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Tag ‘maritime policy’

A SHARED VISION FOR THE ATLANTIC

Friday, April 20th, 2012
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At the end of last year, I presented the new maritime strategy for growth and jobs in the Atlantic Ocean area at the high-level Lisbon Atlantic Conference.

The Atlantic offers specific opportunities, such as strong winds and powerful tides to create green energy; productive fisheries that can sustain their communities if we fish responsibly; potentially vast sea-bed resources to be exploited; opportunities for the tourism industry; motorways of the sea that can bring new development to ports and coastal regions.

To turn these opportunities into economic growth we need to interconnect sectors, administrations and regions across borders and multiply effects. To deliver on the objectives set by the strategy, we need a collective effort and a shared vision. We all have to work together to achieve an ecosystem approach, to reduce our carbon footprint and exploit seafloor resources; to manage risks and emergencies and to achieve socially inclusive growth.

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MANAGING SEA SPACE TO SECURE BLUE GROWTH

Monday, March 26th, 2012
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Maritime spatial planning: the right answer to secure and support Blue growth for the European Union

I have already said it on this blog and I repeat it: we have not yet fully grasped the contribution that our seas and oceans can deliver to European economy.

We know that in some fields developments can be stunning: maritime transport grows at an average rate of over 8.5% every year, and cruise tourism alone has tripled its size between 1999 and 2009; offshore wind energy is expected to grow from 4 GW capacity this year to 150 GW in 2030 – this is 4000%! You have to add to this the potential of other sectors now growing up as aquaculture, deep-sea mining or non-wind renewable energies, to have the full picture.

So it is evident that the demand for space is already high and can lead to conflicts between different uses in marine areas. And it is also patent that economic developments can deliver their benefits only if the pressure on marine ecosystems is correctly managed. Read the full entry

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TOWARDS RIO PLUS 20: THE WAY TO GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
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Rio plus 20

The future we want

In June, the UN Conference on sustainable development will take place in Rio. Oceans are one of the main priorities and I will bring to the “Rio plus 20″ conference the EU commitment to move forward on several fronts, towards ambitious goals.

The impact of our plans to phase out discards will be lessened in the absence of a roadmap for the rest of the world. The same goes for illegal fishing: we have to seize the opportunity to step up international commitment and work toward a worldwide catch certification scheme.

My hope is that our partners’ ambition will match ours and that the contribution of civil society will help us to tackle outstanding issues. To do so, we need to fill the serious governance gap that exists today. Only through concrete actions across borders and sectors we will be able to achieve overarching objectives of the international community, such as biodiversity protection and address the conservation and the sustainable use of marine biological diversity in deep-sea areas, beyond national jurisdiction. Read the full entry

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A EU COMMITMENT FOR A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE BLACK SEA

Friday, October 14th, 2011
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The Black Sea

The Black Sea

Greece did not become a member of the European Union yesterday, but it was not so long ago either, so I have not forgotten the challenges that a young member has to face and the obstacles on the path of integration.

I believe I can understand of the peoples of the countries that most recently joined the EU. And I am committed to make them feel “part of the family”.

The European Parliament and civil society in Romania and Bulgaria voice their wish for a stronger and deeper cooperation for the Black Sea. And -within my competences- I aspire to make concrete our commitment to meet the expectations. I had already very good discussions with Bulgarian and Romanian authorities. They have done a lot. So, I was happy to invite them to Brussels.

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EU-US: A PARTNERSHIP TO ERADICATE ILLEGAL FISHING

Monday, September 12th, 2011
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Commissioner Maria Damanaki (left) and Dr Jane Lubchenco (right), Commissioner Maria Damanaki and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator, on their way to sign the EU-US joint statement on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Commissioner Maria Damanaki and Dr. Jane Lubchenco on their way to sign the EU-US joint statement against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

I am just on my way back from the United States, where I did sign a significant agreement between Europe and the US administration on putting an end to pirate fishing with Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator.

The substantial follow up in the media on this topic shows the importance given to this subject by the public at large, but also that real action is expected to follow soon. We have established an EU-US High Level Dialogue on Fisheries Policy to set out the next steps in the immediate future. Read the full entry

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STRONGER FROM THE CRISIS

Friday, July 1st, 2011
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The Commission adopted on Wednesday its proposal for the EU budgetary framework for the 2014-2020 period.

It represents our chance to help Europe to emerge stronger from the crisis.

We will overcome present difficulties only if we stick together and we invest in our future. This is what we aim at when proposing large growth-enhancing investments to accelerate infrastructure development across Europe, through the so-called Connecting Europe Facility. Or when devising an ambitious framework for Research and Innovation.

To help EU countries boosting growth and employment –and benefit concretely to EU citizens– we need investments, not a budget of austerity. Read the full entry

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EUROPEAN MARITIME DAY: A MARITIME POLICY FOR THE CITIZENS

Friday, May 20th, 2011
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Yesterday, more than one thousand people, from different sectors and backgrounds met in Gdańsk, to celebrate the European Maritime Day.

This city is itself an example of the potential of emerging maritime sectors: despite the problems, a part of the Shipyard has diversified its production and offers wind turbine towers and wave energy plants. At the same time, the Gdynia Maritime Academy prepares young people to be the skilled professionals of tomorrow’s maritime industry.

The sea and oceans can bring us more jobs, higher standards of living and longer, healthier lives for our people. 

But we need to do more to unlock this potential and make sure that the maritime economy can benefit the 88 million Europeans who work in coastal regions, as well as any other. Read the full entry

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