News

On Friday 14 December, the European Council gave mandate to the Commission for the presentation " of a new EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region before the end of 2014".

The decision is a consequence of more than two years of strong commitment by each AII Participant Country that has set the "Adriatic Ionian Macro-Region" as a priority for its regional policy.

The Conclusions of last EU Summit of December 14 are enclosed.

The XIV Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities and Towns was held on 28-30 November in Pescara.

The Secretary General of the Adriatic Ionian Initiative took part to the meeting along with the Mayors of the Adriatic Ionian cities.

The main priority of this year's Forum has been the support to the process of establishment of the Adriatic Ionian Macro-Region reflected in the "Declaration in support of the process of recognition of Adriatic Ionian Macro-Region" issued by the Plenary Session at the end of the meeting (See attachment) .

The Adriatic Ionian Permanent Secretariat received, from the EU Commission, a press release on the new Strategyfor the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and is glad to publish it:

Brussels, 3 December 2012

Maritime Policy: Commission launches new strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Seas

The European Commission has adopted a maritime strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Seas that will boost smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the region. The strategy rests on 4 pillars: a stronger blue economy, a healthier marine environment, a safer maritime space, and responsible fishing activities. It builds on the Commission's Blue Growth initiative and on the "Limassol Declaration on a marine and maritime agenda for growth and jobs", recently adopted by EU Ministers. The vision behind the initiative: making the sea a central space of innovation, economic opportunities and prosperity for all the countries around it.

Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki comments: "Given the European perspective of Western Balkan countries, the movement of people, goods and services through the Adriatic and Ionian Seas is bound to increase. Preserving the marine habitats and ensuring the sustainable development of the region will be challenging – and it is a challenge that we need to prepare for. I look forward to the input of all interested parties on this and to developing together a detailed plan for future action".

While recognizing the work already carried out by various organisations in the area, the new strategy underlines the need to step up cooperation. It will use existing resources, structures and regulations to foster cross-border partnerships and mobilize local, regional and national actors towards common objectives. The first initiative of this kind in the Mediterranean sea basin, the strategy will help develop the sea basin´s blue economy by coordinating financing and delivery mechanisms.

Some priority areas have been identified, for example:

• Stimulating the creation of maritime clusters and research networks as well as formulating a research strategy to spur innovation;

• Increasing skills and mobility of the workforce, with greater transparency of qualifications;

• Optimising transport links by developing an integrated, demand-based, low-carbon maritime transportation network across the region, with special attention to island connectivity;

• Supporting the sustainable development of coastal and maritime tourism, with emphasis on innovation and common marketing strategies and products;

• Creating new jobs and business opportunities in aquaculture through research and innovation;

• Reducing marine litter and improving waste management in coastal areas;

• Modernising fishing activities through better compliance, conservation, transfer of information and cooperation on enforcement and control;

The strategy will be implemented in 2013 through an Action Plan to be jointly developed with the region's stakeholders. The Commission therefore calls on all equity parties – at national, regional, and local level – to propose concrete actions. This follows a series of workshops for a wide array of participants which were hosted by Greece, Italy and Slovenia in the course 2012.

The new strategy is part of the overall Integrated Maritime Policy of the EU, which already includes maritime strategies for the Baltic and the Atlantic Seas. It could be the first building block of a wider macro-regional strategy that the Adriatic and Ionian countries are willing to develop.

Croatia and the Commission are jointly launching the strategy on December 6th at a conference in Zagreb (see http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/mare/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=9036).

Background

The Adriatic Sea and the contiguous Ionian Sea are an important maritime and marine area in Europe, though quite diverse in economic, environmental and cultural terms. Economic and social interactions between countries and regions have been historically dense, and are now made even stronger by the EU accession process of Western Balkan countries. The existing maritime links, however, do not fulfil the mobility needs of citizens, businesses and tourists. And despite the rich maritime tradition and knowledge, innovation is driving the maritime economy only slowly forward. Furthermore, marine and coastal ecosystems face numerous environmental challenges as well as increasing urbanisation and traffic. Climate change and its impacts pose mounting threats to coastal areas.

For more information

http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy/sea_basins/adriatic_ionian/index_en.htm

The EU Commission adopted, on Friday 30th November, the "Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions" on "A Maritime Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Seas" (see attachment).

The Communication is a first step towards the approval of a Maritime Strategy that will be spelled out in details in an Action Plan to be approved in the second half of 2013.

The Maritime Strategy might constitute a first and founding pillar of the wider EU macro-regional strategy covering an higher number of fields which is under consideration by EU institutions.