Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea endorsed at Bucharest Ministerial Conference

Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea endorsed at Bucharest Ministerial Conference

Author: Black Sea Assistance Mechanism

The Ministers from the seven Black Sea countries – Bulgaria, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine – met in Bucharest today to endorse the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea. With this, the Black Sea region joins the rest of the sea basins bordering the EU in setting a basin-wide initiative for more, and more sustainable, economic growth.

The Common Maritime Agenda - the first of its kind in the region - is the result of a process initiated and backed by the European Commission. Between 2015 and 2018 alone, the European Union has supported the region’s blue economy, which represents all economic activities related to our oceans, seas or coastal areas, with more than 13 million euros.

Mr. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said: “Today the Black Sea region has taken a step towards a new type of sea basin strategy – one based on workable cross-border projects. This will push the region's blue economy forward sustainably.  The countries that share the shores of the Black Sea can make this a success and the European Commission will continue to offer its full support”.

Black Sea countries will pursue three goals: healthy marine and coastal ecosystems; a competitive, innovative and sustainable blue economy; and fostering investment in the blue economy.