2021/2188(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)

— having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement);

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 d (new)

— having regard to Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks;

Amendment 100 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Notes that reliable, high-quality and harmonised ocean data are an important factor the for a sustainable transformation of the blue economy. Welcomes the initiative of sharing marine data and ocean observations via EMODnet, It welcomes further the work of the Copernicus marine environment service providing satellite data and forecasting services in the EU sea basins and in the world.

Amendment 101 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Furthermore, calls on the Commission to align all blue economy objectives in one hand with the Green Deal ambitions, such as the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, sustainability, the protection of the biodiversity, and on other hand with the recovery and resilience plans;

Amendment 102 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Calls on the Commission to take action to prevent marine pollution resulting from deliberate and accidental spills of oils including illegal tank cleaning and other harmful substances, and increasingly utilise SafeSea net by EMSA;

Amendment 103 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Highlights the immense problem of plastic pollution in the Atlantic, the urgent need to clean-up our oceans; demands to stop exporting waste to countries outside the EU but rather invest in recycling facilities in the EU; calls on the Commission to make marking of fishing gear mandatory and to prohibit the use of plastic dolly ropes; urges the Commission to fulfil the zero pollution action plan by ambitious legislative proposals to minimise pollution of waterways and - ultimately as well as directly - oceans through chemicals and pharmaceuticals; recognises that more efficient resources use, combined with enhanced recycling policies offer a much more cost-effective and sustainable approach to meeting our mineral needs than marine mining and notes the greater and more long-term employment opportunities that lie in this alternative approach;

Amendment 104 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Asks the Commission to present an European strategy towards promoting the resilience of the tourism sector against the impacts of future pandemics or any kind of events that risk the operability of tourism activities, such as climate change; asks the Commission to come up with a specific proposal to improve the working and employment conditions for workers at sea to increase the attractiveness of the sector, helping realise the full potential of the blue economy;

Amendment 105 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Calls on the Commission to conduct a broad consultation of regional and local authorities and all related stakeholders, should be a precondition, which would allow for tailor made solutions for local and regional communities;

Amendment 106 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Stresses the importance of the Blue Economy in the Outermost Regions, namely in the Tourism sector;

Amendment 107 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5 c. Calls on the Commission to create a "POSEI Transport" to support the operation of some commercial routes to the Outermost Regions;

Amendment 108 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)

5 d. Requests the Commission to collect better data on the contribution of recreational angling tourism, so to encourage more investments in developing the activity in coastal, remote and overseas communities;

Amendment 109 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)

5 e. Stresses the importance of marine protected areas as an instrument for protecting the oceans, constituting an opportunity for the development of the so- called scientific tourism;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 e (new)

— having regard to Directive(EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources;

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 f (new)

— having regard to the EU Action Plan: 'Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil';

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 g (new)

— having regard to Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marineenvironmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive);

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 h (new)

— having regard to the Commission report of 31 July 2018 assessing Member States’ programmes of measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive(COM(2018)0562);

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Recital -A (new)

-A. whereas the blue economy concept is limited in its approach, as it focuses heavily on seabed mining, energy and biotechnology;

Amendment 16 #

Roman HAIDER, Georg MAYER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. wWhereas ~~the EU~~Europe’s blue economy is a broad and fast-moving industry that has taken significant steps over the past decade to modernise and diversify itself, while providing 4.5 million direct jobs in sectors based in the marine environment and on landprovides 4.5million direct jobs. It encompasses all industries and sectors related to oceans, seas and coasts, whether they are based in the marine environment (e.g. shipping, seagoing passenger transport, fisheries, energy generation) or on land (e.g. ports, shipyards, coastal tourism, land-based aquaculture). It is a broad, fast-moving segment of our economy, which over the past decade has taken significant steps to modernise and diversify;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the EU’s blue economy is a broad and fast-moving ~~industry~~sector that has taken significant steps over the past decade to modernise and diversify itself, while providing 4.5 million direct jobs in sectors based in the marine environment and on land; whereas it will further provide new prospects and new jobs creation in the view of the greening and digitalision of the sector, namely in areas such as ocean renewable energy, the blue bio-economy, bio-technology and desalination;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the EU’s blue economy is a broad and fast-moving industry that has taken significant steps over the past decade to modernise and diversify itself, while providing 4.5 million direct jobs in sectors based in the marine environment and on landconcept of a sustainable blue economy has been established to maintain healthy and productive oceans and to facilitate the preservation and restoration of their ecosystems as essential for the humankind while developing within ecological limits, the Atlantic ocean accounts for 36 % of the EU’s blue economy gross added value;

