Greece submits maritime spatial plans after EU court ruling

Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.

This submission comes after a series of delays that drew criticism from the European Commission and led to a ruling from the EU Court of Justice in February, which found that Greece had violated EU regulations by failing to finalize its plan by the March 2021 deadline.

The maritime spatial plan is critical for managing activities in Greece’s vast and strategically important maritime areas. It sets out where specific activities, including fishing, sea transport, aquaculture, tourism, and renewable energy projects, can take place, helping to ensure sustainable use of marine resources and the protection of ecosystems from overfishing and pollution. These plans are a requirement under EU law for the protection and sustainable management of marine and coastal areas.

The Greek government acknowledged the delays, attributing them to the challenges posed by the country's extensive coastline, numerous islands, and complex geopolitical conditions in the eastern Mediterranean. The plan, however, does not include any exclusive economic zones (EEZs), which Greece and its neighbors, including Turkey, are still negotiating. While Greece has established EEZs with Italy and Egypt, talks with Turkey regarding maritime boundaries remain unresolved due to ongoing disputes over mineral rights in the Aegean Sea and the issue of Cyprus.

Environmental groups, including Greenpeace and WWF, have long pressured Greece to deliver its maritime spatial plan, accusing the government of neglecting the environmental aspects of maritime management. The submission of the plan is seen as a positive step toward fulfilling Greece's obligations under EU law, but it remains to be seen how effectively it will address the ecological concerns raised by environmental organizations.

The EU now awaits Greece's formal approval of the spatial plans, with the expectation that they will serve as a framework for sustainable and coordinated use of Greece's maritime areas while also facilitating ongoing discussions with neighboring countries on maritime zones.

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