6.6.2013   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161/87

1.1

The EESC sees the communication under discussion as the necessary logical continuation of efforts to implement an Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) in the European Union.

1.2

The EESC regards the communication generally as an apt contribution to the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy, with the aim of economic recovery in Europe drawing on the potential of the maritime economy to create jobs, strengthen competitiveness and promote social cohesion.

1.3

From this point of view, the EESC welcomes the communication, particularly in the current economic crisis, which has created a difficult economic landscape in Europe, with negative effects also for sectors of the maritime economy.

1.4

If the communication is to give fresh impetus to the IMP as intended, the EESC believes that there must be consistent use and development of good existing initiatives and measures alongside the proposed new framework so that the EU does not miss the opportunity to frame a cutting-edge IMP based on high standards.

1.5

The EESC believes that continuity and consistency are essential to the achievement of blue growth, and it must therefore be made clear that the five Focus Areas identified on the basis of the study Blue Growth. Scenarios and drivers for Sustainable Growth (2012) complement rather than replace the existing traditional spheres of action (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/content/2946).

1.6

The Committee emphasises that seeing the blue economy as an inexhaustible source of unexploited resources and insistently invoking blue growth as a panacea for the problems Europe's economy faces might increase the many different types of stress already being placed on the EU's coasts and seas; the Committee therefore recommends constant vigilance to ensure that a balance is maintained between economic objectives and the principles of sustainable development.

1.7

The EESC has addressed the importance of the human factor in the maritime economy extensively, recommending that due attention be paid to the social dimension when seeking a balance between economic, social and environmental factors for a sustainable IMP.

1.8

The EESC believes that blue growth must help to further social integration without generating exclusion, by providing opportunities for employment, training and full involvement above all for local and coastal populations, including remote and sparsely populated communities, with their particular characteristics and needs.

1.9

With reference to key points it has made on marine and maritime research (1), the EESC underlines the central importance of research and innovation in establishing a strong competitive position for Europe, especially in new emerging sectors, with the emphasis on basic and advanced research geared towards leading-edge applications and optimum methods so as to support cooperation between industry and academia.

1.10

The EESC considers education to be particularly important, and urges the Commission to design an appropriate innovative education framework for attracting highly-qualified students to a career path in the marine sector.

1.11

Since the consolidation of blue growth is a particularly ambitious and complex undertaking of enormous scope, the EESC points to the need for greater detail in the area of implementation; in this opinion it identifies certain key and other specific issues that must be addressed so as to avoid there being a gap between expectations and what can actually be achieved.

2.1

The communication addresses blue growth in the conviction that coastlines, seas and oceans can help to address the stresses and problems that Europe is facing and to achieve economic recovery in Europe.

2.2

The Commission considers the objective of blue growth to be the achievement of "smart, sustainable and inclusive growth" with the focus on innovation, putting the process of enhancing the blue economy on the agendas of the Member States, the regions, businesses and civil society.

2.3

The communication describes how the Member States and the EU are already supporting the blue economy. Drawing on the Blue Growth study (see point 1.5 above), the Commission text singles out, from all the maritime activities mentioned, five Blue Growth Focus Areas with high growth potential that can be further developed through targeted measures. These are: (1) maritime, coastal and cruise tourism, (2) blue energy, (3) marine mineral resources, (4) aquaculture, and (5) blue biotechnology.

2.4

Value chains or spheres of the blue economy can be divided into traditional, mature activities (maritime transport and maritime and coastal tourism), growth-stage activities (aquaculture and maritime surveillance), and emerging sectors (ocean renewable energy and blue biotechnology).

2.5

This "reactivation" of the IMP was cemented at the beginning of October with the adoption of the Limassol Declaration (2), a political declaration supporting and strengthening the IMP, with future guidelines for blue growth and an agenda for growth and jobs.

2.6

The long-term blue growth strategy is intended to spotlight the synergies and interplay within sectoral policies and various activities, and to study their potential impact on the marine environment and biodiversity.

2.7

Other objectives include identifying and supporting activities with significant long-term growth potential by encouraging investment in research and innovation and by upgrading skills through education and training.

