About the proposal for a directive to establish a framework for integrated coastal management and maritime spatial planning by Astrid Schomaker, Head of unit, Marine Environment and Water Industry, DG Environment.

1. Integrated Coastal Management and
Maritime Spatial Planning
European Commission
DG Environment
Astrid Schomaker
Head of Unit
Marine Environment and Water Industry

2. Outline
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•
•
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Coastal challenges
MSP/ ICM: What is it about?
EU policy framework
Proposal for a framework Directive on MSP/ICM
•
•
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Aims of the proposal
Main obligations
Benefits
State of Play
• The proposal and SUSCOD
• ICM in practice (Ourcoast)

3. Coastal Challenges
Coastal regions among the most populated and
productive
This leads to specific problems
Coastal areas are extremely vulnerable to climate change
impacts.

4. MSP/ICM: what is it about?
Maritime Spatial Planning focuses on mapping existing and potential
human activities for the purpose of preparing maritime spatial plans in
marine waters.
 Instrument: Maritime Spatial Plan
Integrated Coastal Management aims for coordinated application of policy
processes affecting the coastal zone, addressing land-sea interactions of
coastal activities in a coordinated way with a view to ensuring their
sustainable development.
 Instrument: Integrated Coastal Management Strategies

5. Maritime Spatial Planning
© WWF

6. Integrated Coastal (Zone) Management
© JRC

7. EU policy framework
Integrated Maritime Policy-Marine Directive
IMP / Blue Growth
economic
social
environmental
(MSFD)
Tools (MSP/ICM, Marine Knowledge)

8. Proposal for a Framework Directive on
MSP/ICM (COM(2013) 133)
•
MSP / ICM can boost maritime growth
by facilitating the spatial development
of
Blue
Growth
sectors
and
accelerating maritime investments.
•
The cross-border nature of the
maritime
economy
requires
cooperation and coordination between
Member States.
•
Enhanced environmental protection
factored in from the outset including
space for nature

9. Why a joint initiative ?
MSP and ICM
• Both address the use of coastal and maritime space and
management of human activities
• Both are support tools for a more integrated decision making
process, coordinating potentially competing sector policies
• Both tools are multi-sector oriented
• Rely on similar key principles
• Applied jointly they will improve sea-land interface
planning/management

10. Aims of the proposal
Establish a framework for maritime spatial
integrated coastal management that promotes:
planning
and
 the sustainable growth of maritime and coastal
economies and
 the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources
But:
• Respect subsidiarity and MS competence for town and
country planning
• Minimise need for MS with MSP/ICZM policies in place to
change practices

11. What will Member States have to do?
 Develop and implement maritime spatial plans and coastal
management strategies.
 Mutually coordinate or integrate plans and strategies to
ensure land-sea connectivity.
 Cooperate with MS and third countries to ensure coherent
approaches across sea-basins.
 Consult stakeholders.

12. Benefits of MSP/ICM proposal
•
Economic: Reduced costs and increased certainty for private investments.
•
Environmental: Reduced pressures on environment and improved
biodiversity conservation and resilience to climate change.
•
Social: Improved engagement of population and stakeholders and
improved political cooperation climate.
• Provides predictability, stability, transparency through EU wide
implementation of MSP/ICM
• Allows flexibility to apply existing MSP/ICM approaches
• Ensures trans-boundary cooperation
• Safeguards proportionality and subsidiarity

13. State of Play
• The Commission tabled its proposal in March 2013
• The file is currently being discussed in Council and European
Parliament (co-decision)
• If Council and Parliament manage a 'first reading agreement'
early 2014 (before elections), publication in 2014 is still
possible
• If not, the file needs further discussion once the new
Parliament is in place

14. The proposal and
• Commission proposal sets the 'procedural frame' for ICM
strategies
• MS reponsible for the substantial content of ICM strategies
• Discussions in the ICM expert group meetings show a high
need for practical guidance and tools to elaborate strategies
The SUSCOD ICZM assistant is such a tool for local
authorities and practitioners to develop strategies

15. ICM in practice
• Exchange of experiences and best practices
=> database of about 350 cases
• Key themes include:
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•
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Adaptation to coastal risks and climate change
Planning and land management instruments
Institutional coordination mechanisms
Information and communication
http://ec.europa.eu/ourcoast
• The SUSCOD ICZM assistant has been integrated
in OURCOAST

16. Littoral 2012 - 27 November 2012

17. Thank you for your attention
More background information at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/iczm/home.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy

18. Contact
Astrid.Schomaker@ec.europa.eu
18