The communication and accompanying action plan list a range of concrete actions to be launched during the mandate of the current commission, covering a spectrum of issues ranging from maritime transport to the competitiveness of marine businesses, employment, scientific research, fisheries and protection of the marine environment. Included specifically in the list are; a European maritime transport space without barriers; a European strategy for marine research; national integrated maritime policies to be developed by Member States; an integrated network for maritime surveillance; a roadmap towards maritime spatial planning by Member States; elimination of pirate fishing and destructive high sea bottom trawling; promotion of a European network of maritime clusters; a review of EU labour law exemptions for the shipping and fishing sectors; a European marine observation and data network; reduction of CO2 emissions and pollution by shipping; and a strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change on coastal regions.

Launching the Policy, Joe Borg said, ‘our stakeholders have spoken and we have listened. This is a crucial first step for Europe's oceans and seas, unlocking the potential and facing the challenges of a Maritime Europe will be our common goal. It will allow us to make the most of our maritime assets and will help Europe face some of the major challenges before it.'

Previously, the different activities and policies relating to the seas have been managed on largely sectoral lines. An Integrated Maritime Policy will change the way policy is formulated and decisions are taken in the maritime sectors whilst respecting the principal of subsidiarity. It will enable relevant authorities to analyse interactions between the various sectors and policy areas concerned and to take them into account at every level so as to develop common tools to exploit synergies and avoid conflicts.

Europe has some 70,000 km of coastline along two oceans and four seas, with the maritime regions accounting for 40% of its GDP and population.