Baltic and European news
EU gives maritime spatial planning guidance
2665, 25/11/08
The European commission proposed a set of common EU principles for maritime spatial planning in a new policy paper on Tuesday. The paper sets out how the commission believes governments should plan the full range of marine activities, including offshore wind farms, marine nature reserves, fish farms, shipping and tourism.
Pierre Schellekens of the commission's maritime affairs directorate said the commission's aim was to help encourage sustainable development of the continent's seas. Maritime spatial planning was still a relatively new concept and the paper would "spark debate" between member states, he said. It is the "first concrete delivery" of a new maritime strategy announced by the commission in late 2007 (EED 10/10/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24053).
Among ten principles outlined by the commission are the need to define planning objectives, to develop the maritime area transparently, to tailor planning procedures according to the type and intensity of activity, to ensure planning creates a legally binding framework and to encourage coordination with onshore planning procedures.
"Very few member states have started moving on maritime spatial planning", Mr Schellekens said. Those who have done so vary in their approach. Some, like the UK and Sweden, are introducing framework legislation, while others, such as the Netherlands, are introducing non-binding guidelines. Often the main motivation is the need to plan offshore wind energy installations.
Mr Schellekens believes member states will use maritime spatial planning as a tool to help their seas meet "good environmental status" criteria required under a related EU marine strategy directive (EED 14/05/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/25413). It can also help coastal areas prepare for climate change, he said.
The commission will organise four stakeholder workshops in 2009 to discuss the principles put forward in Tuesday's paper. It will also launch pilot projects to develop cross-border cooperation in maritime spatial planning. A summary report at the end of that year will propose next steps. Mr Schellekens said on Tuesday it was too early to say whether these could include EU legislative proposals.
Follow-up: European commission http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm, tel: +32 2 299 1111, plus press release
and maritime spatial planning policy paper http://www.endseuropedaily.com/docs/81125a.doc.
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