Ocean governance: regional leaders debate with Commissioner Vella sustainable exploitation of marine resources
"If our maritime work does not benefit our maritime regions then we will clearly have failed , so if one thing is paramount to me it is continuing the dialogue with you and fine-tuning our policy to the Regions' needs", said Commissioner Vella.
The European commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, Karmenu Vella, presented his new initiative on international ocean governance at a meeting of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) on 21 September. In his speech, he outlined the main challenges for maritime policy in future, reaffirming the five elements of sustainable blue growth the European Commission will focus on in the future: ocean energy, coastal and maritime tourism, seabed mining, biotechnology and aquaculture.
At the meeting, Mr Vella said that the economic health of Europe's regions are one of the central concerns as promotes an initiative intended to improve governance of marine resources.
"If our maritime work does not benefit our maritime regions then we will clearly have failed , so if one thing is paramount to me it is continuing the dialogue with you and fine-tuning our policy to the Regions' needs", Mr Vella said.
Members of the NAT commission presented the regional dimension of blue growth and ocean governance. The CoR members pleaded for the development of a 'blue economy' that does not harm the environment, asked for the clarification on how the initiative would preserve local economies and how it would protect small and medium enterprises.
NAT members also highlighted the regional and local dimension of the blue economy. Adam Banaszak (PL/ECR), the rapporteur on a recently adopted CoR opinion on 'Innovation in the blue economy' , underlined that the blue economy extends well beyond activities in our seas and oceans, and added that "over time, the steady interest of the EU in 'blue' growth will lead to an awareness of the importance of public-private partnerships, to better involvement on the part of regional authorities and to significant improvements in business-oriented research".
Jesús Gamallo Aller (ES/EPP) , rapporteur for a CoR opinion on 'The future of European aquaculture' scheduled for adoption in mid-October, stated that "aquaculture should be considered a major part of the blue-economy project of the European Commission, as it creates valuable jobs in structurally weak regions, and has a strategic importance for future food supply". Mr Gamallo Aller invited the European Commission to introduce new and innovative policies on the European level that would allow sustainable ocean governance.
Gesine Meissner MEP (DE/ALDE), chairwoman of the European Parliament's 'Seas, rivers, islands and coastal areas' intergroup, underlined the importance of maritime spatial planning, land-sea interactions and the implementation of the directive on maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management.
Ricardo Serrão Santos MEP (PT/PES) noted that "oceans and seas continue to be subject to a diverse range of direct and indirect pressures that might change them forever. "Effective ocean governance - in terms of leadership, vision, competence and proactive action - is urgently needed at all levels of decision-making," he said.
Commissioner Karmenu Vella invited the Committee of the Regions and all European regions to contribute to the Commission's public consultation on international ocean governance .
Further information:
International ocean governance is a new initiative of the European Commission, which is searching for a way in which the world's seas and oceans can be governed in a more sustainable and efficient manner. The European Union, whose economic-development goals are based on an embrace of sustainable growth, in 2014 launched a long-term 'blue economy' strategy focused on increasing research and on helping specific industries and regions. The Commission is also consulting international partners, European politicians, business and civil society on ocean governance, with submissions possible until 15 October.
The current legal framework of the law of the sea builds on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea from 1982 (UNCLOS) [1]. The UNCLOS defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans; it establishes guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources, and contains significant environmental regulatory and judicial enforcement provisions.
Contact:
Wioletta Wojewodzka
Tel.: +32.2.282.2289
E-mail: Wioletta.Wojewodzka@cor.europa.eu
[1] http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/closindx.htm