Policy outlook: Recent evolutions of maritime spatial planning in the European Union

摘要

The European Union has a legally-binding framework for the establishment of maritime spatial plans in the sea areas covered by the exclusive economic zones of its Member States by 2021. The European Commission is supporting EU Member States in their planning efforts with concrete tools and financing. The European Union is well positioned to use its experience and expertise in promoting international and transboundary maritime spatial planning to help address global and regional governance gaps and challenges in ocean management, thereby contributing to improved international ocean governance. In this paper, the European Commission's Bernhard Friess and Marie Grémaud-Colombier explain the EU's legal framework for maritime spatial planning, and elaborate on how the Commission supports EU Member States in the preparation of their maritime spatial plans and the establishment of lasting mechanisms for cross-border cooperation. They set out how the EU's MSP experience led to intensification of its work on international MSP, including with the adoption of the joint DG MARE – IOC-UNESCO Roadmap on International MSP which sets out a clear forward looking and global perspective towards implementing the Agenda 2030.