FM Paet: EU Maritime Policy must Turn Attention to Environmental Threats
19.11.2007
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet participated in a session of the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on Monday, 19 November.
In the general affairs session, the foreign ministers discussed preparations for the European Council being held on 13-14 December, the European Commission’s work programme for 2008, and the European Union’s maritime policy.
Estonia believes that in shaping the EU’s maritime policy, special attention must be paid to developing a common sea area alongside a common internal market, examining environmental issues, and eliminating illegal or unregulated fishing activity. “Applying customs and administrative regulations that exist for mainland transport to the EU’s internal sea transport would allow us to lessen the burden on the former, and also help to further develop environmentally sustainable transport,” Paet said.
In his speech, the foreign minister emphasized the necessity of expanding co-operation both within the union and with third countries. According to Paet, working out a European Union Baltic Sea Strategy and granting more attention to environmental risks is crucial in the context of developing a common European sea area. “In light of the accident that occurred recently in the Black Sea, in which an oil tanker broke in half during a storm and contaminated the environment, we need to think more about effectively protecting the sensitive Baltic Sea region. We need to think about the environmental risks implied by heavy tanker traffic,” said Paet. Conclusions about the maritime policy are scheduled to be accepted by the European Council in December.
Within the framework of the foreign ministers meeting, a Civilian Capabilities Improvement Conference was also held in Brussels. The main purpose of strengthening civilian capabilities is to support better preparation for European Union missions. The Estonian foreign minister recognised the fact that the process of improving civilian capabilities has been a crucial step in order for the European Union to become more active with foreign endeavours in the future. “So far, the work done to improve civilian capabilities has provided a vital contribution to implementing Europe’s security strategy, and has helped make the EU’s global position stronger,” said Paet. The foreign minister expressed his pleasure over the fact that from now on, practical problems like procurement procedures will be dealt with more seriously. According to Paet, this is crucial for all missions, though right now most relevant for the police mission in Afghanistan and the planning of a Kosovo mission within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