Amendment 19 #

A a. whereas healthy oceans and the preservation and restoration of their ecosystems are essential for humankind as climate regulators, as producers of at least half the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, as hosts of biodiversity, as a source for global food security and human health, and as a source of economic activities including fisheries, transport, trade, tourism, renewable energy and health products, which should be based on the principle of sustainability;

Amendment 2 #

Roman HAIDER, Georg MAYER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)

— having regard to the competence of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism in the area of maritime programming and an integrated maritime policy;

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)

A b. whereas the blue economy sector must contribute to a renewable energy transition, in particular by exploring renewable energies, expanding their potential offshore and by more sustainable management facilitating the preservation and the restoration of maritime ecosystems;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)

A c. Whereas if the global blue economy were compared to a national economy, it would be the seventh largest in the world, and the ocean as an economic entity would be a member of the G7; whereas it operates in the planet’s vastest ecosystem: oceans hold 80% of all life forms; whereas the ocean surrounds and sustains us and provides critical resources for human health, not to mention a web of economic interactions 1c; _________________ 1cCommission communication on a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Recital A d (new)

A d. Whereas economic activities have a cumulative impact on the marine environment, from visible pollution such as plastic litter and oil spills to invisible pollution such as microplastics, underwater noise, exhaust emissions, chemicals and run-off nutrients; whereas the effects of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are devastating on our ocean, coasts and people living in those areas, ranging from changes in water temperature, to acidification, rising sea levels and more frequent and intense flooding and erosion; whereas coupled with the major threat posed by biodiversity loss, which is driven by climate change, pollution, over- exploitation of resources and the destruction of natural habitats, these impacts will challenge the resilience of the blue economy and society as a whole.

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Recital A e (new)

A e. whereas a sustainable blue economy that develops within ecological limits can contribute to the EU's carbon neutrality goal by greening maritime transport and ports;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Recital A f (new)

A f. whereas global CO2 emissions from maritime transport are projected to increase by 90 % to 130 % of 2008 emissions by 2050 if we continue business as usual1aa; whereas CO2 emissions from maritime transport at European level are expected to increase by 86 % compared with 1990 levels by 2050, unless further action is taken; whereas greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from maritime transport are estimated to account for 2 % to 3 % of total global GHG emissions; whereas GHG emissions from maritime transport had already increased by 9.6 % between 2012 and 2018, including a sharp increase in methane emissions of 150 % due to the increase in ships using fossil liquefied naturalgas (LNG)1a; whereas according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, there is a 66 % chance of staying below 1.5°C if CO2 emissions from the beginning of 2018 onwards are limited to between 420 GtCO2and 570 GtCO2, and a 50 % chance of staying below 1.5°C if emissions from 2018 are limited to between 580 GtCO2 and 770 GtCO2, depending on the temperature reference used (global mean surface temperature or global mean surface air temperature) and without taking into account Earth system feedbacks and various uncertainties1b; whereas given that the average lifespan of a ship can be 25 to 30 years, maritime transport decisions taken today will be critical for 2050 emission levels; whereas the sector has so far not been included in the Union’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions; whereas overall carbon intensity, as an average across international shipping, is 21 % and 29 % better than in 2008, measured as an annual efficiency ratio (AER) and energy efficiency operational indicator (EEOI) respectively; _________________ 1a Fourth IMO GHG Study, 2020 1aa Fourth IMO GHG Study, 2020 1b IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, 2018

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Recital A g (new)

A g. whereas marine fuels are not taxed; whereas electricity on board is generated by burning fuel, even when vessels are docked; whereas, unlike shoreside electricity, this fuel is exempt from tax;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Recital A h (new)

A h. whereas every year around 27,000 tonnes of macro-plastics (mostly single- use plastics, lost or discarded fishing gear and waste discharged from ships) enter European seas;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Recital A i (new)

A i. whereas biodiversity conservation and protection should be considered as foundational principles of maritime economic activity;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Recital A j (new)

A j. whereas the aim of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is to protect and preserve the marine environment, prevent its deterioration and restore marine ecosystems, and to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) for EU marine waters by2020;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas maritime and coastal tourism constitute a pillar of the sustainable blue economy, w~~ith over half of the EU’s t~~hile the Communication on Touristm a~~ccommodation located in coastal area~~nd Transport in 2020 and Beyond also underscores the importance of protecting and restoring Europe’s land ~~30 % of overnight stays occurring at beach resorts~~and marine natural capital, in line with the strategic approach for a sustainable blue and green economy;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)

