1. Thematic Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment SGO meeting Brussels, 1 April 2005
Background to why EU development of MS. We have the WFD and CFP but no strategy for the marine environment
Present the main elements of what could be the MS
Common approaches and ecosystem approach
Target audiences and possible out put
Regional development
Necessary steps to take some examples
Delivery tools in EU
Some important international instruments
Time schedule
Some of my own conclusions

2. Why an EU Marine Strategy? Environmental pressures
Due to increasing pressures on the Marine Environment…
Overfishing
Oil spills
Shipping
Oil and gas exploration
Discharges
Etc.
… Marine ecosystems are under threat
Biodiversity decreasing
Habitats being destroyed
Capacity of our seas to provide food for human populations being undermined.
 The most effective way to protect our seas is to develop an integrated approach taking into account all the pressures on the marine environment

3. Why an EU Marine Strategy? Governance problems
Lack of coordination and piecemeal approach
At international level:
Many regional and global strategies, recommendations, binding agreements, guidelines etc. but no articulation between them
Many institutions, bodies, conventions, and agreements but poor coordination
At EU level:
A number of policies affecting the marine environment: CFP, marine transport policy, chemicals policy, CAP, air policy, water policy
But not specifically designed to protect the marine environment
And no concerted policy for the protection of the marine environment
At national level:
No legislation on marine protection in the Member States
Gaps in knowledge
Assessment and monitoring programmes not integrated and not complete. Weak link between research needs and research priorities.

4. Political mandate 6th Environment Action Programme (2002)
Marine protection is one the 7 Thematic Strategies – recognised need for concerted policy
Communication 2002 “Towards a Strategy to Protect and Conserve the Marine Environment” (COM(2002)539final, 2 October 2002)
Council Conclusions clear mandate for a European Marine Strategy
Stress the SD as the basis

5. Preparatory process Extensive stakeholder consultation
: extensive stakeholder consultation process (EU25 and key European third countries, 16 key international commissions/conventions, 21 key industry and civil society organisations)…
… Culminating in November 2004 Stakeholder Conference in Rotterdam
Wide consensus has emerged from this process in favour of the approach taken for the strategy.
The following is bringing this process closer to the real word and is an example on how the regional development could be envisaged.
It should also be recalled that OSPAR/ ICES have partly address similar issues for the North Sea and HELCOM has recently started a similar process

6. 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”

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

8. Scope
Framework needed to achieve sustainable development of marine areas.
No specific management measures will be set down in the strategy which will have to be made operational and implemented at regional level.
Geographical coverage:
EU countries bordering European Seas
Non-EU countries bordering these seas
International organisations in which both EU and non-EU countries cooperate
Through these organisations, adjacent seas outside national jurisdictions and especially the conservation and use of the deep waters
The EU footprint in marine areas in other parts of the world

9. Rationale 1. Define strategic environmental objectives
2. Assess the impacts of human activities on those objectives based on high quality data about the state of the marine environment and the main trends
3. Develop for each of the different marine eco-regions “implementation plans” to deliver on environmental objectives
4. Establish mechanisms that ensure full stakeholder participation and a transparent reporting process.

10. Strategic Objectives
To protect, allow recovery and, where practicable, restore the function and structure of marine biodiversity and ecosystems in order to achieve and maintain good ecological status of these ecosystems
To phase out pollution in the marine environment so as to ensure that there are no significant impacts or risk to human and/or on ecosystem health and/or on uses of the sea
To contain the use of marine services and goods and other activities in marine areas to levels that are sustainable and that do not compromise uses and activities of future generations nor the capacity of marine ecosystem to respond to changes
To apply the principles of good governance, both within Europe and globally

11. Implementation
Development of “Implementation Plans” at regional level involving all stakeholders
Identification of ‘eco-regions’ within European seas will be finalised by mid 2005 on the basis of proposal made by ICES
“Implementation plans” should include:
Detailed cost-benefit analysis of measures proposed
Regional objectives to achieve the strategic objectives
Selection of indicators, limits and reference points
Strategic Impact Assessment of human activities that have an influence on the marine environment
Review and adjustment of monitoring
Periodic assessments

12. Next steps
Final internet consultation launched on 15 March 2005 – deadline: 9 May 2005
July 2005 – Adoption of Marine Strategy Package:
Communication outlining the strategy and backing documents
Impact assessment
Legally binding instrument for regional implementation process?
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

13. Communication (1)
Set out an overall vision for the protection of the marine environment
Describe why any approach to marine protection needs to recognise the differences in the character of the different marine areas in the EU
Suggest an ecosystem-based approach, in line with the concept of sustainable development
Recommend the identification of Marine Regions as being the most appropriate level to prepare implementation plans
Explain how the EU marine strategy will interface with non-EU countries and with the international and regional conventions and commissions which already exist for the protection of European regional seas

14. Communication (2) List overarching objectives and actions
Explain the interface and articulation between the strategy and the range of EU policies and actions which already have an impact upon the marine environment
Describe the projected benefits expected once existing measures are fully implemented (e.g. the implementation of existing directives in the environment area such as Habitats and Birds and EC policy reforms such as the Common Fisheries Policy reform of 2002)
Finally, look at the application of agreed objectives and principles in adjacent seas outside national jurisdictions and especially the conservation and use of the deep waters, and consider the EU footprint in marine areas in other parts of the world

15. Extended Impact Assessment (1)
Impossible to measure impact of Directive in the first phase:
Marine Framework Directive will only set general objectives and framework for cooperation - no significant costs incurred in the first phase beyond administration (monitoring/reporting).
Costs and tradeoffs between different options will only be measured in a second stage, when devising implementation plans
Approach:
Rationale for action – magnitude of the problem
Attempt at assessing costs of non action
Analysis of administrative costs of implementation – extrapolations
Safeguards:
Detailed impact assessment of measures foreseen as part of Implementation Plans to be compulsory
Cost/benefit analysis of implementation plans to be foreseen in a second phase

16. Extended Impact Assessment (2)
Sample of sources used:
International scientific reports: eg FAO’s state of world fisheries 2004, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment etc
Relevant pilot projects (Irish Sea Pilot etc)
Literature on valuation of global commons (Costanza etc)
MS reports and studies – Charting progress (UK); Net benefits (UK), RSU report on Baltic/North Sea (Germany); Turning the tide (UK) etc
NGO reports (WWF, English Nature, RSPB on marine spatial planning etc)
Commission studies and reports (ICZM, ship recycling etc)
National marine strategies (UK, Sweden, U.S., Canada etc)
Industry associations reports (shipowners, dredging etc)

17. EU Framework Directive ? (1)
Scope and definitions
Environmental objectives –good environmental status- to be achieved within a defined time period
Derogations and exemptions to take account of situations where achievement of good environmental status would not be either feasible or practical
Establish Marine Regions as the management unit
Pressures, Impacts, Status and Trends

18. EU Framework Directive? (2)
Decentralised approach - Implementation Plan to be developed by MS for each Marine Region
Cooperation through existing structure stemming from international agreements
Stakeholder involvement
Implementation measures affecting/requiring EU action to take the form of recommendations to the Commission
Implementation measures requiring action at international to take the form of recommendations to the Commission for coordinated EU approach
Iterative Approach – regular updates of the implementation plans
Reporting - INSPIRE compatible

19. Added Value of Legal Obligation
Objectives will be achieved (does it work now with softer approach?)
Monitoring and Assessment (coherent, consistent, efficient) will be implemented (no duplication of efforts and costs – efficiency gains – reduction of cost of regulation – informed policy-making).
Pressures, Impacts, Assessments will be undertaken in an integrated manner
Transboundary Issues –eutrophication, chemical pollution, exotic species etc will be addressed.
Mitigation/Implementation Plans will be developed and implemented consistently.
Related EU policies (CFP, CAP, Regional policy, chemicals policy, emission’s policy etc) will deliver their contributions.

20. New developments Future EU Maritime Policy - Green Paper
Announced by President Barroso when he took office
Scheduled for February 2006
Under the responsibility of Commissioner Borg, in charge of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs
To be developed by a Maritime Policy Task Force of Commissioners – including Commissioner Dimas
Complementarity with the Marine Strategy
Marine Strategy can be conceived as the environmental component of an overall policy required for the sustainable development of marine areas
As the marine environment is the resource-base for economic and social activities, its effective protection through the Marine Strategy is a precondition for achieving sustainable economic activities and employment under the Green Paper on EU Maritime Policy
Clear benefit to improved coordination across the different policy areas representing the different uses and users of the sea - this could be achieved by the Green Paper and would assist in the achievement of the objectives of the Marine Strategy.

21. More information