Maritime Green Paper

Consultation on the EU Maritime Green Paper

In June 2006, the European Commission launched a year long consultation exercise on EU Maritime Policy in the document "Towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union:  European vision for the Oceans and Sea - The EU Maritime Green Paper". The Maritime Green Paper is an extremely wide ranging discussion document, intended by the Commission to stimulate debate about the future direction and focus of Community maritime policy.

Sustainability is at the heart of the Green Paper and it is accepted that the environment is crucial to the achievement of all the aims. For this reason the Commission has separately published the European Marine Thematic Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of the European Environment (and the accompanying Marine Strategy Directive) in October 2005. The Strategy and Directive are intended to be the environmental pillar of the new EU Maritime Policy outlined in the Green Paper.

PEPG has been working closely with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs in the development of the UK negotiating position in relation to the Marine Strategy Directive. However our involvement in the Green Paper has to date been more limited.

The Maritime Green Paper and supporting documents produced by the Commission can be found using the following link: European Commission website .