A European vision for the oceans and seas

Europe's busiest harbour sets the scene for a general assembly and congress by the European Maritime Heritage's (EMH) April 16-18. EMH is a NGO for private owners of traditional ships, as well as for maritime museums and other interested bodies.  EMH has invited the Maritime Policy Task Force to give a speech on the European Commission's green paper on a Maritime Policy for Europe. EMH generally agrees and wishes to further develop the Commission's suggestions. Basically the commission has stressed the importance of a holistic approach to Europe's oceans, seas and coasts when making future economic, social and environmental policies. Previously legislation was often determined by narrow concerns, but a birds eye approach will try to ensure that things interconnected will also be dealt with in this context.

Objectives of European Maritime Heritage
The objectives of EMH are to increase cooperation and give consultancy to organisations involved in keeping maritime heritage alive. This is done through an EMH conference every third year, by promoting the interests of traditional ships and boats as bearers of living maritime culture as well as by supporting the historical European sea links.

Geography
Europe's geography encompasses four seas: the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the North Sea and the Black Sea, as well as two oceans: the Atlantic and the Artic. Two thirds of Europe's borders are coasts. It is no wonder that Europe has a special relationship with the oceans, seas, rivers and coasts, as they have played an important role in the development of European culture, identity and history.  Or as the subtitle of the Commissions green paper quotes Arthur Clark for saying: "How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean."

Related Information
European Maritime Heritage organisation, EMH
European Commission's Green paper on a Maritime Policy for Europe, 49 p. pdf