Commission opens maritime policy consultation

The European commission has launched a green paper on the future EU maritime policy.  In a speech on Wednesday, maritime and fisheries commissioner Joe Borg said a thematic strategy on the marine environment proposed last year was "indispensable" for the initiative (EED 20/10/05 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/19682). 

The paper initiates a public consultation which will last until June 2007 on a range of measures including more risk assessments to improve maritime safety.  It also urges increased cooperation between regional authorities and the introduction of EU-level ballast water controls.

See commission press release

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/739&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr,

memo http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/230, speech

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/06/348&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

and green paper http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/pdf/COMM_NATIVE_COM_2006_0275_5_EN_ACTE2%20.pdf.

ENDS Europe Daily is Europe's leading environmental news service. A free trial is available by clicking on the following link: http://www.endseuropedaily.com/web/helcom