— having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380),

Amendment 30 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas several sectors of the blue economy were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular coastal and maritime tourism in the Atlantic regions; whereas the blue economy must be used strategically to help repair the economic and social damage caused by the current crisis, identifying appropriate synergies with the green and digital transitions;

Amendment 31 #

Roman HAIDER, Georg MAYER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas the preservation and restoration of marine ecosystems is essential for humankind as they are fundamental for global food security and human health, and as a source of economic activities including transport, trade, tourism, fisheries, renewable energy and health products, which should be based on the principle of sustainability;

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas coastal communities need to diversify their incomes in order to sustain economic and social shocks; whereas angling tourism can be a sector to diversify the income sources, while minimising the impact on fish stocks and providing social and health benefits;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas increased coordination and cooperation between Atlantic regions constitutes the only way forward towards fighting climate change and biodiversity loss, which affect ocean habitats and coastal communities and towards alleviating the side effects of Brexit;

Amendment 34 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)

B b. whereas maritime and coastal tourism accounts for 60% of the employment in the blue economy; whereas a competitive, resilient and socially fair blue economy needs highly qualified and skilled professionals, “blue jobs” can promote growth and career opportunities;

Amendment 35 #

Roman HAIDER, Georg MAYER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)

B b. Whereas EU shipyards could seize the opportunities arising from the fast- growing markets of innovative energy- efficient service vessels that should significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions;

Amendment 36 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)

B c. whereas ports and maritime transport play a major role in the promotion of sustainable development and the transition to a carbon-free and renewable-based economy, contributing to tackling biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, in line with the objectives of the new EU biodiversity strategy for 2030;

Amendment 37 #

Roman HAIDER, Georg MAYER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)

B c. Whereas Ports are crucial to the connectivity and the economy of regions and countries. As Europe´s industrial landscape changes (for example with the expansion of offshore renewable energy), the role of ports will evolve too;

Amendment 38 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Recital B d (new)

B d. Whereas in coastal regions, developing green infrastructure will help preserve biodiversity, coastal ecosystems and landscapes, strengthening the sustainable development of tourism and of the coastal regions’ economy. These adaptation activities will become a new sector of the blue economy in its own right;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Recital B d (new)

B d. whereas the blue economy sector plays a vital role in the prosperity of outermost regions, that, due to their insularity, are especially dependent on blue economy-based activities, such as maritime transport, shipping, and tourism, with ports being an important hub for the transport of goods and passengers;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)

— Having regard the Article 349 of the article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;

Amendment 40 #

1. Supports the principle of sustainab~~le development within the blue~~ ility as the main driver for long- term economic development and particularly in the Atlantic area, through maritime transport, shipbuilding, biotecohnomy as a driver of economic growth in the EU, in particular in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas, as a way to foster a number of sectors such as maritime transport, shipbuilding, biotechnology, sustainable tourism, offshore wind, fishing and aquaculture, and wave and tidallogy, fishing and aquaculture, sustainable tourism, offshore wind, wave and tidal energy; calls on the Commission to promote research, development and science-based innovation as tools that contribute towards: - the renewable energy transition through the use of sustainable renewables, e-fuels and the diversification of the EU’s energy sources, - the further development of the green- ship concept as well as - the identification of shipping routes that merit the introduction of slow steaming - sustainable tourism building on resource efficiency, circular materials and renewable energy;

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Supports the principle of sustainable development within the blue economy as a driver of economic growth in the EU, in particular in the BalticSea, Atlantic and Mediterranean areas, as a way to foster a number of sectors such as maritime transport, shipbuilding, biotechnology, sustainable tourism, ~~offshore wind, fishing and aquaculture, and wave and tidal energy;~~angling tourism, offshore wind, commercial and recreational fishing and aquaculture, and wave and tidal energy; stresses particularly that the offshore renewable energy has the potential to become a core component of Europe’s energy system by 2050 and calls to create incentives and fundings for investments in port infrastructure in order to facilitate servicing of the offshore industry.

