Speeches
Maritime affairs
Our Future is Blue
21/05/2012
Commissioner Maria Damanaki, joined Swedish ministers and other European personalities at the European Maritime Day Conference, in Gothemburg. The theme for this year is: "Sustainable Growth from Oceans, Seas and Coasts: Blue Growth". 'Blue growth' is the economic pillar of the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy which is fully integrated into the Europe 2020 strategy. Its main target is the creation of growth and new jobs in the maritime economy. This target could be achieved through further sustainable development of maritime sectors of the European economy. Europe is the most developed maritime economy in comparison with all other continents. Thus, EU can harvest an important share of the potential of oceans, seas and coasts to the benefit of citizens and society as a whole.
Maritime affairs and fisheries
Unlocking the potential of European aquaculture
11/05/2012
Commissioner Maria Damanaki together with Nicolaus Berlakovich, Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management hosted a high-level conference on the future of European Aquaculture, to discuss how the European Commission, the Member States, the European Parliament and the stakeholders can contribute to unlocking the potential for the further development of aquaculture and in particular freshwater aquaculture in Europe.
Fisheries
Oceans and Seas: our common future
30/05/2012
Commissioner Maria Damanaki welcomed in Brussels her US counterpart, Dr Jane Lubchenco, US Under-Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. They participated in a European Parliament hearing on EU/US cooperation at the international level to promote sustainable fisheries management in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and other international fora. A key area of joint action is the fight against IUU (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated) fishing where cooperation was enshrined in form of a joint statement signed by Commissioner Damanaki and Dr Lubchenco in the US in September last year. The event was also an opportunity for Commissioner Damanaki to present her views on how sustainability can be achieved worldwide in the context of the Common Fisheries Policy reform. Dr Lubchenco gave her view in that respect and described accomplishments by US policy.
A new Fisheries Policy for Europe
10/05/2012
Commissioner Maria Damanaki visited Lithuania on May 9 and 10, 2012 to present the reform of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy to Lithuanian decision makers and stakeholders of the fishing sector. On May 9, the Commissioner met Kazys Starkevičius, Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture and took part in a special session of the Lithuanian Parliament on on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. She also had a meeting with Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. On May 10, in Kaunas, Commissioner Damanaki delivered a speech during the official opening ceremony of the exhibition AgroBalt 2012, alongside the President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite, Prime Minister Kubilius and other personalites.
Commissioner Damanaki presents Common Fisheries Policy Reform in Estonia
03/05/2012
Commissioner Maria Damanaki visited Tallin to discuss the on-going reform of the Common Fisheries Policy with the Estonian government and to participate in a meeting with the Estonian Parliamentary Committee for Agriculture and Fisheries on the same topic. Ms Damanaki had a bilateral meeting with Ms Keit Pentus, Estonian Minister for Environment, responsible for natural resources management. The new EU fisheries policy will aim at preserving fish stocks at sustainable levels for the benefit of current and future generations by managing fisheries in a responsible, science-based way. Regionalisation of the policy making is an important aspect of the reform and Commissioner Damanaki put emphasis on finding solutions for the Baltic Sea during her visit.
