ICZM in Europe

1. ICZM in Europe Anne Burrill Unit E.3 Enlargement and Neighbouring Countries European Commission - DG Environment

2. Contents • Why the EU gives special attention to the coastal zones • The EU ICZM Recommendation • EU Maritime Policy • EU Priorities for ICZM • Relations with our Partners in the Mediterranean • Closing Remarks

3. Why special attention for coastal zones ? A Concentration of People

4. Why special attention for coastal zones ? Economic activity of strategic importance

5. Why special attention for coastal zones ? Rich Biodiversity

6. Why special attention for coastal zones ? Scarcity of Space

7. Why special attention for coastal zones ? Coastal Erosion

8. The EU ICZM Recommendation (2002/413/EC) A strategic approach to coastal zone management and planning. Aim: achieve sustainable development. Based on common principles, reflecting good territorial governance. Set in motion a process: - Development of National ICZM strategies, following a stock-take - Reports to the Commission: February 2006 - Evaluation and Commission report to Council and European Parliament June 2007

9. ICZM Recommendation – Contents (1) Coastal planning and management should be based on: - ecosystem approach, sustainable resources use - climate change effects - sound coastal protection, including of cultural heritage - sustainable economic/job opportunities - a functioning social and cultural system in local communities - access to the coast - for leisure / landscape - cohesion (accessibility remote coastal settlements)

10. ICZM Recommendation – Contents (2) • Eight Defining Principles: • (a) broad thematic and geographic perspective • (b) long-term perspective • (c) adaptive management / sound knowledge basis • (d) local specificity • (e) working with natural processes, “carrying capacity” • (f) involving all the parties concerned • (g) involvement of all relevant administrative bodies at national, regional and local level * • (h) use of a mix of instruments, to facilitate coherence between sectoral policy objectives and between planning and management.

11. ICZM Recommendation – Evaluation Results, June 2007 • Good feedback (14/20 Member States; 70% coastline) • Progress since 2000 but mature ICZM still rarely observed • Reports show varying scope and nature of actions • Lack of common understanding of principles of ICZM • Knowledge basis – use and sharing of information is key • Continued need for coherent EU policies / legislation

12. ICZM Recommendation – Evaluation June 2007 - Conclusions • Approach and Principles of EU ICZM Recommendation remain valid • Need for: • Further support to implementation • More systematic comparative analysis and experience exchange • Strengthening the knowledge base and use of information • Maritime Policy offers platform for coherence of policies

13. renewed focus on integration … • EU Maritime Policy « Blue Paper » • October 2007 • Same approach as underlying EU ICZM Recommendation : • holistic approach to policy making and implementation • good governance • knowledge based approach • integration across land-sea boundary ( “Coasts” are integral part of Maritime Policy)

14. Maritime Policy – Action Plan • Guidance for national maritime policies • Collective learning • Stakeholder consultation structures andnetworking • Research strategy • Data and information (EMODNET, Atlas of the seas ...)

15. EU Priorities for ICZM(1) • Adaptation to coastal risks & impacts of climate change Keys: preventive, long-term, multi-risk / cross-sector approach; integration between prevention and response • White paper on Adaptation to Climate Change (3Q 2008) • Community Disaster Prevention Strategy (end 2008) • Study on adaptation and coastal defence costs • Coastal erosion : CONSCIENCE

16. EU Priorities for ICZM (2) • Cooperation in regional seas context, including marine spatial planning - Building on Marine Strategy Directive, ICZM Recommendation and existing regional seas structures - Roadmap and preparatory study, exchange of best-practice • Cohesion policy: trans-national cooperation programmes “Territorial Cohesion” • Helcom (Baltic), OSPAR (Atlantic) • Black Sea Synergy / Bucharest convention (Black Sea) • UNCLOS…….

17. Relations with Mediterranean Partner Countries (1) • Pre-Accession Process: Countries of South East Europe (Balkans and Turkey) • progressive transposition and implementation of EU legislation and policy, incl. environment • EU Neighbourhood Policy: Countries of Eastern and Southern Mediterranean • collaboration in developing national environment policy, based on EU experience

18. Relations with Mediterranean Partner Countries (2) • Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - Environment component reinforced since 2005 (Horizon 2020 initiative) • ENPI finance – Med. basin CBC programme • Barcelona Convention (including its ICZM protocol!) • "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean"

19. Closing Remarks • Coastal zones are different from other spaces and require special attention. • Integrated coastal zone management is confirmed as the approach needed to address the particular challenges of coastal zones. More efforts need to be deployed to support implementation in the EU. • The launch of the overarching EU Maritime Policy provides new impetus at EU level to promote integration on land and sea. • The EU wants to work more closely with its Mediterranean Partners, including on ICZM. • The ICZM Protocol mirrors the basic principles and objectives of the EU ICZM Recommendation and it fits in the regional sea based approach that the EU envisages.

20. Thank you