Scope and objectives

Based on the provisions of the MSP Directive, Member States delivered, or are in the process of finalising, their MSP plans. However, the elaboration of plans started years ago. In the meanwhile, environmental and socio-economic targets have changed.

The project considers five sea basins: the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

The MSP Directive recognizes that healthy marine ecosystems, if integrated in planning decisions, can deliver substantial benefits and sustainable blue economy can be developed. In 2019 the EU launched the EGD and in 2021 the Communication COM/2021/240 was adopted, defining an agenda for the green transition of maritime sectors and evidencing the need to promote the achievement of EGD goals in the marine domain.

The specific objectives of the project are :

• Assess whether and how MSP plans have considered the EGD objectives
• Assess what are the major gaps, challenges and trade-offs in mainstreaming EGD into MSP
• Identify and exchange valuable practises of incorporation of EGD elements in MSP plans
• Identify, design and start implementing additional actions to strengthen the implementation of EGD-related objectives
• Provide recommendations to EU countries on how to use MSP in fostering the achievement of the EGD goals
• Engage regional sea communities – including non-EU countries – in a dialogue on the EGD ambition and the role of marine planning for a Sustainable Blue Economy