2.8

After extensive negotiation, the Commission will be launching a series of measures to explore growth potential, with communications to be published on coastal and maritime tourism, blue energy, blue biotechnology and offshore mining, as well as strategic guidelines on aquaculture.

3.1

The EESC has in previous opinions (3) made important comments, taking a position on a number of issues relating to blue growth and applauding the way in which the Commission has been implementing the Integrated Maritime Policy since its inception in 2007 (4), with the aim of ensuring sustainable development of the maritime economy and improving protection of the marine environment.

3.2

The EESC sees the proposed consolidation of blue growth as a complex and difficult undertaking on a massive scale embracing: (1) six sea basins (the Baltic Sea, Mediterranean, North Sea, North-East Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Black Sea and the outermost regions of Europe) with their particular economic, social, environmental, geographical, climate and institutional characteristics and needs, (2) many sectors and activities at various levels of development, of varying importance and with particular characteristics, and (3) development strategies that build on the advantages and address the weaknesses of each maritime region and each sector.

3.3

The EESC is known to favour cross-sectoral and cross-border cooperation between all players, to strengthen European competitiveness and ensure optimum conditions for growth of the maritime economy.

3.4

The EESC endorses the functional and geographical approach of blue growth, with sea basin strategies that consider the particular features of Europe's sea basins in relation to the various maritime economic activities and the issues of partnerships, synergies – as well as tensions – within and beyond EU borders.

3.5

The EESC recommends strengthening maritime clusters and promoting joint projects that can boost innovation and develop new business concepts. Regional groupings that bring together the public and private sectors, NGOs, as well as regional maritime agreements and targeted studies of sea basins, can counter the fragmentation of the maritime economy based on cross-border cooperation and European programmes.

3.6

As far as the local communities of coastal regions, islands and outermost regions are concerned, the EESC advocates discouraging "one-size-fits-all" approaches and encouraging adapted local strategies and cooperation with local and regional authorities, local communities and local civil society organisations with the aim of safeguarding the cultural heritage and traditional forms of production and employment and protecting natural resources.

3.7

In the EESC's view it should be made explicit that promoting blue growth under the IMP is not an exclusively EU matter, since marine ecosystems and maritime economies transcend national borders. Serious challenges can only be successfully addressed through international cooperation and coordinated action. This applies both to global challenges like the sustainable use of marine resources, climate change, loss of biodiversity, fair competition in the shipping and shipbuilding sectors, and promoting conditions for decent jobs in these spheres, and to issues that are more a matter for the regional level, e.g. environmental protection in the Mediterranean or Baltic Sea regions.

3.8

The EESC urges the Commission to make the seven outermost regions (the autonomous Spanish community of the Canary Islands, the Portuguese autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, and the four French overseas departments of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Réunion) – as outposts of the EU in their regions (5) – central to the external dimension of the IMP, taking into account the priorities for a stronger partnership (6), and to present regional blue growth strategies for these regions, since they give the EU the largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world and can play an important role.

3.9

The EESC welcomes the mention in the communication of employment, training and skills, but believes that the social dimension which they signal must be incorporated into policies introduced with the new agenda for the marine and maritime sectors adopted on 8 October 2012 to back the Europe 2020 strategy, with targeted measures to improve living, working and training conditions and with involvement of the social partners.

3.10

Since the communication identifies the skills shortage as a major obstacle in the area of blue growth, the EESC considers it essential to ensure not only a minimum level of training of seafarers (7), but also the development of professional skills and experience to meet the needs of emerging sectors for new high-level skills. It therefore recommends that existing policies and measures be fleshed out and broadened given that maritime training focuses mainly on existing mature activities (fishing, shipping).

4.1

The communication presents the economic dimension and employment data in the maritime and shipping sectors, which already provide jobs for 5.4 million people and generate an annual total gross value added of around EUR 500 billion in Europe (excluding military activities). In all, 75 % of the EU's external trade and 37 % of its domestic trade is seaborne (per tonne-kilometre). This activity is concentrated mainly around Europe's coasts. In addition, some landlocked countries are developing very successful related activities, e.g. manufacture of marine equipment.

4.2

Based on value chains, growth prospects for the blue economy are considerable in gross value added and employment terms: by 2020, employment could increase to 7 million jobs and total annual gross value added to EUR 600 billion.

