Venice Platform Declaration

The IX International Conference LITTORAL2008, held in Venice from 25 to 28 November 2008, was concluded with the signature of the “Venice Platform Declaration”

The Declaration, signed by 30 European coastal and maritime networks and organizations, states a series of principles and objectives for the establishment of a common European Platform on sustainable coastal development and sustainable use of the sea.

The aim of the Venice Platform is to promote greater synergy and coherence in coastal and marine management among the Member States and to support the EU initiatives within the frame of the Integrated Maritime Policy (The Blue Book). The Platform will provide a meeting place for networks to share experiences, knowledge and information and to implement  further initiatives of common interest.

The Venice Declaration states the following principles and objectives:

• Coordinate member actions through debate and exchange of information, knowledge and experience , with the final aim of developing common initiatives
• Provide a forum for dialogue with the European Commission on relevant themes for the development and implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy ( the implementation of the Marine Strategy Directive, the development of a maritime research policy supporting the necessary funding mechanisms and specialised infrastructures)
• Promote the sustainable coastal development and sustainable use of the sea.

EUCC – Coastal & Marine Union, with the support of ENCORA and CORILA, will serve as a provisional Secretariat of the Venice Platform Declaration. The Secretariat will operate through four regional nodes connecting with the regional seas: Leiden (EUCC International), Venice (CORILA), Barcelona (EUCC Mediterranean Centre), and Warnemünde (EUCC Germany).