Today, representatives of the European Union's employers and trade unions in the sea fisheries sector signed an agreement to ensure that fishermen have decent working conditions on board fishing ...

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the opening ceremony of the European Maritime Day, Göteborg, Sweden

The European Union celebrates European Maritime Day 2012 across events in Member States, on May 20, 2012. The main event will be the European Maritime Day Conference which this year will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 21-22 May, 2012, with almost 1,000 participants.

Tourism is undoubtedly an economic backbone of coastal regions. At present about 2.36 million people are employed in the coastal tourism sector, representing 1.1% total EU employment.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the International Hydrographic Conference in Monaco

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Ministerial Seminar on the Black Sea, Bucharest

Commissioner Maria Damanaki, in charge of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, visits Romania and Bulgaria on 29 and 30 March, respectively, to discuss maritime and fisheries-related issues and cooperation in the Black Sea basin.

Project on Maritime Spatial Planning in the Atlantic, including Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Conference on Maritime Spatial Planning

On 26 March in Brussels, Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will host an international conference on how maritime spatial planning can contribute to boosting growth.

Following the Cohesion Policy proposals of 6th October, and in order to help Member States with their preparations for the next programming period the Commission has today presented the "Common ...

Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki at the Symposium "A Blueprint for Oceans and Coasts" at the European Parliament

European Maritime Day 2012 will be organised in Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden on May 21 and 22, 2012. It is the first time Maritime Day is organised in Scandinavia and in the North Sea area.

On 14 February, Athens will host the 1st Stakeholders' Workshop on Adriatic-Ionian Maritime Affairs. The Stakeholders will present their proposals on how to enhance benefits from maritime activities on employment, sustainable growth, accessibility and better quality of life. The workshop will discuss maritime economy, protection of the marine environment, fisheries and safer sea. The conclusions of the workshop, as well as the most relevant and feasible proposals, will be included in a EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the seminar "The Future of Marine and Maritime Innovation in Europe" at the European Parliament

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Lisbon Atlantic Conference

On Monday 28 November, in Lisbon, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, will present a new maritime strategy for growth and jobs in the Atlantic Ocean area, just ...

Reform: raising consumer awareness, 2012 TACs & quotas: towards maximum sustainable yield, Bluefin tuna: tightening controls, Slow Fish: the sustainable fish fair

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Seminar High North, Oslo, Norway

Commissioner Maria Damanaki, in charge of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will meet Norvegian ministers and stakeholders during a two day visit to Norway starting Monday 17 October.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Brainstorming event on maritime affairs and fisheries in the Black Sea

European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki is hosting a high-level brainstorming meeting in Brussels on Friday 14 October on increased cooperation on fisheries and maritime affairs in the Black Sea area.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the  Arctic Future Symposium, Brussels

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Meridian Institute - Joint Ocean Commission Initiative Stakeholder Roundtable, Washington

Lecture by Commissioner Damanakiat the Baltic Academy of Fishery Fleet, Kaliningrad

Today the European Commission published its report on progress achieved in the Common Fisheries Policy over the last few years and its suggestions for fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2012....

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the press conference, BERL Press Room, Brussels

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Ministerial Conference, Adriatic Ionian Initiative, Committee of the Regions

The pollution of our seas and oceans from marine litter - especially plastic litter - has taken alarming dimensions.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the European Maritime Day, Gdansk

Every year on May 20, European Maritime Day is celebrated across the European Union to showcase the importance of the sea and oceans for our everyday life. This year, Gdańsk (Poland) will host the 4th edition of the European ...

Modern tools for effective control, Study: women in maritime sectors, Discards: new rules on the drawing board

A new and improved version of the European Atlas of the Seas is now available. It includes 24 new maps, hundreds of updates and improvements. New maps include for example: Natura 2000 protected maritime sites, Pollution response vessels and Coastal GDP.

The atlas is an easy and fun way for students, professionals and anyone interested to learn more about Europe's seas and coasts, their environment, related human activities and European policies.

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the "Pact of Islands": conference and signing ceremony at the Committee of the Regions

Speech by Commissioner Janez Potočnik at the Joint plastic MED event with Commissioner Damanaki on the protection of the Mediterranean Sea

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Round table discussion on pollution of the Mediterranean from marine litter

Speech made by Lowri Evans, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the public hearing on EU support for marine research infrastructures in the European Parliament

The European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the International Maritime Organization today launched a study under the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) on maritime cooperation ...

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Conference: "Arctic Science, International Law and Climate Protection", Berlin, Germany

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the meeting of the Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee 

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the European Parliament plenary session

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the Committee of Senior Officials of the Adriatic Ionian Initiative, Ancona, Italy

Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki at the Plenary session of the Committee of the Regions

The summary programme for the  stakeholder conference in Gdańsk 19-20 May is now available.

Today, the European Commission published a Communication entitled '"Maritime Spatial Planning in the EU – Achievements and future development". This report reviews developments concerning Maritime Spatial Planning ...

Speech by Commissioner Damanaki at the conference "International Year of Biodiversity: The Day After and the Greek Reality", Athens, Greece

Issue 49 of the magazine Fisheries and aquaculture in Europe focuses on stock management: success stories

The European Commission wants to eradicate the practice of shark finning completely from EU waters and fishing vessels from the EU wherever they operate in the world. Finning consists of cutting off and keeping the fins of sharks while throwing the shark body overboard to die.

Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki at the meeting of the European Parliament TRAN Committee

Register now to the Commission’s conference on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in Brussels on 16 November 2010.

Commissioner Maria Damanaki's speech at the EurOCEAN 2010 Conference in Oostende

Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki will travel to Ankara and Istanbul from the 6th to the 9th of October, to discuss both fisheries and maritime affairs and pursue closer EU-Turkey cooperation in the shared goals of a sustainable marine environment and a sustainable an prosperous fishing environment. 

Tomorrow and Saturday, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki will be in Scotland for her first visit as European Commissioner.

European Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki arrives in Germany today for a series of engagements in Berlin and Hamburg.

More photos are now available on the Maritime Day web site

The Member of the European Commission responsible for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mrs. Maria Damanaki, met in Athens today with the Greek Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Mrs Tina Birbili.

The European Commission today launched a pilot version of a new European Atlas of the Seas – a dynamic online atlas where users will be able to learn more about Europe's seas, its maritime sectors, the interaction between them and the maritime policy which brings them all together.

On May 2 and 3 over 230 people with an interest in fisheries (from Member State administrations, RACs and ACFA, industry, NGO's, members of the European Parliament or representatives of the main EU institutions) gathered in La Coruna, Spain, to take part in a broad stakeholders’ conference discussing some of the main pillars of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Key figures on the Mediterranean Sea
Approximately 45,000 km of coastline, of which 19,000 km represent island coastlines.

Commissioner Maria Damanaki's speech at the International Chamber of Commerce, Athens, 19 March 2010