Amendment 42 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Supports the principle of sustainable development within the blue economy as a driver of economic growth in the EU, in particular in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas, as a way to foster a number of sectors, such as maritime transport, shipbuilding, biotechnology, sustainable tourism, offshore wind, fishing and aquaculture, and wave and tidal energy, in connection with the Member States' development needs and strategies, as a way to foster all ocean-, sea- and coastal area-related sectoral and intersectoral activities, including activities connected to the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, sustainable tourism, shipbuilding and ship repair, transport, and mining, biotechnology and energy production;

Amendment 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights the importance of effective Maritime Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management that needs to include community engagement in the development of the sustainable blue economy that develops within ecological limits and the protection of the marine environment; highlights that the considerable implementation gap must be bridged to scale up marine protection from the current 11% to a 30% area coverage by 2030, meet ambitious depollution targets in our seas and make the most of Europe’s natural and maritime assets to attain Europe’s 2030 targets and climate neutrality ambition;

Amendment 44 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights the goal of having a climate-neutral blue economy, where the decarbonisation of the sector will require an integrated and cross-sectoral approach and that any measures in this regard must go hand in hand with EU, national and local policies; stresses the need for sustainable financing instruments in driving this transition, including through the strengthening of public and private investment;

Amendment 45 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights that the EU’s recovery efforts must be centred on sustainability, competitiveness and growth objectives;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Recalls the EU’s commitment to achieving net zero greenhouse gases emissions target by2050 at the latest; stresses that these emissions should be reduced by at least 65% by 2030 compared to 1990 emissions in order for the Union to contribute to limiting global warming to less than 1.5°C by the end of the century, in line with the latest scientific evidence; strongly emphasises that all sectors have to contribute to achieve these targets, including transport and tourism, which necessitates rapid phase out of fossil fuels and fossil fuel subsidies and a massive increase in renewable energy production including offshore wind; calls therefore for a ban of oil and gas exploration in European waters; reminds that islands and coastal areas are often prime tourism destination, but are particularly affected by sea level rise;

Amendment 47 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Highlights that the development of a blue economy strategy must be guided by the principles of circular economy, zero pollution, energy efficiency and the preservation of biodiversity and must create more sustainable practices that are beneficial for socioeconomical development and contribute to the increase of employment opportunities;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Recalls the existence of tools to tackle degassing at sea such as the European CleanSeaNet programme, which aims to identify and monitor oil pollution and contribute to the identification of polluters; underlines, however, that infractions are still common and that further measures and sanctions are necessary to reduce this source of pollution; emphasises that regional cooperation, including with third countries, is essential in this area, especially in the Mediterranean Sea; calls on the Commission, therefore, to reinforce the exchange of information and cooperation on sanctions among countries, and to encourage the deployment of legal degassing infrastructure in ports;

Amendment 49 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

1 c. Underlines the importance of collaborative, inclusive and cross-sectoral maritime spatial planning, which puts environmental, biodiversity and climate concerns at its core, thus contributing to the achievement of the EU’s climate and energy objectives; stresses the importance of the energy transition, where the blue economy sector can promote renewable offshore power generation technologies, such as tidal, wave, solar and wind energy;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 b (new)

— having regard to the the Commission communication of 9 December 2020 entitled 'Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’ - putting European transport on track for the future' (COM(2020) 789),

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1 d. Underlines the importance of decarbonising the shipping and maritime transport industries, including through the increased use of low-emission and renewable energy sources; recognises the need to develop sustainable technologies, automatisation and digitalisation in the marine and maritime sector to ensure a sustainable blue economy, in line with the twin transitions;

Amendment 51 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)

1 e. Welcomes the Horizon Europe 'Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters', recognising the need for a systemic approach to our ocean and waters for achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature, as well as the establishment of the European Partnership for a climate- neutral, sustainable and productive blue economy, aiming to align national, regional and EU research and innovation priorities;

Amendment 52 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)

1 f. Highlights that coastal and ocean- dependent communities can contribute for the development of a sustainable blue economy sector, considering their specific circumstances and needs, and that they can lead pilot projects of different nature, such as offshore renewable energy technologies, development of nature- based activities and the contribution of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for healthy, resilient and safe food systems; highlights the importance of improving ocean literacy culture, using awareness as a way of attractiveness for young generation for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors;

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 g (new)

1 g. Highlights the need to invest in the renewal of traditional fishing fleet, in order to ensure the safety and sustainability of the fishing activity;

Amendment 54 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. CHighlights that maritime transport is a key for international connectivity, for the European economy and for their regions; stresses the importance of enhancing the role of ports and the need of investments in smart infrastructures, as well as the development and management of ports, which should enable further capacities to accommodate trade growth; calls on the Commission to promote the establishment of maritime transport partnerships with the private sector ~~in order to~~at EU and international level in order to address the current international trade and supply chain challenges, improve innovation and strengthen competitiveness;

Amendment 55 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Calls on the Commission to promote the establishment of maritime transport partnerships with the private sector in order to improve innovation and strengthen competitivenes~~The green and digital transition in blue economy sectors require appropriate financial support at the EU and Member States level in order to enable large-scale investments in research, technology and infrastructure. With this view, calls on the Commission to promote the the creation of the European Partnership for Maritime Transport with the private sector in order to improve innovation and strengthen competitiveness. To make shipping even more competitive, port services should be further liberalised allowing for high standards in quality and the safety of the services;

Amendment 56 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to ~~promote the establishment of maritime transport partnerships with the private sector in order to improve innovation and strengthen competitiveness~~ensure that all blue economy operators endorse and comply with the principles of the European Green Deal; highlights that the shift to creating a sustainable blue economy that develops within ecological limits will rely on even closer engagement with stakeholders, from businesses large, small and micro-level to regional and local governance, local groups, to young people passionate about the health of our ocean and the general public;

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to promote the establishment of maritime transport partnerships, including with the private sector, in order to improve innovation and strengthen competitiveness;

Amendment 58 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission ~~to promote the establishment of maritime transport partnerships with the private sector in order to improve innovation and strengthen competitiveness~~and the Member States to push for sound investment that improves our ecological understanding of the marine environment, supports small-scale and traditional fisheries and the development of related activities, boosts the value of coastal products and cultures, and supports community development;

Amendment 59 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 – point 1 (new)

(1) Supports the principle of sustainable development as the main driver for economic growth in the EU, and particularly in the Atlantic and Mediterranean area through maritime transport, shipbuilding, biotechnology, sustainable tourism, offshore wind, fishing and aquaculture, wave and tidal energy;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 b (new)

— having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380);

Amendment 60 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 – point 2 (new)

(2) Calls on the Commission to ensure that the EU is maintaining technological leadership, retaining talent and producing clean energy while taking into account potential impacts on the marine environment;

Amendment 61 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 – point 3 (new)

(3) Calls on the Commission and the industry to evaluate the benefit of establishing a European partnership for maritime transport to foster innovation within the sector, to contribute to decarbonisation, to create infrastructures for loading and supplying alternative fuels in ports and cargo terminals, and to develop waste management plans for Atlantic and Mediterranean ports;

Amendment 62 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Calls on the Commission to base targets for emission reduction on a life- cycle assessment; calls on the Commission to support investment and research in new technologies, alternative zero-emission propulsion technologies, and sustainable alternative fuels and energy storage, in order to find long-term solutions for the decarbonisation of maritime transport while ensuring the sector’s competitiveness; highlights, in particular, the potential of electrification and green hydrogen- and renewable- based e-fuels such as ammonia and methanol; emphasises that alternative fuels must not increase GHG emissions; recalls that methane emissions have a significant impact on climate change and expresses concerns in this regard about the use of fossil LNG due to its combustion emission (CO2, unburned methane) and upstream methane emissions from leakages, since methane is 82 times as strong as CO2 on a 20 year time frame 2a; calls on the Commission to make slow steaming with its considerable GHG saving potential a legal requirement; condemns in this regard that the AFIR still requires the deployment of fossil LNG refueling infrastructure; _________________ 2aIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) sixth assessment report (AR6)

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to invest in ports located along the EU coast to focus on missing connections with the hinterland, with the overall objective of making transport more resilient and turning ports into logistic platforms and strategic clusters for multi-modal transport, energy generation, storage and distribution as well as tourism.

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Stresses that the most optimal market-based measure for the reduction of greenhouse gases from maritime transport is via the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to achieve a carbon offsetting scheme in international shipping and to ensure a realistic path of emissions reduction.

Amendment 65 #

2 b. Emphasises that management, preservation and restoration of marine ecosystems are key investments for achieving climate neutrality, as they will enhance natural carbon sinks such as mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds and salt marshes, thus lowering net emissions and enhancing biodiversity as well as resilience to climate change impacts; points out that healthy coastal ecosystems play an important role in climate change adaptation, especially concerning rising sea levels and increasing severe weather events; notes that only healthy marine ecosystems can be a basis for a sound and sustainable blue economy that develops within ecological limits and calls on the Commission to continue to research the cumulative impacts of human uses of the marine environment and maritime activities of all sectors;

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2 b. Welcomes the 2020 communication on a sustainable and smart mobility strategy aiming to bring the first zero emission vessels to market by 2030. Welcomes that hybridisation and electrification of vessels is becoming more viable and that the EU has already financed via H2020 substantial research in this field. Calls on the Commission to further accelerate the adoption of electric vessels for short routes;

Amendment 67 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2 c. Stresses that in order to limit the devastating effects of global warming on marine aquatic ecosystems, rising water temperatures and ocean acidification, changes in water flow, and fish habitat loss, productivity of marine and fresh water species, combating climate change with higher capacities of offshore wind energy is vital; emphasises that if designed and built sensibly, offshore windfarms can benefit marine biodiversity; recalls, however, that a strong expansion of offshore wind energy production requires an intelligent approach to ensure its coexistence with the activities that already take place in the affected areas as well as to do least possible harm to environment; highlights in that regard that noise pollution from windfarm construction and operation, but especially from maritime transport has a negative impact on the marine ecosystem and needs to urgently be addressed in environmental legislation;

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2 c. Highlights that the green transition in maritime transport should allow for technological neutrality, progressively increased blending mandates, roadmaps for supplying and charging points, and a clear commitment to transitional fuels such as LNG.

Amendment 69 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2 d. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all ship-owners and commercial operators implement all available operational and technical measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2, methane and black carbon emissions from maritime transport in the short term; urges, in particular, the rapid deployment of measures such as slow steaming and speed optimisation, windpropulsion, anti-fouling coatings, electrification from renewable sources and energy storage, but also digitalisation and logistics optimisation, while constantly applying the ‘energy efficiency first’ and energy sobriety principles;

Amendment 7 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Citation 1 b (new)

— having regard to the political agreement between Parliament and the Council of 11March 2021 on the Connecting Europe facility 2021-2027;

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)

2 e. Calls on the Commission to tackle the marine noise pollution that is induced by maritime transport, oil and gas exploration and production and building of infrastructure underwater;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)

2 f. calls on the Commission to support the signatories of the Clydebank declaration by developing technology, expertise and port infrastructure and indeed study other potential international shipping routes to go zero-carbon, as part of a strategy to decarbonise the entire industry;

Amendment 72 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Supports, in this context, the renewal of the traditional and small-scale fisheries fleet, providing safer and more comfortable conditions for fishers, making it possible to spend longer at sea, boosting incomes and making the sector more attractive to young people and women;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Stresses that, for the blue economy to receive the investment that it needs in order to develop, the financial instruments available – including the structural and investment funds – will have to be coordinated; stresses the need to create a POSEI-Fisheries and a POSEI-Transport, which could address the needs of the island and outermost regions more directly;

Amendment 74 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to complete priority projects ~~with~~included in the Ttrans-European Ttransport Nnetwork (TEN-T)~~, in particular projects involving~~ for the Atlantic~~, the~~ and Mediterranean ~~and~~Sea, especially in cross- border areas~~, while promoting the full development of the TEN-T motorways of the sea and the connection of islands to the mainland;~~ and in the context of the future TEN-T guidelines and the Connecting Europe Facility (2021-2027), to promote and invest in the full development of the TEN-T motorways of the sea connecting islands to the mainland and a comprehensive multimodal transport system; it is essential to create seamless transport chains for passengers and cargo across all transport modes; believes that projects should pay particular attention to the special connectivity and accessibility needs of peripheral, islands and outermost regions of the Atlantic and Mediterranean; stresses the need to give priority, where geographically feasible, to the most sustainable modes of transport such as rail, maritime and inland waterways transport;

Amendment 75 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to complete TEN-T priority project~~s within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), in particular projects involving the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and cross-border areas, while promoting the full development~~ of the motorways of the sea and to better integrate short sea shipping to distribute goods more widely via ports and thereby to avoid harmful road freight transport; stresses the need where geographically feasible, to chose the most sustainable modes of transportsuch as rail and inland waterways transport for hinterland distribution in order to rely increasingly on alternatives to road freight transport; welcomes, in this context the changed post-Brexit maritime freight routes between Ireland and the mainland EU that have opened up and that transport goods by sea much closer to their end-market destinations, thereby reducing the necessary last mile road freight leg; calls ofn the ~~TEN-T motorways of the sea and the connection of islands to the mainland~~Commission to make every effort to include the UK and relevant agencies of the UK building on a history of good cooperation in this area;

