Annexes to COM(2021)240 - New approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2021)240 - New approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2021)240 |
| date | May 17, 2021 |
In international negotiations, the EU should advocate that marine minerals in the international seabed area cannot be exploited before the effects of deep-sea mining on the marine environment, biodiversity and human activities have been sufficiently researched, the risks are understood and the technologies and operational practices are able to demonstrate no serious harm to the environment.
The Commission will:
-advocate, at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, for an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework that protects and restores marine ecosystems and habitats and includes a global agreement to protect at least 30% of the world’s sea area;
-support the conclusion of an ambitious, legally binding agreement on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction at the 4th Inter-Governmental Conference of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea with the aim to promote the conservation and sustainable use of high sea resources;
-lead efforts to reach a global agreement on plastics and promote the uptake of the circular economy approach on plastics, which would lay the basis for a stronger and more coordinated response to plastic pollution at global level;
-continue to work towards the conclusion of the multilateral negotiations on fisheries subsidies in the World Trade Organisation - implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 - to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and to eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing;
-use all its diplomatic leverage and outreach capacities to help broker an agreement on the designation of three vast marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean (East Antarctic, Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula) in the framework of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources;
-support non-EU countries in advancing and diversifying their sustainable, inclusive and equitable blue economies. It will secure financial support from the multiple funding sources available to embed the sustainable blue economy approach in cooperation on ocean governance around the world. The Commission will consider setting up an EU-Africa blue task force;
-support multilateral initiatives such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, in particular on ocean observation, ocean modelling and data sharing infrastructure;
-promote maritime spatial planning internationally through cooperation with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO 66 ;
-update its international ocean governance agenda in the light of recent consultations and recommendations by the International Ocean Governance Forum. The agenda should ensure that the blue economy protects and does not harm the marine ecosystem; it should promote transparent and inclusive decision-making and raise social sustainability standards.
5.Conclusion
This Communication puts forward the Commission’s proposals for a maritime policy for this decade, to make the transition envisioned in the European Green Deal a reality in the ocean economy. The forthcoming Mission Ocean, Seas and Waters will complement this agenda. The Commission will work with the European Parliament, the Council and other EU Institutions, where appropriate, to implement the tabled agenda and the measures. It will reach out to all maritime stakeholders to engage with them in shaping a sustainable blue economy in a fair and equitable way.
(1)
COM(2019) 640 final.
(2)
COM(2020) 442 final.
(3)
European Commission (2020), The EU Blue Economy Report 2020.
(4)
Sustainable Development Goal 14 - Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
(5)
COM(2020) 380 final.
(6)
Candidate ocean mission “Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters”.
(7)
COM(2020) 741 final.
(8)
COM(2020) 789 final.
(9)
Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity.
(10)
Directive 2013/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on recreational craft and personal watercraft and repealing Directive 94/25/EC.
(11)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12312-FuelEU-Maritime- .
(12)
COM(2020) 301 final.
(13)
The new Atlantic action plan 2.0 also identifies ports as a priority gateways and hubs for the blue economy, while the WestMed initiative has set up a technical group on sustainable transport and green shipping.
(14)
SWD(2018) 254 final.
(15)
Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive).
(16)
Directive (EU) 2019/904 of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.
(17)
COM(2018) 368 (proposal for revision currently in first reading with the co-legislators).
(18)
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime and Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (EMFF) - political agreement from 3 December 2020.
(19)
With possible use of connected gears equipped with Internet of Things sensors.
(20)
Directive (EU) 2019/883 amending Directive 2010/65/EU.
(21)
COM(2020) 98 final.
(22)
Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 f the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on ship recycling and amending Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 and Directive 2009/16/EC.
(23)
Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on ship recycling and amending Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 and Directive 2009/16/EC.
(24)
Carbon stored by coastal and ocean ecosystems.
(25)
In this regard, full implementation of the following acts is essential: Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC), Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), Habitats Directives (92/43/EEC), Directive 2011/92/EU, Directive 2001/42/EC, Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, EU biodiversity strategy (COM(2020) 380 final).
(26)
Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report: Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, Summary for Policy Makers, section B.3.1, https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/summary-for-policymakers/ .
(27)
https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/europes-seas-and-coasts .
(28)
SEC(2021) 89 final .
(29)
Council Decision 2010/631/EU of 13 September 2010 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean.
(30)
COM(2020) 381 final.
(31)
Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC.
(32)
The EU still imports over 70% of the seafood it consumes. Aquaculture products only represent 25% of the EU’s seafood consumption, and EU aquaculture for under 2% of global aquaculture production. Aquaculture production remains highly concentrated in terms of both EU Member States and species farmed, hence the high potential for diversification.
(33)
COM(2021) 236 final.
(34)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12555-Organic-farming-action-plan-for-the-development-of-EU-org.
(35)
Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on novel foods, amending Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001.
(36)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12780-Towards-a-strong-and-sustainable-EU-Algae-sector.
(37)
https://emodnet.eu/en. EMODnet brings together more than 120 organisations to provide data on the marine environment across seven disciplinary areas: bathymetry, geology, seabed habitats, chemistry, biology, physics and human activities. The data are processed to make them ‘FAIR’ (easy to find, easy to access, easy to put together and easy to use, or Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
(38)
The thematic digital twin on oceans will be programmed and added to the Destination Earth system from 2023 onwards.
(39)
https://www.oceandecade.org/ .
(40)
https://blueindicators.ec.europa.eu/
(41)
EUMOFA: https://www.eumofa.eu/ .
(42)
COM(2020) 66 final.
(43)
Several examples can be found in their network: FARNET.
(44)
https://www.unepfi.org/blue-finance/ .
(45)
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/frontpage/1451 .
(46)
COM(2020) 274 final.
(47)
The blueprint proposes to key stakeholders (business, trade unions, research institutes, education and training institutions and public authorities) to form sector-specific partnerships, develop skills strategies and concrete learning and training programmes to bridge skills gaps in their sectors.
(48)
https://www.projectmates.eu/ .
(49)
In line with internationally recognized principles and frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the Maritime Labour Convention.
(50)
Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning.
(51)
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/node/4484 .
(52)
http://www.atlanticstrategy.eu/en .
(53)
https://www.westmed-initiative.eu/ .
(54)
https://blackseablueconomy.eu/206/common-maritime-agenda-black-sea .
(55)
https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/ .
(56)
https://www.balticsea-region-strategy.eu/about/about .
(57)
Notably, with the Communication on tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond, the EU vaccination strategy, the safe reopening communication, the digital green certificate, and the re-open EU platform and app.
(58)
UNWTO “Principles for the transition to a green travel and tourism economy”.
(59)
SWD(2020) 206 final.
(60)
COM(2017) 623 final.
(61)
https://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Declaration-UfM-Blue-Economy-EN-1.pdf .
(62)
JOIN(2021) 2.
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EMSA, EFCA, and FRONTEX.
(64)
http://emsa.europa.eu/cise.html .
(65)
SWD(2016) 352 final.
(66)
“Joint roadmap to accelerate Maritime/Marine Spatial Planning processes worldwide”, March 2017.