Sub-Committee hears from European Environment Agency

• Inquiry: Regional Marine Co-operation
• EU Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy Sub-Committee

The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy hears from the European Environment Agency in relation to its ongoing inquiry into Regional Marine Co-Operation.

Witnesses

From 11.30am on Thursday 6 November 2014 the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy takes evidence via videoconference from:

• Trine Christiansen, Head of Marine Environmental Group, European Environment Agency
• Ronan Uhel, Head of Natural Systems and Vulnerability, European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency published in February 2014 a report on the impact of human activity on Europe's seas. The document can be seen at this link:

• Marine Messages

Possible Questions

• What motivated the EEA to publish Marine Messages, and what has the response been from the Commission, Member States and stakeholders?
• What increased political commitment to marine protection and to grapple with issues such as regional co-operation has arisen since publication of Marine Messages?
• How do economic activities, and social considerations, fit in to the management model of the seas as described under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive?
• Why is it particularly important to consider the cumulative impacts of human activities and ecosystem changes?
• What inconsistencies are there between EU policies affecting the marine environment?
• Why is co-operation so important?
• How can protection of such areas as the Dogger Bank be improved?
• What key initiatives are underway in order to improve the marine knowledge base, and how achievable are these initiatives?
• How might integrated maritime spatial planning function at the regional level, ensuring stakeholder engagement effectively?

Further Information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees