The Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup follows on from the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup launched in 2010 and for the current European Parliament term brings together 107 MEPs from 23 different Member States and 6 political groups.
Relevant EU policies and initiatives related to maritime topics, such as the Blue Growth Strategy and the Framework for Maritime Spatial Planning, coordinated under the Integrated Maritime Policy, as well as the different Sea Basin Strategies and, more recently, the Green Deal, the revamped Industrial Strategy or the new Maritime and Fisheries Fund reflect the EU awareness of the great possibilities offered by the seas and oceans. These opportunities are key drivers for the sustainable economic growth of the European Union’s territories.
While the European Parliament continues to take action on the several different maritime policies, the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup works to ensure that Europe of the Seas remains a major, cross-cutting and well-identified issue.
From this transversal perspective, the SEARICA Intergroup stimulates debate and promotes concrete actions in support of a comprehensive approach to maritime-related policies, that takes into account the links between environmental sustainability, maritime industrial policy and transport, research, ocean literacy, exploitation of marine living resources.
The Intergroup includes a sea-basin dimension that considers regional and territorial specificities. It has also a strong Island component and will continue to work to ensure that the European Union duly considers the specific issues faced by the islands.
Few words from the MEPs
Commissioner Sinkevičius discusses impact of COVID-19 crisis on EU maritime sectors with SEARICA Board
Brussels, 19 May 2020
Today, the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup had the honour and pleasure to host an exchange of views between its Board Members and Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius.
The meeting, proposed by the Commissioner to address the SEArica Declaration on the Covid-19 crisis, marks the first step towards a strengthen collaboration between the Intergroup Members and the European Commission with the aim of ensuring that needs of the sector are met in the crisis and post-crisis context. “Seas and oceans, rivers and islands are more than ever at the heart of the strategic challenges facing the European Union” said MEP Tonino Picula, President of the Intergroup, “As Members of SEArica, we are supporting this message, and we are standing to promote a strong maritime dimension across the different EU policies”.
The Vice-Chairs of the Intergroup, each of them responsible for a particular policy issue and/or sea basin, stressed the difficult situation that coastal territories are facing and called on the European Commission for further urgent measures in support to a sustainable and timely recovery. The European Commission is due to publish a revised proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 and a EU Recovery Plan by the end of May.