Challenges in the implementation of the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy in shared sea-basins

AutorIoannis Stribis
Páginas355-386
355355
CHAPTER 13
Challenges in the implementation
of the EU’s integrated maritime policy
in shared sea-basins
Ioannis STRIBIS*
* Ass. Professor, University of the Aegean.
Summary: 1. T       -
   IMP. 2. B S. 2.1. Regional Black Sea cooperation
mechanisms. 2.1.1. e Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
(BSEC). 2.1.2. e Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pol-
lution (BSC). a) Observer status in the BSC. b) Issue of accession of the EU to the
Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution. 3. T A-
. 3.1. A shared sea-basin. 3.1.1. e geography. 3.1.2. e sectoral interests.
3.2. e Arctic Council. 3.2.1. EU Application for Observer Status in the Arctic
Council – First phase (2008-2015). 3.2.2. EU Application for Obser ver Status
in the Arctic Council – Second phase (2015 - to date). 4. U 
 . 4.1. International aspect. 4.1.1. Need of international cooperation. 4.1.2.
Obstacles to international cooperation. a) Exclusivism. b) Political rivalities. 4.2.
EU aspect. 4.2.1. Need for enhanced engagement in shared sea-basins. 4.2.2. EU
principles for enhanced engagement in shared sea-basins.
356 RETOS PRESENTES Y FUTUROS DE LA POLÍTICA MARÍTIMA INTEGRADA DE LA UNIÓN EUROPEA
IOANNIS STRIBIS
1. THE RATIONALE OF INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMP
Time and again it is said that Europe is a maritime continent; it is
not however an island: in order to achieve its long-term aims the Euro-
pean Union (EU) has to interact with other actors, neighbouring and far,
partners and competitors. is is true for almost all EU policies, and the
Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) could not be an exception. On the
contrary, policies pertaining to maritime governance, in the widest sense,
require international cooperation, undoubtedly more than other policies.
e reality (and, at the same time, necessity) of international co-
operation in matters pertaining to the IMP has been acknowledged by
the Commission itself in its Communication ‘Developing the interna-
tional dimension of the Integrated Maritime Policy of the European
Union’, in which it declared that «If the IMP [were] to succeed, …, it
cannot be just a European policy.»1 and further recognised that «it is
clear that the EU has to tackle» global issues, like climate change, biodi-
versity loss, sustainable use of marine resources, fair competition in ship-
ping and shipbuilding, promotion of decent working conditions in those
sectors and related maritime issues «in international partnerships».2 e
Communication adopts thus, the perspective of the «creation of an EU
framework for a global integrated approach to maritime aairs» and the
1 Developing the international dimension of the Integrated Mar itime Policy of the
European Union, Communication from the Commission to the European Par-
liament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the
Committee of the Regions, COM(2009)536 nal, Brussels, 15 October 2009
(herein after: Developing the international dimension of the Integrated Maritime
Policy of the European Union), p. 3.
2 Developing the international dimension of the Integrated Mar itime Policy of the
European Union, p. 3.
CHAPTER 13. CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU’S INTEGRATED MARITIME POLICY IN SHARED SEA-BASINS 357
extension of the IMP «into the wider international arena» with a view
to «facilitate regional cooperation with maritime neighbours with whom
the EU shares sea-basins, as well as helping develop closer bilateral rela-
tions with key partners».3
e international cooperation in the implementation of the IMP
has a bilateral facet, a regional cooperation aspect within shared sea-ba-
sins, and a multilateral dimension, universal and/or thematic. e latter
dimension consists in the participation of EU in UN fora, formal and
informal (e.g. UN Informal Consultative Processes on the Law of the
Sea), in relevant specialized agencies (such as IMO, FAO, ILO) and
other international organizations and institutions whose activities are
relevant to maritime aairs and to the IMP in particular. e bilateral
dimension consists in building and developing sectoral dialogues with
international actors on issues relevant to the IMP and the negotiation
and adoption of agreements on the subject matters of these sectoral di-
alogues. A specic aspect of the bilateral dimension of the implemen-
tation of the IMP at the international level is the sheries agreements
(tuna, mixed) with partner countries regulating shing activities by EU
shers outside European waters.4 e regional cooperation aspect of the
international dimension of the IMP aims at addressing maritime aairs
of sea-basins that EU shares with non EU-countries (Mediterranean,
Baltic and Black Seas, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans).
is research purports to address the challenges that EU faces with
regard to the regional cooperation aspect of the international dimension
3 Idem.
4 S H, J.M., O, G.A., «e Sustainable Fisheries Partner-
ship Agreements of the European Union and the Objectives of the Common
Fisheries Policy: Fisheries and/or Development?», SYbIL, Vol. 19, 2015, pp.
63-71; O, G.A., «Tres sentencias claves para la delimitación del contorno
jurídico de las competencias convencionales de la Unión Europea en el ámbito
pesquero», Revista de Derecho Comunitario Europeo, núm. 53, 2016, pp. 210-218.

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