More Navingo

News

Monday 21 March 2011

The EU maritime and fisheries policy: perspectives for the Baltics

At the meeting of the Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee, Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries described the EU maritime perspectives, acknowledging the immense economic potential of the European seas. The Commissioner suggested the inauguration of the "maritime era" in EU, or “Blue Growth”, the idea which might be extremely important for the Baltic States.

The title of the Commissioner’s speech was quite an appropriate one for the issue: “The Future Economics of the Sea” (Speech//11/178, Brussels, 14 March 2011). She produced some concrete figures and examples showing the importance of the seas around: they are, at the same time, ways of transport, sources of raw material, energy and food, as well as water reservoirs, the world's climate engine, and a place for leisure. On top of it, about 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, hence the “Earth as a blue planet”.

Read the entire article at Baltic-Course.com