Irish Government Seeks Input into Future EU Maritime Policy

Stakeholders, interested parties and members of the public are being offered the opportunity to input to the shape of a new European marine policy.

This comes as an open invitation to complete a questionnaire based on the recent EU Maritime Green Paper; Towards a Future Maritime Policy for the Union and will be used to formulate a national response for Ireland.

This topic will be further discussed in Dublin on 6th March at a Stakeholders Conference attended by EU Commissioner Joe Borg, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Mr John Browne T.D., and chaired by broadcaster Dr John Bowman.  

Submissions can be made in writing via a specially designed questionnaire available in hard copy from the Marine Institute at Oranmore, County Galway, or electronically via the dedicated website: www.maritimegreenpaper.ie. The deadline for submission is 2nd March 2007. All submissions received will be used to inform Ireland’s national response to the Green Paper.  

According to Commissioner Borg “The Green Paper examines the opportunities offered by Europe’s oceans and seas, and the challenges we face if we are to make the best use of them in a sustainable way. It does not,” he added “ seek to provide all the answers, but to ask the right questions.”  

Some of those questions include;  

• How can Europe’s leadership be retained in such areas of sustainable maritime development as competitiveness, ocean energy, blue biotechnology and the marine environment?  
• How can the quality of life in coastal areas be maximised?
• How can we manage risks to the coastline?
• How can we develop coastal tourism?  
• What tools do we need to develop the seas in a sustainable way?
• What do we need by way of information, financial resources and spatial planning for a growing maritime economy?  
• How should we govern the oceans?
• How do we make policy within the EU while taking into account international rules and geographic realities?  
• How can we reclaim Europe’s maritime heritage and our maritime identity?
• How can we teach our children that Europe has a history based on the sea?  

These questions will also be discussed in Dublin on the 6th March at a Stakeholder Conference to be attended by EU Commissioner Joe Borg, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Mr John Browne T.D., and chaired by broadcaster Dr John Bowman.  

Speakers at the event will include representatives of the fishing industry, the marine tourism and leisure sector, shipping, ports and harbours, as well as speakers on renewable energy, the marine environment and maritime safety.  

Further details on the Stakeholder Conference and on how to input to the Maritime Green Paper are available at: www.maritimegreenpaper.ie