Last week the Permanent Representatives Committee approved a draft directive establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning, which is aimed at contributing to sustainable growth of maritime economies and the sustainable development of marine areas. After a compromise between the Greek presidency and representatives of the European Parliament.
The draft directive requires member states to establish maritime spatial plans that map existing human activities in member states’ marine waters and identify their most effective future spatial development. In doing so, member states must take into account land-sea interactions, as well as environmental, economic, social and safety aspects. Member states bordering marine waters will also have to cooperate with the aim to ensure that maritime spatial plans are coherent and coordinated across the marine region concerned.
The EU has adopted ambitious policy initiatives relevant to the oceans, seas and coasts, to be implemented in the next 10 to 20 years. The draft directive is an essential part of the ambition to develop “Europe’s Blue Economy”.
The draft directive will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament at plenary and by the Council, the date for this has not yet been set. It will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU, and member states will then have three years to transpose the directive into national law.