Common Implementation Strategy
Thirteenth Meeting of theMarine Strategy Coordination Group (MSCG)
12th May 2014 11.00 – 18:00
European Commission, Conference Centre Albert Borchette, Rue Froissart 36, 1040 Brussels, Room 3/C
13th May 2014 09.30 – 12.30
European Commission, DG Environment, Avenue Beaulieu 5, 1160 Brussels, Room BU-5 0/C
Agenda item: / 7
Document: / MSCG_13-2014-07-v2
Title: / Relevant CommissionActivities
Prepared by: / European Commission
Date prepared: / 06 May 2014
The Members of the MSCG are invited to:
Take note of the information provided by the European Commission on the following issues:
a) Blue Growth
b) European Maritime Day
c) Draft Adriatic- Ionian macro- regional Strategy
d)Adoption of the EMFF
e) MAES conference (Mapping and Assessing Ecosystem Services)
f) Green week
g) Union for the Mediterranean and Informal Environment Ministerial
a)Blue Growth
Seabed and deep-sea mining
DG MARE has launched a stakeholder consultation on seabed mining. The aim is to gather respondents’ views on the possible potential and impacts of increased future activity in this area. The consultation is open until 16 June 2014 at:
DG MARE has also commissioned a study to investigate the state of knowledge on Deep Sea Mining (DSM). In addition to addressing the technological and logistical barriers to developing DSM, the study carries out an environmental analysis, as well as an assessment of the legal framework (such that it exists). A draft of the interim report is available at:
Blue Innovation & Marine Knowledge
The Commission is preparing a Communication on “Innovation in the Blue Economy”. Inter alia, it builds on the work of the 2012 Marine Knowledge Green Paper[1], and should be accompanied by a Roadmap for the Marine Knowledge agenda. It is due to be adopted on 8 May.[2]
Commission Communication on Coastal & Maritime Tourism
The EU Commission adopted a Communication on "A European Strategy for more Growth and Jobs in Coastal and Maritime Tourism" on 20 February 2014, presenting a new strategy to enhance coastal and maritime tourism in Europe in order to unlock the potential of this sector:
More information on Blue Growth is accessible at:
b)European Maritime Day
The European Maritime Day is celebrated annually across Europe on 20 May. The aim of the initiative is to demonstrate the importance of the sea for everyday life, including its possibilities to simulate the economy and job creation, both in coastal communities and in landlocked areas across Europe. The main event is the European Maritime Day Conference, held in a different region each year. In 2014 it will be hosted by the German authorities in Bremen on 19-20 May, with the central theme of “Innovation and Maritime Technologies”. The programme includes stakeholder workshops, plenary sessions focused on drivers for innovation in the marine economy and three thematic sessions: “Innovation for the benefit of maritime communities", "Innovation in science and technologies: investment for a sustainable maritime economy and for future generations" and "Innovation to promote maritime security and safety".
More information on the European Maritime Day is accessible at:
The draft programme of the conference is accessible at:
c)Draft Adriatic- Ionian macro-regional Strategy
The European Council of 13-14 December 2012 requested the European Commission to present a new EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region before the end of 2014.
This is the first time in a macro-regional strategy that there has been an equal balance of EU countries (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia) and non-EU countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia) working together to meet common challenges and build on shared strengths. Crucially in a region that has seen some of Europe's most serious conflicts, the strategy will help to bring the Western Balkans closer to the European Union. It will focus on blue growth, transport, sustainable tourism and protecting the environment. Through this, it will contribute to creating prosperity and jobs in the region.It is based on a previous Commission Communication for a maritime strategy in this region, from November 2012 and suggests clear links with the work under MSFD and the regional cooperation, in particular under the Barcelona Convention.
On the 6-7th of February, a related high level Stakeholder Conference in Athens gathered more than 650 participants, including the Greek Prime Minister, alongside the Commissioners Johannes Hahn and Maria Damanaki and the ministers of Foreign Affairs of the eight participating countries.The two Plenary sessions and four parallel workshops on the proposed pillars of the future Strategy provided a good framework for in-depth discussions. The inputs will feed into a formal proposal for a Strategy (in the form of a Communication and Action Plan) to be adopted by the European Commission in June 2014.
d)Adoption of the EMFF
On 16 April, the European Parliament endorsed the agreement reached on the EMFF in trilogues in late January 2014. The text is awaiting formal approval from the Council and is expected to be published in the Official Journal in late May/early June. All supporting texts are available at:
We would like to draw your attention in particular to the “Template and Guidance for the drafting of EMFF Operational Programmes”, and the “Intervention logic of the EMFF”, which are Annexed to this document. These items will also be referenced during the Workshop on financing opportunities which will take place on the afternoon of 13 May.
e)MAES conference (Mapping and Assessing Ecosystem Services)
On 22 May 2014, International Biodiversity Day, the European Commission is hosting a high-level Conference to highlight the policy relevance of MAESat Charlemagne building, 170 rue de la Loi, Gasperi & Jenkins rooms, in Brussels.
The conference will provide a platform to present the work undertaken to date at EU and Member State level as well as contributions from key stakeholders. It will demonstrate how reliable, high-quality information on the state of ecosystems and the services they provide can contribute to the advancement of biodiversity objectives, and to the integration of natural capital concerns into key EU sectoral policies.
On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity on "Island Biodiversity", an exhibition showing the striking biodiversity in EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) will be opened. The objective is to raise awareness on these areas which host 80% of European biodiversity, 6% of globally threatened species, 7% of coral reefs. Most of the EU ORs and OCTs are islands sharing challenges and opportunities with their neighbouring countries in the Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic, Indian and Polar and Sub-Polar regions.
f)Green Week
The 2014 edition of Green Week, the biggest annual conference on European environment policy, will take place from 3 to 5 Juneat The Egg Conference Centre, Rue Bara, in Brussels. The theme will be Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency & Waste.Green Week offers a unique opportunity for debate and exchanges of experience and best practice. Over the past decade, the conference has established itself as an unmissable event for anyone involved with protecting the environment.Green Week is open to the public and participation is free of charge. Green Week also has an area for exhibitors and satellite events take place all around Europe.
A session dedicated to Marine Litter will take place in the afternoon of 5th June 2014. Full details of the event can be found at:
g) Union for the Mediterranean and Informal Environment Ministerial
The informal Council Meeting of EU Environment Ministers will be held in Athens on Wednesday the 14th of May. The discussion will comprise two sessions, the first addressing the marine environment as the basis for sustainable Blue Growth, and the second focussing on the preparation for the next UNFCC Ministerial sessions(Bonn 5-6 June) and, pending progress on the subject, discussion on specific issues regarding the Climate-Energy package in the framework of 2030.
In the future, it would be useful for the MSCG to receive structured information, similar to this document, updating other members on on-going activities either at the RSC or Member State level.DG Environment, Marine Environment and Water Industries Unit1
[1]Green Paper Marine Knowledge 2020from seabed mappingto ocean forecasting, COM(2012) 473
[2] The document should be available shortly after that at: