2.3 European Developments
21
– by stabilizing sand dunes,
– by regulating excavation and the removal of sand,
– by prohibiting the cutting and uprooting of vegetation
• Undertake a vigorous campaign to inform and stir public opinion in regard to the protection
of the seafront and encourage all public and private initiatives to safeguard the coastline,
especially in the form of the creation and management of protected areas
• Co-operate closely with one another where their coastal areas adjoin, with a view to:
– harmonizing their various sets of regulations and co-ordinating action with regard to the
protection of sites, flora and fauna and to pollution control,
– undertaking where appropriate joint action such as the management of international parks
or the pooling of supervisory and pollution control services
The excerpt of these recommendations shows that the resolution from 1973 contains also
far-reaching and cross-sectoral approaches for the protection and management of coastal
areas in Europe. Some of the Member States already established sectoral administrative
bodies and regulations, but the resolution tried to motivate to go beyond the activities of
that time.
Follow-ups of this resolution were European Community action programs which focus on the planning and management of coastal areas. These action programs led to the
European Charter of the Coast in 1981 (CRPM, 1981). The Charter contains ten objectives
for coastal zone development in the European Union. Subsequently, in 1982 a Resolution
on the European Coastal Charter was adopted by the European Parliament (CEC, 1982).
In this resolution it is stated that the responsibility for the implementation of the notion
of the Charter is with the national, regional and local governments, but that the European
level should support these actions.
The resolution indicates three fields where EU institutions should provide support:
knowledge, planning and control. In the field of knowledge they promoted the cooperation and exchange between different research centers and initiated an information
campaign. In the field of planning the European Parliament encouraged to prepare a
“Community program for the integrated development of coastal regions taking into account the need to restore the balance between the hinterland and the coast . . . ” (CEC,
1982, p. 125). Furthermore, attention should be put on the protection of people and
infrastructure in coastal zones which were at risk of flooding. And, for example, the
European institutions should provide necessary coordination and finance for the pilot
operation mentioned in the Coastal Charter. Regarding control the institutions should devote on a state-of-the-art investigation on existing rules and regulations for coastal areas
in the Member States, to improve navigational safety and to reduce land-based pollution of coastal zones. Also the motivation of public participation in coastal planning was
touched.
Between the late 1970s and the beginning of the 1990s the European Union established
several Directives which touch the coastal zone and show specific focal points – see, for
example, Wild Birds Directive from 1979 (oldest European Directive 79/409/EEC current
codified version 2009/147/EC), the Flora-Fauna Habitat Directive from 1992 (92/43/EEC)
or on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (85/337/EEC).
21
– by stabilizing sand dunes,
– by regulating excavation and the removal of sand,
– by prohibiting the cutting and uprooting of vegetation
• Undertake a vigorous campaign to inform and stir public opinion in regard to the protection
of the seafront and encourage all public and private initiatives to safeguard the coastline,
especially in the form of the creation and management of protected areas
• Co-operate closely with one another where their coastal areas adjoin, with a view to:
– harmonizing their various sets of regulations and co-ordinating action with regard to the
protection of sites, flora and fauna and to pollution control,
– undertaking where appropriate joint action such as the management of international parks
or the pooling of supervisory and pollution control services
The excerpt of these recommendations shows that the resolution from 1973 contains also
far-reaching and cross-sectoral approaches for the protection and management of coastal
areas in Europe. Some of the Member States already established sectoral administrative
bodies and regulations, but the resolution tried to motivate to go beyond the activities of
that time.
Follow-ups of this resolution were European Community action programs which focus on the planning and management of coastal areas. These action programs led to the
European Charter of the Coast in 1981 (CRPM, 1981). The Charter contains ten objectives
for coastal zone development in the European Union. Subsequently, in 1982 a Resolution
on the European Coastal Charter was adopted by the European Parliament (CEC, 1982).
In this resolution it is stated that the responsibility for the implementation of the notion
of the Charter is with the national, regional and local governments, but that the European
level should support these actions.
The resolution indicates three fields where EU institutions should provide support:
knowledge, planning and control. In the field of knowledge they promoted the cooperation and exchange between different research centers and initiated an information
campaign. In the field of planning the European Parliament encouraged to prepare a
“Community program for the integrated development of coastal regions taking into account the need to restore the balance between the hinterland and the coast . . . ” (CEC,
1982, p. 125). Furthermore, attention should be put on the protection of people and
infrastructure in coastal zones which were at risk of flooding. And, for example, the
European institutions should provide necessary coordination and finance for the pilot
operation mentioned in the Coastal Charter. Regarding control the institutions should devote on a state-of-the-art investigation on existing rules and regulations for coastal areas
in the Member States, to improve navigational safety and to reduce land-based pollution of coastal zones. Also the motivation of public participation in coastal planning was
touched.
Between the late 1970s and the beginning of the 1990s the European Union established
several Directives which touch the coastal zone and show specific focal points – see, for
example, Wild Birds Directive from 1979 (oldest European Directive 79/409/EEC current
codified version 2009/147/EC), the Flora-Fauna Habitat Directive from 1992 (92/43/EEC)
or on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (85/337/EEC).