4.3

Trends and possible future development prospects are considered for each of the five Focus Areas derived from the Blue Growth study (see point 1.5 above), with an emphasis on innovation and new jobs. Specifically:

4.4

The EESC notes that the economic outlook for the five focus areas will depend on a range of conditions and that their growth potential is subject to complex technological, environmental, research, investment, competition and institutional challenges, many of which relate to the international dimension of the IMP or to international economic and other developments, e.g. the ability to obtain extraction licences in international waters and oil price fluctuations.

4.5

The rate at which blue growth is achieved will essentially be determined by the long-term context. A situation of sustainable and steady growth would provide better support, whereas fragile economic recovery combined with constraining international factors would hinder development.

4.6

However, the EESC notes that the communication does not seem to take sufficient account of the general and specific impact of the ongoing economic crisis, which is making it more difficult to address short- and long-term challenges at European and global level.

4.7

In inherently risky new markets, the competitiveness of European businesses depends on access to adequate financing in an environment that is conducive to investment under transparent conditions. Access to venture capital is of vital importance to SMEs and attention must be paid to micro-businesses, which have the potential to become a lever for blue growth.

4.8

The EESC points to the particular importance of the blue economy for the Member States with Exclusive Economic Zones and to the need to develop maritime business clusters and boost their contribution to growth and employment.

4.9

Finally, the EESC believes that in order to avoid a gap between expectations and reality, the current difficult climate and generally unfavourable forecasts for the European and world economy must be seriously considered as part of a realistic approach to the need to further enhance blue growth.

5.1

The communication contains references to existing policies and strategic investments of the Member States and the EU in the blue economy. However, the EESC feels that these initiatives and measures by the Member States do not measure up to the ambitious goals of blue growth and do not yet provide the necessary critical mass.

5.2

The EESC believes that building the necessary critical mass to make blue growth a lever for employment and entrepreneurship during a time of crisis requires effective governance structures.

5.3

It points out that developing functional governance mechanisms means addressing regulatory bottlenecks and administrative constraints, which were also pointed up during the consultative process.

5.4

Since new methods of using marine resources are being developed, it is important for the Member States to establish solid regulatory and planning systems that encourage long-term investment, cross-border cohesion and synergies through joint projects focused on innovation.

5.5

The EU lacks in particular a coherent policy for emerging sectors, such as marine biotechnology, and this must rectified in good time, as European endeavours are fragmented and based on national rather than common European priorities, resulting in a competitive disadvantage.

5.6

It is consequently of vital importance in the EESC's view to address promptly the regulatory deficits and obstacles resulting from a complex and erratic legal framework characterised by regulatory uncertainty about the post-2020 period (offshore wind energy) or inadequate EU regulation for certain activities (use of seabed resources, offshore aquaculture and offshore wind energy).

5.7

The EESC notes in particular the need for a systematic effort to address key issues such as the lack of integrated maritime spatial planning, especially in relation to aquaculture and floating offshore wind, tortuous licensing/approval procedures (offshore wind, blue biotechnology), obstacles to setting up and financing experimental farms, as well as tensions, for instance, between maritime shipping and ocean renewable energy farms (production of tidal energy, ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and wave energy).

6.1

The EESC urges recognition of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (9) as the basis for sustainable development, as this is the environmental pillar of the IMP and sets out a cohesive policy based on continuing the protection and preservation of the marine environment and preventing its deterioration.

6.2

The EESC believes it is right to include in the Limassol Declaration and future policy documents the objective of achieving or maintaining good environmental status of EU marine waters by 2020 and the precautionary principle as pillars of the IMP and blue growth.

6.3

To be sustainable, maritime activities that can provide employment require a long-term, coherent approach that aims to achieve a balance between economic growth and environmental challenges; this requires adequate support from local, national, international and EU policies based on the principles of sustainable development.

6.4

The EESC notes that although marine resources are significant, they are not inexhaustible, and points out that repeating the serious mistakes of overexploitation and overdevelopment that have characterised earlier development initiatives could undermine the sustainability of blue growth and place further stress on the environment.

