1. EU Thematic Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment François Wakenhut – Marine Team Coordinator, DG Environment, European Commission Stakeholder Meeting - 1 June 2006

2. « Marine Package » Adopted by the Commission on 24 October 2005
Three documents :
Communication – COM(2005)504
Marine Strategy Directive COM(2005)505
Impact Assessment - SEC(2005)1290

3. Structure of Presentation
1. The building of the Strategy
2. What’s in the adopted Strategy?
Focus on draft Directive
3. Articulation with future EU Maritime Policy
4. The way forward

4. The building of the Strategy1
The building of the Strategy

5. Preparatory process (1)
6th Environment Action Programme (2002): Marine protection is one the seven thematic strategies; need for concerted policy recognised.
Communication 2002 “Towards a Strategy to Protect and Conserve the Marine Environment”.
Council Conclusions 2003 – clear mandate.
Council Conclusions 2004 – political guidance on finalising the strategy.
Kick of of stakeholder consultation process – Koge Conference in 2002
Stress the SD as the basis

6. Structure of consultation process
Water Directors
Steering of implementation process
Marine Strategy Co-ordination group
Co-ordination of work programme
Commission Inter-service Group
Expert Group Ecosystem Approach
Expert Group
Monitoring & Assessment
Regional Approach to implementation
WFD
Structure
Hazardous
Substances
Marine Expert
Group under
Habitat Committee

7. Preparatory process (2)
Open working groups contributing all through
Rotterdam Conference (November 2004)
Broad endorsement of main thrust and principles of Marine Strategy
Marine Directive announced
SGO Meeting (April 2005)
Outline of planned Directive
Discussion on Marine Regions
Internet Consultation (March-May 2005)
Strong support for a legal instrument from over 130 respondents (from 22 countries)
Adopted Marine Strategy (October 2005)

8. Study on identification of marine eco-regions in Europe

9. Study on the application of the ecosystem-based approach
Fish example – not look at single fish stocks but also effects of fishing those stocks on other components of the wider marine environment
Comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on best available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on influences which are critical to the health of this ecosystem

10. What’s in the adopted Strategy?2
What’s in the adopted Strategy?

11. Vision
Protect our seas and oceans and ensure that human activities are carried out in a sustainable manner
“we and future generations can enjoy and benefit from biologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas that are safe, clean, healthy and productive”

12. Approach
Common principles for problems shared by the different regions
A regionalised approach based on Marine Regions to capture specific problems
Common principles
EU covering parts of all regional seas around Europe
Many shared challenges in these seas – need for cross-fertilisation
Transboundary nature of most threats and human activities
Regionalised approach
Coherence and integration instead of sectoral approach
Addressing regional specificities
Using as much as possible existing legal and regional institutional instruments

13. Marine Strategy Directive (1/5) Objective
Translating the vision into a legal objective:
Achieve good environmental status of the EU’s marine waters by 2021
No definition at EU level but generic descriptors will be developed
Definition will have to emerge from the work at regional level
The Commission will approve definitions

14. Marine Strategy Directive (2/5) Marine Regions as implementation units
North East Atlantic – importance of cooperation with Norway and Iceland
Baltic Sea
Mediterranean Sea
(Black Sea post-2007)
Subregions also identified

15. Marine Strategy Directive (3/5) Scope
Framework needed to achieve sustainable development of marine areas.
No concrete management measures at EU level as the strategy will have to be made operational and implemented at regional level.
Cooperation and coordination – role of regional seas conventions – cooperation with third countries with which marine regions are share

16. Marine Strategy Directive (4/5) Implementation milestones
Marine Strategies to be progressively developed and implemented based on the following steps:
Description and assessment of current environmental status including the environmental impact of human activities – 4 years after entry into force at the latest
Determination of good environmental status – 4 years after entry into force
Establishment of environmental targets – 5 years after entry into force at the latest
Monitoring programme – 6 years after entry into force at the latest
Programme of measures towards good environmental status – by 2016 at the latest
Entry into operation of programmes of measures – by 2018 at the latest
Strategies to be devised building upon existing programmes and activities developed in the framework of international agreements, e.g. regional seas conventions + Iterative approach – adaptive management – regular reviews (every 6 years)

17. Marine Strategy Directive (5/5) Special cases and situations
Special areas
Action or inaction of other MS
Natural causes or force majeure
Modifications/alterations – overriding public interest
Community competence

18. Articulation with future EU Maritime Policy3
Articulation with future EU Maritime Policy

19. Background Announced by President Barroso when he took office
Green Paper scheduled for May 2006
Under the aegis of Commissioner Borg
Developed by a Maritime Policy Task Force of Commissioners – including Commissioner Dimas
Communication «Towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union» adopted in March 2005

20. Substance
Vision – « a Europe with a dynamic economy in harmony with the marine environment »
Marine Strategy – « will deliver the environmental pillar of the future EU Maritime Policy »
Potential for synergies

21. 4
Way forward

22. Institutional negotiations
Institutional negotiations – status of discussions
Committee of the Regions / Economic and Social Committee
Council
European Parliament
Key issues discussed
Geographical scope
Timescale
Definition of good environmental status / degree of decentralisation
Impact assessment – costs
Follow-up initiatives
WD agreed to maintain the current WG structure for 2004
We might call on the SGO to address
extended impact assessment
prepare for the regional implementation
discuss appropriate regional areas to start with
3. Flyers for Stakeholder Conference will soon be distributed

23. Other frameworks at EU level
Further contributions from stakeholder process
Stakeholder meetings in 2006 – today and November
EMMA Working Group
Green Paper on Maritime Policy
Consultation process until June 2007
Other relevant EU initiatives
Horizon 2020 – Mediterranean
Relevant funding mechanisms

24. The contributions of Regional Marine Conventions
Preparing for the implementation phase – the importance of strengthened synergies between the work of Conventions and the Marine Strategy
E.g. – Baltic Sea Action Plan (HELCOM)
Cross-fertilisation between Regional Marine Conventions

25. More information