EUROPEAN TRANSPORT POLICY

Europe is surrounded by seas and oceans; the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The sea is our past, present and future. The European Union needs a comprehensive Integrated Maritime Policy to benefit from the full potential of our seas and oceans. On 10 October 2007, the European Commission presented its vision for a Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union. The vision document – also called the Blue book – was accompanied by a detailed Action Plan and a report on the results of the broad stakeholder consultation.

Considering its geography, its history and globalisation Europe is still very dependent on the maritime transport. Nearly 90 % of its external trade and more than 40 % of its internal trade goes by sea; on the whole nearly 2 billion tons of freight are loaded and unloaded EU ports each year; maritime companies belonging to European Union nationals control nearly 40 % of the world fleet; the majority of EU trade is carried on vessels controlled by EU interests; and finally the maritime transport sector - also including shipbuilding, ports, fishing and related industries and services - employs some 3 million people in the European Union.

Please find the Blue Book to the right.