Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Progress of the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy

Europe’s seas and oceans are a rich and often underestimated source of innovation, growth and employment. They provide valuable ecosystem services and resources on which all marine activities depend. Since its creation in 2007, the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) has sought to enhance the sustainable development of the European maritime economy and to better protect the marine environment by facilitating the cooperation of all maritime players across sectors and borders.

Five years later, the economic climate has radically changed. With the Europe 2020 strategy, the EU is seeking to get the European economy back on track to deliver employment, competitiveness and social cohesion. The potential for growth in the maritime economy is an opportunity that Europe, as a maritime continent, needs to seize. Since 2009, the EU has launched key initiatives in all policy areas related to the seas in order to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness. By avoiding duplication of spending and efforts, and encouraging the sustainable development of maritime activities, the IMP has brought concrete benefits to the European economy and maritime sectors in Member States.

In 2009, the Council and European Parliament welcomed the first Progress Report on the IMP and asked the Commission to present further developments in 2012. This second Report describes the progress of the EU’s IMP and maritime sectoral policies between 2010 and 2012. It highlights their contribution to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy by taking stock of concrete achievements that help create growth, enhance resource efficiency and save public money.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)491: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:491:FIN

European Commission: SWD(2012)255: Progress of the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2012:0255:FIN:EN:PDF

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