Many activities take place in Europe’s seas. At any given time, fishing, aquaculture, shipping, renewable energy, nature conservation and other uses compete for maritime space. That is why the EU has legislation on maritime spatial planning.
Objectives
- reducing conflicts and creating synergies between different activities
- encouraging investment through predictability, transparency and legal certainty
- increasing cross-border cooperation between EU countries to develop renewable energy, allocate shipping lanes, lay pipelines and submarine cables etc
- protecting the environment by assigning protected areas, calculating impacts on ecosystems and identifying opportunities for multiple uses of space
Actions
Technical support
Since 2016, the European MSP Platform, financed by EU, provides administrative and technical support to EU countries in implementing the MSP legislation. The project manages a website featuring information on existing MSP practices, processes and projects, carries out technical studies, and provides a question and answer service. In 2023 the European Blue Forum was launched to develop synergies between maritime activities and to reconcile the various users of the sea.
Financial support
EU-funded MSP cross-border projects and conferences facilitate cooperation between EU countries in managing maritime space and support the implementation of the MSP legislation. The projects website on the European MSP Platform provides full details on the activities that have taken place since 2010.
MSP worldwide
It is important that ocean space is managed in a sustainable manner all over the world. That is why the EU cooperates with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO to accelerate MSP processes worldwide through the MSPGlobal project. We are currently developing new international guidelines on transboundary MSP. EU funding also supports regional MSP projects in the West Mediterranean and in the South-East Pacific.
- At least every ten yearsEU countries review their maritime spatial plans.
- 2030
Achieving the European Green Deal objectives at sea
- 2026
Publication of Commission 2nd report on MSPD Implementation
- 2023
Launch of the Blue Forum: stakeholder dialogue between users of the sea
- 2021All coastal EU countries establish maritime spatial plans
- 2014Adoption of the maritime spatial planning directive
Media
Euronews Ocean: Uncharted waters: how maps can help prevent conflict over marine resources
Can you build a wind turbine in the same spot as a fish farm, and how do you make sure whale watchers and fishermen don’t clash at sea? It's all about maps.
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in a nutshell
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is spreading across the globe as a new way of achieving sustainable development of the world’s seas and oceans.
But what does MSP actually mean? How does it work?
“Marine Spatial Planning – in a nutshell” is a five-minute film that explains MSP simply and dynamically. It is suitable for everyone: from local communities to planners and policy-makers.