Committee of the Regions Opinion “Local and regional authorities protecting the marine environment”

At its Plenary Session on 7 May 2021, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted the Opinion “Local and regional authorities protecting the marine environment”. The rapporteur for this opinion was Emma Nohrén (Sweden/Greens), Vice Mayor of Lysekil municipality in Sweden.

Concerned that the EU’s marine environment did not achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020 as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Committee issued a number of policy recommendations. A number of elements of interest for the recreational boating sector are mentioned. In particular, CoR noted that the pandemic further demonstrated the significance of nature for recreation, highlighting the true value of nature and biodiversity. This CoR conclusion is coherent with the findings of the Blue Economy Report from the European Commission, which highlighted a change in consumer demand for more activities to be carried out in the open air. In fact, the Committee further stressed that tourism is one of the major economic sectors in coastal regions, with the need to foster sustainable tourism for both residents and “life below the surface”. In particular, the CoR encouraged coastal communities and local regional authorities (LRAs) to preserve nature and marine life from plastic pollution and underwater noise. The institution of ‘silent bays’ or motorboat-free zones could combine the well-being of local residents and marine life, in the CoR opinion. According to the CoR, the good management of land and sea together can enhance “the attractiveness of coastal regions as centres for recreation and sustainable tourism”. Municipalities and regions are further encouraged to launch their own initiatives and cooperate at cross-border level to identify and find solutions to specific issues, such as plastic litter and excessive boat traffic. In particular, the CoR pointed at available EU funds to support these initiatives.

In the document, the CoR further emphasised the need for an EU level playing field, supporting the Commission proposal to create a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) covering at least 30% of EU seas and highly protecting at least 10% of them. In doing so, the Committee identified as essential research and innovation for alternative fuels, which could greatly help in reducing the environmental footprint in the marine sector. Also, the Committee called on the Commission to adopt limits for exhaust and noise emissions in its review of the Directive of recreational craft and personal watercraft, and to include electrical engines in the scope of the Directive.

It should be noted that the opinion is advisory only and does not formally feed into the decision-making processes of the EU. The opinion is available in all EU language versions via the following link: https://europa.eu/!rG64Bd.

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