Amendment 76 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to complete priority projects within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), in particular to improve the connection of TEN-T ports with railway lines, roads and, where possible, inland waterways and further projects involving the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and cross-border areas, while promoting the full development of the maritime pillar of the TEN-T motorways of the sea and the connection of islands ~~to the mainland~~, and Outermost Regions to the mainland. Calls on the Commission to ensure for the motorways of the sea further support and simplification and adequate funding in order to achieve a European Maritime Transport Space without barriers;

Amendment 77 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to complete priority projects within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), in particular projects involving the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and cross-border areas and paying particular attention to special needs regarding connectivity and accessibility for peripheral, islands and outermost regions, while promoting the full development of the TEN-T motorways of the sea and the connection of islands to the mainland;

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to complete priority projects within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), in particular projects involving the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and cross-border areas, while promoting the full development of the TEN-T motorways of the sea and the connection of islands and of our outermost regions to the mainland;

Amendment 79 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Highlights that ports can be used to boost the blue economy, having a key role in the economic activities of this sector; further highlights that ports and maritime transport will be key to the transition towards a sustainable and smart mobility in line with the goals of the European Green Deal; recalls the Commission and Member States that further investment in sustainable, intelligent and green port infrastructures is needed, enabling them to become multimodal mobility and transport hubs, as well as energy hubs for integrated electricity systems, hydrogen and other alternative fuels and testbeds for waste reuse and the circular economy;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 c (new)

— having regard to the Commission communication of 23 July 2020 entitled ‘A new approach to the Atlantic maritime strategy – Atlantic action plan 2.0: An updated action plan for a sustainable, resilient and competitive blue economy in the European Union Atlantic area’ (COM(2020)0329) and to the European Parliament resolution of 14 September 2021 on 'A new approach to the Atlantic maritime strategy' (2020/2276(INI)),

Amendment 80 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Stresses that our maritime sector is a key link to the global trading system and its potential to boosting European competitiveness. Therefore, calls on the Commission to reallocate more EU funding to improve accessibility to TEN-T core ports for the largest ships with capacity to replace several smaller ones, improving transport efficiency, reducing costs and cutting emissions. This includes investment in continuous dredging, channel deepening and other capacity- building measures in selected core ports.

Amendment 81 #

Sara CERDAS, Maria GRAPINI, Nora MEBAREK, Vera TAX, Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Highlights that the potential of an blue economy strategy can only be achieved through the cooperation of different stakeholders, including national, regional and local authorities, economic and social agents, the civil society, the academic community and non- governmental organisations;

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Notes the increasing use of data and artificial intelligence in the maritime transport and calls on the Commission to prepare the relevant regulations as well as to carry out analyses of the socio- economic impact of automation and digitalisation of the sector.

Amendment 83 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 c. Calls on the Commission to collect consistent data enabling the intelligent management of coastal tourism, avoiding the pressure on ecosystems and local communities, as well as the competition with the so-called traditional activities such artisanal and coastal fishing;

Amendment 84 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights that ~~fostering the blue economy is key to reviving the economy as a whole and restoring the social aspects of several sectors severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic~~the EU’s recovery efforts must be centred on sustainability in line with the Green Deal objectives; calls on the Commission to promote research, development and innovation as tools that contribute towards a clean transition; urges the Commission to only spend EU taxpayers’ money for sustainable projects that contribute to the EU's goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and to prevent stranded assets; considers that EU public funding should only be used for projects and measures that do not risk lock-in effects in fossil fuels; demands the Commission to conduct life-cycle assessments of projects that are to receive support in order for them to be in line with the principles of a zero-pollution circular economy, taking into account all GHG emissions and effects on pollution and land use; recommends to take an ecosystem-based approach to management of human activities at sea and the application of Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive in the European Union’s blue economy to help achieve this dual challenge: if put on a more sustainable path, it will become a font of action and ideas creating innovation, spurring fast and lasting recovery and protecting our planet;

Amendment 85 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights that fostering the blue economy is key to reviving the economy as a whole and restoring the social aspects of several sectors severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; recognises that the tourism sector should take advantage of the opportunity granted by the pandemic to regenerate EU tourism by engaging with coastal communities to invest in decarbonising infrastructure in ports, marines and tourism resorts;

