proposal is not accompanied by an impact assessment. Nevertheless, the Commission conducted an ex-ante evaluation of the most detailed aspects of the proposed financing programme.

The three policy alternatives identified in the ex-ante evaluation are the following:

  • Option 1: no further action;
  • Option 2: a modest EU financial contribution, at a reasonably increased level compared to the preparatory and pilot projects so far, for further exploring options and steadily implementing the IMP as it develops;
  • Option 3: fully fledged financing.

Taking into account the limitations of options 1 and 3 and the strong Community interest in achieving the IMP's objectives in the short to medium term, the appropriate solution would seem to be Option 2, i.e. a modest EU financial contribution to fund IMP activities for the period 2011-2013.

LEGAL BASE: the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy has no explicit legal basis in the Treaty. However, it covers many EU sectoral policies with a bearing on the seas and coasts such as fisheries, freedom, security and justice, transport, industry, territorial cohesion, research, environment, energy, and tourism. That is why the proposed legislative act is based on Article 43(2), Article 74 and 77(2), Article 91(1) and 100(2), Article 173(3), Article 175, Article 188, Article 192(1), Article 194(2) and Article 195(2).

CONTENT: the proposed Regulation seeks to establish a programme to support the further development of an Integrated Maritime Policy. The general objective of the proposed Programme is to provide adequate finances for further developing and implementing the Integrated Maritime Policy. This action follows on from preparatory actions and pilot projects to be launched from January 2011 till December 2013.

The actions and activities financed by the proposed Programme will aim to help achieve the following objectives:

  • further development and implementation of integrated maritime governance and integrated approaches within Member States and coastal regions;
  • speedy and sound implementation of integrated sea basin strategies around Europe tailored to the needs of each maritime region;
  • further development and implementation of cross-cutting tools for integrated policymaking including a European Marine Observation and Data Network, integrating maritime surveillance namely through the establishment of a Common Information Sharing Environment, Maritime Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Zone Management;
  • further defining in the years the boundaries of sustainability of human activities that have an impact on the marine environment, in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, paying due attention to their cumulative impacts on the basis of the ecosystem approach;
  • promotion of the international dimension of the Integrated Maritime Policy by improving and fostering dialogue, cooperation and coordination with third countries, including those bordering a European sea basin, or actors in third countries, as well as with international partners and organisations on the Integrated Maritime Policy, ensuring coherence with the actions developed in the sectoral policies;
  • putting renewed focus on sustainable economic growth, employment and innovation;
  • raising the visibility of Maritime Europe, and promoting and facilitating the sharing of information, the exchange of best practices, the exploitation and reinforcement of synergies and dialogue with and among stakeholders on maritime governance and sectoral policies that have an impact on the oceans, seas and coasts, or the establishment of cross-sectoral cooperation platforms and networks at a horizontal and at sea-basin level.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the financial envelope for implementing the Programme to support the further development of the Integrated Maritime Policy is set at EUR 50 000 000 and it will apply from 1 January 2011 until 31 December 2013.