Category Archives: EU policies

May14

EU to press for improved fisheries management in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

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EU to press for improved fisheries management in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

Source: DG MARE, EC

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) will meet in Morocco, Marrakesh from 14 to 19 May 2012. The European Commission represents the EU at the meeting.

The agenda includes the review of the work concerning the Black Sea, advice on fisheries conservation and management, and the cooperation with other international partner organisations. The GFCM will also discuss the future role of the Task Force, established in 2011 to modernise the GFCM and its institutional and legal framework. The Task Force’s work carried out so far will be validated at a dedicated meeting on 11-12 May.

The EU intends to table a number of proposals:

  • conservation and management measures for red coral, sharks and cetaceans, in line with the scientific advice of the GFCM Scientific Advisory Committee;
  • a set of minimum standards for fisheries management in the Black Sea;
  • guidelines for an improved decision making framework and presentation of scientific information for multiannual management plans.

The EU hopes that through close coordination and cooperation with the non-EU partners the joint measures are agreed to improve sustainability of fishing activities and to preserve the environmental richness of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The GFCM is a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation for the Mediterranean and Black Sea and connecting waters. It has 24 members, including the EU and 9 EU member states (Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain). Japan, Russia, Georgia and Ukraine are observers.

May3

‘The European Union and the new geopolitical situation in the Mediterranean: balance of the first EU responses and prospects in a changing environment’ by Erwan Lannon de Flavia Cori

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‘The European Union and the new geopolitical situation in the Mediterranean: balance of the first EU responses and prospects in a changing environment’ by Erwan Lannon de Flavia Cori

Source: MedGov

Erwan Lannon analyses the key statements, decisions, measures and actions adopted by the European Union in response to the Arab uprisings and assesses the relevance of this response according to the expectations both in the EU and the southern Mediterranean countries.

The paper concludes with a review of the major challenges for the EU in view of a changing regional and international context and outlines the main features of a future “pan-Euro-Mediterranean” region.(See the full text in French)

Apr20

Reporting progress and proposing follow-up for de-polluting the Mediterranean by 2020

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Reporting progress and proposing follow-up for de-polluting the Mediterranean by 2020

Source: H2020

The Steering Committee of the Horizon 2020 Initiative to de-pollute the Mediterranean by 2020 met in Barcelona on 19 April 2012 for its 5th meeting since 2008, bringing together the majority of the participating country representatives and the key regional environmental actors such as the European Commission, the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat, the Mediterranean Action Plan of UNEP and its Regional Activity Centers, the European Investment Bank, regional associations of local authorities, NGOs, and others.

The focus of the meeting was on progress achieved in the Horizon 2020 components, namely investments for pollution reduction; monitoring, review and research; and capacity building, financed mainly by ENPI funded projects. Replication and environmental mainstreaming were also discussed on the basis of the collaborative efforts between three ongoing programmes Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (MedPartnership), Sustainable Water Integrated Management Support Mechanism (SWIM-SM) and H2020 CB/MEP. The state of play with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) was outlined as well as perspectives for the future. In addition, the progress and evaluation of UNEP/MAP’s National Action Plans to address land-based pollution were presented.

Marta Subirá, Director General for Environmental Policy of the Generalitat de Catalunya welcomed the participants while Rafiq Husseini of the UfM Secretariat said about H2020, which is a UfM flagship initiative, “On a regular basis during the implementation of an initiative such as the H2020, we should always ask ourselves – and attempt to answer- four fundamental questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to be next year? How do we get there? And, how do we know that we have gotten there?”

Nick Hanley, Head of the International Relations and Enlargement Unit in DGENV of the European Commission, pointed out that “By addressing concrete actions with our projects we’ve managed to continue cooperation under Horizon 2020 throughout this period of sweeping change”.

The day before the Steering Group, two other H2020 meetings took place. The third meeting of the H2020 Capacity Building Sub-Group assessed the implementation of its work programme so far and took decisions for the next steps to be taken till 2014. An expert group also met in the framework of the ENPI Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in order to formulate a set of indicators for monitoring de-pollution progress.

Find here the final documents of the meetings.

Apr19

Mejoras en MARINEPLAN para la Política y la Planificación Espacial Marina

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Mejoras en MARINEPLAN para la Política y la Planificación Espacial Marina

Nos complace informarle que www.marineplan.es se ha actualizado para prestar un mejor servicio a sus usuarios. Entre las mejoras podrá encontrar formulario de alta para recibir las novedades directamente en su correo, acceso a las descargas de una forma más clara o navegación por proyectos de investigación , entre otras mejoras que se irán mostrando más adelante (véase nuevo proyecto GEOMAR con descarga de datos en formato .kml). La página ofrece un nuevo diseño que facilita la navegación al usuario.

El sitio MARINEPLAN responde al fenómeno de la extensión internacional de nuevas políticas marítimas e iniciativas de planificación. En la Unión Europa este proceso se inicia con el Libro Verde (2006) y en España con la Ley 41/2010 sobre protección del medio marino que transpone la Directiva sobre Estrategia Marina (2008).

Apr4

Offshore Exploration and Exploitation in the Mediterreanean

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Offshore Exploration and Exploitation in the Mediterreanean

A new Future Brief focusing on the environmental impacts of offshore exploration and exploitation in the Mediterreanean is published by Science for Environment Policy today. It is free to download from: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/FB3.pdf

Offshore exploration and exploitation activities include oil and gas development, as well as renewable energy generation and seabed mining for minerals, sand and gravel. This Future Brief presents currently available evidence on the impacts of these activities on the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterreanean.
Such activities are increasing in the Mediterranean marine environment, which is particularly vulnerable due to its semiclosed configuration and significant seismic activity.
Future Briefs are a series of horizon-scanning policy briefs, which provide an accessible overview of emerging areas of science and technology. To view previous issues:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/future_briefs.htm

Mar30

Cooperation in the Black Sea – Commissioner Damanaki in Romania and Bulgaria

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Cooperation in the Black Sea – Commissioner Damanaki in Romania and Bulgaria

Source: DG MARE, EC

Commissioner Maria Damanaki, in charge of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, visits Romania and Bulgaria on 29 and 30 March, respectively, to discuss maritime and fisheries-related issues and cooperation in the Black Sea basin.

Ms Damanaki will meet Mr Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, Prime Minister of Romania, and Mr Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Ministers, members of national parliaments and stakeholders are her other interlocutors. The Romanian part of the trip will focus more on aquaculture, with the Commissioner visiting a fish farm. In Bulgaria, fisheries issues will dominate the agenda. On 29 March Commissioner Damanaki will speak at a conference “EU policies at the Black Sea: enhancing regional cooperation” held in Bucharest by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania. Commissioner Damanaki said: “My visit is going to focus on fisheries and integrated maritime policy issues – with a strong Black Sea angle. Cooperation is of strategic importance for the Black Sea region. The countries around the basin need to enhance cooperation to tackle the challenges such as illegal fishing or pollution, and to make most of the opportunities in trade or tourism. The Commission stands ready to facilitate this process”.