EU parliament demands 'beefed up' maritime policy

European commission proposals for a fully-fledged policy for the sea have been branded as 'vague'.

Speaking in parliament today at a one-day hearing on future EU maritime policy, socialist MEP Willi Piecyk said he had no wish to ‘bash’ the commission.

But Piecyk, transport committee rapporteur on the commission’s maritime green paper, added: “We really do need the commission to come up with something more concrete for our maritime regions.”

"The green paper mentions a lot of things but, in reality, there are no real concrete proposals for the next five to ten years," Piecyk said.

"I hope the commission will incorporate some to the things we have discussed today in its final maritime policy proposals."

The German MEP was among several keynote speakers taking part in a joint hearing of five parliamentary committees. 

Others included representatives of environmental organisations, fishermen’s federations and transport unions.

MEPs will vote in June on Piecyk's report on the transport aspects of the commission’s proposals.

The hearing is expected to call on the commission to come forward with more “concrete” measures to boost Europe’s maritime and peripheral regions when the executive presents its final proposals in June at the end of a wide-ranging public consultation exercise.

Among other speakers at today’s hearing was Alfons Guinier, secretary-general of the European Community Shipowners’ Association.

He pointed out that ships account for 90 per cent of European external trade and that shipping plays an “essential” role for the European economy.

"By its mere existence, the green paper stresses the importance of maritime industries for European trade," he added.

"We strongly believe, however, that it should lead to an EU maritime policy aimed at maintaining and enhancing the EU as the world’s biggest maritime cluster."

"To achieve this ambitious goal, the follow up to the green paper should not necessarily result in new rules but, rather, in some principles to guide the policy in coming years."

"The focus should be on close cooperation between member states on issues such as immigration and drug trafficking," he added.

Patrick Anvroin, director of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), told the hearing that the Rennes-based organisation was currently consulting its network of 153 member regions on the green paper.

He said any future maritime policy needs to provide the EU with “added value” across a range of policy areas.

Frederico Cardigos, regional director for the environment of the Azores, said Europe had played a “crucial” role in the protection of the marine environment of the Azores.

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