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights that fostering the blue economy is key to reviving the economy as a whole and restoring the economic and social aspects of several sectors, such as transport and tourism among others, severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic;

Amendment 87 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Highlights the fact that investment in coordination and cooperation between seaports, which act as gateways and hubs, is a priority for the blue economy, not least because a more efficient and environmentally sustainable guidance of transport flows to end-markets could avoid substantially more harmful distribution of goods via road transport; stresses that ports must play a key role in the shift towards sustainability and achieving balanced distribution across the territory; calls on the Commission to develop different scenarios for maritime trade and take adequate measures to prepare for sea level rise and intensification of severe weather events; welcomes the positive environmental elements of the Atlantic Strategy, including the creation of a network of green ports, focus on renewable energy development and coastal protection measures; calls on the Commission to set up a regulation for port call optimization to improve the energy efficiency of ships and reduce air pollutants in ports; calls on the Commission to ensure that ships at berth to switch-off their engines and connect to the land electricity grid (SSE) or use other energy sources with equivalent effect;

Amendment 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4 b. Highlights the importance of climate risk assessment and management and adaptation measures that are necessary to protect coastal communities, habitats and biodiversity and that would represent costs well spent vis-a-vis the enormous climate change impacts and resulting costs; calls on the Commission to set up an alert and observation system for increased storms and floods due to climate change and to provide adequate long-term environmental and health monitoring and conduct research into early warnings; highlights in that regard that adequate resources should be given to EMSA toset up and manage such a system;

Amendment 89 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4 c. Calls on the Commission to work towards the enlargement of SECA and NECA zones to all EU coastlines and all heavily polluted seas;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 c (new)

— having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency;

Amendment 90 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)

4 d. Stresses that space allocation should be the result of a joint maritime spatial planning (MSP) and integrated coastal management (ICM) that goes beyond national borders; highlights in this regard the importance of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) and the need to include the UK again;

Amendment 91 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls for instruments to be developed that make it possible to exploit maritime resources sustainably and diversify the ocean economy, which opens up new areas for development and innovation, including through support for the creation of new products connected to and derived from fishing activities, products which can add value to our cultural and natural heritage, specifically by providing high-quality tourism options;

Amendment 92 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to ~~include sustainable~~develop new forms of maritime and coastal tourism to preserve marine a~~ll related action plans and programmes and to enco~~nd coastal habitats; highlights the importance of the circular economy in the tourism sector, which should be the guiding principle alongside zero pollution, energy efficiency and biodiversity preservation, urages the ~~diversification of this kind of tourism, while helping to boost tourism activities and increase employment all year round.~~ sector to develop more sustainable practices, in particular more sustainable mobility management of tourists; calls on the Commission to develop pilot areas to test methods of coastal protection and promote nature-based solutions; calls on the Member States to propose the inclusion in their Partnership Agreement of specific programs and actions to support litter-free coastal areas/ communities and to promote and incentivise passive fishing-for-litter schemes and actions;

Amendment 93 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to include sustainable maritime ~~and~~ coastal and angling tourism in all related action plans and programmes and to encourage the diversification of this kind of tourism, while helping to boost tourism activities, provide additional income streams and increase employment all year round.

Amendment 94 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Supports sustainable practices in coastal and maritime tourism, since they are essential for the competitiveness of the Atlantic area and in the creation of high- value jobs focusing on blue education and vocational training while maintaining EU minimum standards that are mutually recognized; stresses that specific education and training on blue economy, including through ESF+ would contribute to raising awareness of marine ecosystems and of the need to protecting by tackling the problem of marine litter;

Amendment 95 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – point 1 (new)

(1) Calls on the Commission to include sustainable maritime, island and coastal tourism in related actions and programmes, to support initiatives that encourage the diversification of coastal, maritime and marine tourism, help make tourist activities and employment less seasonal;

Amendment 96 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – point 1 (new)

(1) Stresses the necessity to preserve our natural capital and heritage to encourage sustainable tourism (e.g. eco- tourism), and calls upon Member States to protect biodiversity by urgently delivering marine conservation (including trans- border) actions to protect, restore and value marine and coastal ecosystems, including through the marine Natura 2000 networks

Amendment 97 #

Georg MAYER, Roman HAIDER, Paolo BORCHIA, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – point 2 (new)

(2) Underlines the importance of yachting and sailing for maritime tourism, the importance of beach and underwater tourism, water sports, the cruise industry and the role of local culture and gastronomy in the development of European coastal tourism;

Amendment 98 #