Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean

Summary:

Communication published by European Commission in April 2017 concerning the Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean.

Further information:

In 2015 the Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Declaration on the Blue Economy invited the participating countries to explore the added value and feasibility of appropriate maritime strategies at sub-regional level, and build on the experience of the 5+5 Dialogue. In October 2016, the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia encouraged further work on an initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy, together with the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat.

This Initiative stems from that request and comprises this Communication and the accompanying Framework for Action. Both have been drafted in close cooperation with the countries concerned and the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat. The Communication outlines the main challenges, the shortcomings that need to be addressed and possible solutions. The Framework for Action presents the proposed priorities and their added value, actions and projects in detail, with quantitative targets and deadlines to monitor progress over time.

The Initiative is based on the Commission’s long-standing experience with sea basin and macro-regional strategies. It is also based on over two decades of work within the 5+5 Dialogue, which has created strong ties between the participating countries. It also builds on other EU policies linked to the region, such as the European Neighbourhood Policy Review priorities and the Communication on International Ocean Governance.

Official

EUR-Lex: SWD(2017)130: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the report http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2017:130:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 19/04/2017: Western Mediterranean: Actions for the sustainable development of the blue economy http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-924_en.htm

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