Joe Borg calls at MAP's Athens headquarters

Any future E.U. maritime policy will fully incorporate Mediterranean concerns, Dr Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, told The Sunday Times.

At the end of an official visit to Greece, Dr Borg was commenting in a telephone interview about his first formal meeting with Paul Mifsud, co-ordinator of the UN Environment Programme's Mediterranean Action Plan, at the MAP's Athens headquarters

"The Commission is drawing up a Green Paper to present alternative options for the future - whether a comprehensive EU maritime policy, a range of limited objectives, or remaining with the present situation - where each member state has its own policy. Personally, I strongly favour a comprehensive policy such as of the US, Canada and Austria, which will cover all issues, also strengthening the EU's position in international maritime negotiations.

"The Green Paper is being drafted by an inter-departmental task force overseen by a steering group of Commissioners, for submission to the Commissioners' College by June 2006," he added.

"Meanwhile we are fostering dialogue with stakeholders and public authorities both within and outside Europe. If the College opts for a full holistic policy, then its final content will be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council after a considerable period of drafting and consultation.

"We clearly need to consult with MAP on Mediterranean issues. I thus agreed with Mr Mifsud that John Richardson, the head of the Green Paper Task Force, would shortly visit MAP headquarters to initiative formal working relationships."

During his talks with Mr Mifsud, Dr Borg heard a presentation from MAP officials about the Programme's activities under the Barcelona Convention relating to land-based and ship-generated marine pollution, coastal zone management, biodiversity protection as well as about maritime component of the forthcoming Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development.

The Strategy will be submitted for adoption by the next meeting (Athens, June 20-22) of its advisory body, the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development, comprising of the 22 Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention and 15 representatives of civil society. If adopted, the Strategy will then be forwarded for formal political endorsement to the Contracting Parties' 14th Conference in Portoroz, Slovenia (November 8-11).

Although the European Community and seven member states (including Malta) are Contracting Parties, poor co-ordination between the European Commission and MAP has been the subject of long-standing criticism from various quarters. Earlier this year, Mr Mifsud submitted a draft co-operation agreement to the Commission (under discussion).

Last month a network of hundreds of Mediterranean environmental NGOs sent an open letter to the EU foreign ministers urging that a formal protocol on MAP-EC co-operation be adopted at the forthcoming Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Anniversary Summit in Barcelona (November 28).

Mr Mifsud told The Sunday Times that Dr Borg had "accepted my invitation to visit, and I am extremely pleased at the outcome".

He added that the key points of the Mediterranean Strategy's recommendations for maritime issues include enhancing regional co-operation to implement existing international and regional agreements to protect the marine and coastal environment as well as aiming to reduce operational pollution from ships by 75% by 2015 and totally by 2025.

The negotiation of a new regional protocol for integrated coastal zone management is also proposed and there is a call for environmental impact assessments to be conducted for major projects affecting seas and coasts - such as the proposed EU Motorways of the Seas.

"In addition, the Strategy urges that all coastal cities of over 50,000 inhabitants be equipped by 2015 with systems for wastewater and solid waste management", he added.

"All Mediterranean fisheries should come under a comprehensive ecosystem-based management regime to restore depleted regional fish stocks at latest by 2015, the Strategy says, also recommending regulation of aquaculture so as to minimise environmental impacts and conflicts with other coastal uses (fishing, recreation, tourism, yachting, swimming)."