The Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup follows on from the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup launched in 2010.

Recent EU policies and initiatives related to maritime topics such as the Integrated Maritime Policy, the Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning, the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Strategy for Blue Growth reflect the European Institutions’ awareness of the possibilities offered by the seas and oceans. These opportunities are one of the major drivers of economic growth of the European Union’s territories as long as they support sustainable development.

While the European Parliament continues to take action on maritime matters, the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup works to ensure that Europe of the Sea remains a major, cross-cutting and well-identified issue. Such an approach allows issues to be addressed that relate to the marine environment, maritime industries, research, maritime transport, exploitation of living marine resources and European maritime and coastal areas in a specific and transversal way.

The Intergroup also has a strong Island component. It will therefore ensure that the European Union continues to take into account the specific issues faced by the Islands. The Intergroup also includes a geographic dimension to its work through the inclusion of a "sea basin" dimension.

Few words from the MEPs

After a successful campaign and following the approval of the Conference of Presidents on 19 December, we are proud to announce that the Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup has been re-established with MEP Tonino PICULA (S&D, Croatia) as new President! We warmly welcome 114 new members from 24 countries and 6 political groups which is a significant increase compared to the previous mandate.

Have a look at our priorities for the next mandate on which we will work together:

- Promote science and innovation through the “Mission on Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters”

- Ensure that the role of oceans is considered in the climate debate

- Pursue the Blue Growth Strategy to provide sustainable growth

- Promote the young professionals and women in the Blue Economy

- Widen the river dimension within SEARICA to recover a good ecological status of European river basins

- Demonstrate and further improve the ability of islands to be frontrunners in tackling island problems and to ensure good living conditions for islanders while respecting environmental standards

- Address environmental and microplastic pollution in the aquatic and marine environment

- Ensure that the new Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 protects aquatic and marine species and habitats

- Implement effective international ocean governance

We look forward to introducing you to the new Board of SEARICA and to welcome you to the first events in 2020.

Related News

What is an Intergroup?

The Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup is one of the 28 Intergroups that were approved on 11 December 2014 by the Conference of Presidents. Intergroups can be formed by MEPs from any political group and any parliamentary committee with a view to holding informal exchanges of views on particular issues and to promoting contact between MEPs and civil society.

The Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup brings together more than 80 MEPs from six different political groups and from 19 Member States.

Intergroups are not Parliament bodies and therefore may not express Parliament's opinion.

Intergroups are subject to internal rules adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 16 December 1999 (last updated on 11 September 2014), which set out the conditions under which intergroups may be established at the beginning of each parliamentary term and their operating rules.