Limassol Declaration on Integrated Maritime Policy very important

The President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso has described the Limassol Declaration on the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, to be adopted on Monday in Cyprus, as a very important initiative of the Cyprus EU Presidency.

Speaking to CNA, Barroso said the Cyprus EU Presidency’s initiative to reenergise the EU Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) can contribute to growth through developing the EU “Blue Economy”.

“This conference is a very important initiative by the Cyprus Presidency. In Limassol we will adopt a European agenda for creating growth and jobs in the marine and maritime sectors, such as marine renewable energy, aquaculture, blue biotechnology, coastal tourism and sea bed mining”, Barroso told the Cyprus News Agency.

He explained that “growth is crucial now for Europe and this initiative can contribute to create growth through the development of the EU`s `Blue Economy` while ensuring the health of seas and oceans”.

The EU Ministerial Conference will take place both in Nicosia and Limassol, on 7^th and 8^th October and it will be addressed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, Commissioner Maria Damanakis and Barroso himself. The President of the EP along with MEPs actively involved in Integrated Maritime Policy have also been invited to the Limassol meeting.

President Christofias, President Baroso, Commissioner Damanakis and the EU Ministers responsible for the IMP will discuss in Limassol the IMP and reenergise the policy five years after it was first launched in Lisbon back in 2007 through the examination and adoption of a Declaration, the so-called “Limassol Declaration” thus creating the framework for new impetus towards implementing this innovative cross-cutting policy.

The Limassol Declaration has been drafted jointly by the Presidency and Commission’s DG MARE. Member States have warmly welcomed the declaration and have actively contributed to the deliberations.

The Limassol Declaration proposes a marine and maritime agenda to back the Europe 2020 strategy. As highlighted in the Commission`s recent Blue Growth initiative on opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth, the agenda focuses on promising maritime sectors where there is a great potential for new jobs and growth. These sectors are: marine renewable energy, aquaculture, blue biotechnology, coastal tourism and sea bed mining.

The blue economy is important for Europe. Its gross value added is estimated at around 500 billion euro, increasing to around 600 billion in 2020. Over the same period, people employed in the blue economy are expected to increase from 5.4 million to 7 million. Added to this is the fact that 75% of Europe`s external trade and 37% of intra-European trade is seaborne. Europe`s oceans, seas and coasts are, and will continue to be, Europe`s economic lifeline.

Following the adoption of the Limassol Declaration, a set of Commission initiatives will be launched in the near future to explore and develop the growth potential in the identified areas, including Communications on coastal and maritime tourism, ocean energy, blue biotechnology and marine mineral mining, as well as strategic guidelines on aquaculture.

All initiatives will be undertaken in consultation with Member states and relevant stakeholders.