6.5

While the communication recognises the environmental challenge, it seems to overlook the fact that over the past few decades Europe's seas and oceans have been deteriorating as a result of land, marine and atmospheric pollution, acidification of the oceans, overexploitation of resources, destructive fishing practices and climate change. Degradation of marine and coastline ecosystems and loss of biodiversity can be observed in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the North-East Atlantic and the Arctic, according to recent studies on the limits to blue growth. (Limits to Blue Growth, 2012. http://www.seas-at-risk.org/news_n2.php?page=539). A recent pioneering study of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) calculates that marine pollution – which is often ignored when policies are framed – will have serious long-term costs unless measures are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (http://www.sei-international.org/publications?pid=2064).

6.6

Maritime economic activities that entail a high risk to sustainability are offshore oil and natural gas installations, aquaculture, coastal tourism and cruise tourism, carbon capture and storage, coastal shipping, as well as offshore extraction of fossil fuels, which is incompatible with any concept of sustainable development.

6.7

The scale and extent of the environmental impact are still unclear, especially in relation to blue renewable energy, marine mineral resources, aquaculture and blue biotechnology, while the available data do not explain the complex interdependencies at play in the oceans and deep seas.

6.8

The EESC believes that Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), which are being promoted by the Commission as the main instruments for marine spatial and resource management, must be combined with other policy instruments (e.g. the Strategic Environmental Assessment, designation of protected areas, internalisation of environmental costs) in a management approach based on ecosystems and problem-free co-existence of the various intensive and competing types of activity.

6.9

The EESC recommends that the Commission be more vigilant regarding compliance with European environmental standards, and health and quality standards, especially for aquaculture products imported from outside the EU, so as to protect EU consumers and shield companies in the sector from any unfair competition.

7.1

The Committee notes that despite mentioning the importance of research in consolidating blue growth, especially for growth-stage and emerging sectors, the communication remains vague overall and its scope limited mainly to references to the forthcoming Horizon 2020 programme.

7.2

Europe is going through a period of public spending cuts, which means that the best possible results have to be achieved with limited means. The subsequent reduction in public funding for research, combined with lack of venture capital, is likely to undermine the vital role that SMEs play in the marine economy in developing new products and technologies.

7.3

The EESC points out that despite its strong knowledge base and research lead in new and traditional forms of energy and aquaculture, Europe lags behind in terms of actual innovations or commercialisation in new emerging sectors where European operators have so far been unable to compete against the innovative strength of other international players (as shown by the difference in the number of patents held compared with Asia and the USA in desalination, coastal protection, algae aquaculture and blue biotechnology).

7.4

The EESC therefore recommends tackling as soon as possible the problem posed by the lack of targeted research and weak research profile, which are due in part to the broad mesh of research fields and activities relating to marine biotechnology and other new spheres.

7.5

The following measures could help to bridge the knowledge and technology transfer gap in all priority spheres: linking scientific research to industry and education; cooperation between industry and academia; improving the management of intellectual property; investing in demonstration programmes to establish commercial expedience; and securing large-scale public-private partnerships so as to create the necessary critical mass for blue growth.

7.6

The future of blue growth in the 21st century is closely linked to the potential for scientists to develop and take part in interdisciplinary programmes that integrate skills and ideas from different scientific fields. Training for the next generation of scientists must focus on interdisciplinary and comprehensive approaches so as to address the complex technological and competitive challenges inherent in research on marine organisms and the marine environment.

7.7

It is urgently necessary in the EESC's view to do something about the fragmentary nature of marine data, which is scattered over hundreds of different bodies in Europe, making it difficult to access, use and aggregate. The Committee urges the Commission to work with the Member States to make this knowledge available and to determine the financial and other resources needed to create a favourable environment for pooling information, best practice and data with the aim of strengthening research and innovation and improving environmental protection.

7.8

The new digital seabed map of European waters must be interoperable and there should be no restrictions on its use; it must support research with data on the impact of human activities and with oceanographic forecasts so that the Member States can maximise the potential of their local marine observation, sampling and surveying programmes.

7.9

Protecting Europe's sea borders and effective marine surveillance (10) present a challenge for the Member States when it comes to successfully promoting blue growth. Stepping up checks at the external Schengen borders and putting in place an information-sharing system will enable Member States' border control authorities to reduce deaths at sea and combat phenomena such as illegal immigration into the EU and maritime piracy (11).