Definition and scope

The Integrated Maritime Policy seeks to provide a more coherent approach to maritime issues, with increased coordination between different policy areas. It focuses on:

• Issues that do not fall under a single sector-based policy e.g. "blue growth" (economic growth based on different maritime sectors).
• Issues that require the coordination of different sectors and actors e.g. marine knowledge.

Specifically it covers these cross-cutting policies:

• Blue growth
• Marine data and knowledge
• Maritime spatial planning
• Integrated maritime surveillance
• Sea basin strategies

It seeks to coordinate, not to replace policies on specific maritime sectors.

Why do we need it?

• To take account of the inter-connectedness of industries and human activities centred on the sea. Whether the issue is shipping and ports, wind energy, marine research, fishing or tourism, a decision in one area can affect all the others. For instance, an off-shore wind farm may disrupt shipping, which in turn will affect ports.
• To save time and money by encouraging authorities to share data across policy fields and to cooperate rather than working separately on different aspects of the same problem.
• To build up close cooperation between decision-makers in the different sectors at all levels of government – national maritime authorities, regional and local authorities, and international authorities, both inside and outside Europe. Many countries are recognising this need and move towards more structured and systematic collaboration.

Marine and maritime agenda - The Limassol Declaration

A Marine and Maritime Agenda for Growth and Jobs [214 KB] All available translations. was adopted on 8 October 2012 by European Ministers for maritime policy and the European Commission, represented by President Jose Manuel Barroso (speechAll available translations.) and Commissioner Maria Damanaki (speechAll available translations.), at a conference in Limassol organised by the Cypriot Presidency. Five years after the launch of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, the Member States and the Commission reaffirmed that a dynamic and coordinated approach to maritime affairs enhances the development of the EU's 'Blue Economy' while ensuring the health of seas and oceans.

Funding opportunities

The EU provides funding for the political priorities for the Integrated Maritime Policy expressed by the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament under Regulation 1255/2011. The funding is implemented through the Work Programme for 2011 and 2012 [115 KB] All available translations. which has a budget of 40 million Euros to be spent mainly on calls for tender and calls for proposals.

Official documents

Integrated Maritime Policy in general

• Progress Report (11.09.2012)
• Annex to the Progress Report (11.09.2012)
• Integrated Maritime Policy work programme [115 KB] All available translations. (12.03.2012)
• Regulation (EU) No 1255/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2011 establishing a Programme to support the further development of an Integrated Maritime Policy (05.12.2011)
• Progress Report (15.10.2009)
• Annex to the Progress Report listing all actions from the Action Plan (15.10.2009)
• "Blue Book" - Communication on an Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union (10.10.2007)

Integrated Maritime Policy at national and international level

• Guidelines to Member States on an Integrated Approach to Maritime Policy
• Communication on the international dimension of the Integrated Maritime Policy
• Find out which administrative body deals with maritime affairs in your country on the Maritime Forum

More info

Maritime Forum

• Projects, events and specialised information linked to individual policies and sea basin strategies

Maritime affairs

• Background documents
• All news (press releases, speeches, etc)
• Studies
• Links to EU and international organisations