Regions to boost National Maritime Spatial Planning

ended

The project “Regions to boost National Maritime Spatial Planning” (REGINA-MSP) aims at improving the participation of Regions (level 2 units in the NUTS classification) as well as local authorities and stakeholders in the development and implementation of National maritime spatial planning. Regions benefit from the European cohesion policy and are acting at an adequate scale for combining European and National policies with local specificities. They represent a node for mainstreaming policies towards the objectives of the Green Deal, favouring actions at ecosystem level, improving cooperation at sea basin level and collecting relevant data for local issues. Then innovations in terms of their participation in MSP preparation and implementation are expected to improve MSP processes and to benefit efficiency and coordination of public policies. REGINA-MSP combines a general analysis and discussion at European level under the auspices of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), with an in-depth analysis at the level of 8 regional case studies chosen in 5 countries (Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Greece) pertaining to 2 sea basins (Atlantic and Mediterranean). The methodology combines analysis of existing documents and literature, interviews with actors and participatory work with stakeholders. Specificities and stakeholders’ vision for the future will be highlighted and taken into consideration to help inform future MSP development and amendment. Policy briefs will summarise the background information collected and policy papers will issue recommendations at the 3 levels of case study Regions, countries and the European Union. The expected impacts include enhanced mobilisation at regional level in favour of MSP and its contribution to the Green Deal, as well as possible evolutions in the legal and policy frameworks. A better interaction between MSP and the European cohesion policy is also expected.