Policy Focus

Barroso: EU’s maritime sector “essential” for Europe's prosperity

European maritime day Commission president José ManuelBarroso has said he hopes the upcoming European Maritime Day willraise public awareness of the potential opportunities for jobs andgrowth offered by maritime areas.

A day of events marking the occasion next Tuesday, attended byBarroso, European parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering andSlovenian premier Janez Janša will be held during parliament’splenary in Strasbourg.

Barroso said that the maritime day, the first of its kind, willprovide an occasion to highlight the “crucial” role that oceans andseas play in the everyday life not only of coastal communities, butof “all EU citizens.”

The day will, it is hoped, also encourage “better stewardship” ofcoastal zones, seas and oceans, he added.

His comments were echoed by Joe Borg, the commissioner for maritimeaffairs and fisheries, who said, "Setting aside a special day eachyear to mark the importance of the oceans and seas is a way topromote the wellbeing and welfare of all Europeans in this era ofglobalisation.”

Borg hopes that people living and working in Europe's maritimeregions will “seize this occasion” to showcase their contributionto the EU and stimulate debate about challenges they face.

Tuesday will also see parliament vote on a report on the EU's newintegrated maritime policy which underlines the “unique”opportunities offered by the maritime sector in the field ofinnovation, research, environment and biodiversity.

Elsewhere, the commission will hold a maritime conference inBrussels on 19 and 20 May, including keynote speeches by Borg,German Socialist deputy Willi Piecyk, parliament’s rapporteur onthe issue and Michel Delebarre, vice president of the Committee ofthe Regions and Mayor of Dunkirk.

A commission spokesman said, “Discussions are expected to focus onensuring that the new policy is fully adapted to the regionaldimension of maritime affairs.”

She said that since the maritime policy was ratified by theBrussels summit in December 2007, “real progress” had been madetowards resolving potential conflicts between different sea-relatedpolicy areas.

The commission has proposed ways of combating illegal fishing,boosting development of EU ports and promoting a better “fit”between energy policy and maritime policy.

It has also carried out a stock-taking exercise looking at theoffshore activities and competences of member states.