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European Maritime Day 2010

Workshop “The common European Maritime Heritage as a Challenge for Communication“

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

Ronald VopelEuropean CommissionDirectorate-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

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Truisms

Europe is THE maritime continent, with a tradition of 3000 years.

Europe is the continent with the richest maritime heritage, tangible and intangible, living traditions and archaeological sites.

Maritime heritage is not only a cultural, but also an economic asset which is worth developing.

Europe maritime traditions are the basis of our current position in the world (maps, trade, industry, cultural influences, migration from and to Europe, power projection).

Regional and inter-regional identity in Europe is often related to maritime heritage and traditions. The maritime dimension in geography and culture adds to cohesion in the EU.

It always helps to understand the past when you want to shape the future.

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Policy references I

Maritime stakeholders asked for the inclusion of maritime cultural heritage in an Integrated Maritime Policy (Green Paper Conclusions COM(2007) 574: site surveillance, spatial planning, outermost regions, tourism, identity, visibility and awareness)

The IMP Blue Paper Action Plan (SEC(2007) 1278) takes it up: "[The Integrated Maritime Policy] should also promote Europe's maritime heritage, supporting maritime communities, including port-cities and traditional fisheries communities, their artefacts and traditional skills, and promoting links between them that enhance their knowledge and visibility."

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Policy references II

European Maritime Day 2009 workshop in Rome:

• Linking the maritime heritage dimension of Europe to tourism related initiatives;

• Showing examples of the EUROPEAN UNION PRIZE FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE;

• Developing the issue of Europe's maritime industrial heritage;• Learning Best Practice from EU regional projects;• Establishing maritime cultural heritage in postgraduate

education.

http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/maritimeday/pdf/proceedings_en.pdf

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Policy references III

European Heritage Label (EHL)

Launched as an intergovernmental initiative by several European States in 2007

Aims to "strengthen the support of European citizens for a shared European identity and to foster a sense of belonging to a common cultural space“

To this date, 60 sites located in 17 EU Member States as well as in Switzerland have obtained the label. A small number of maritime heritage sites are included.

European Commission proposal of 9 March 2010 to establish a European Heritage Label as an EU action (COM(2010) 76 final)

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-programmes-and-actions/doc2519_en.htm

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Issues

Carry-over from the Blue Paper: site surveillance and spatial planning* outermost regions tourism identity, visibility and awareness regulations affecting heritage afloat

“contemporary” maritime heritage

Please add to this list !

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Issues

e.g. site surveillance and spatial planning

• 3000 submerged prehistoric human occupation sites are now known and mapped on the European continental shelf, from the shoreline out to a depth of 145m.

• Submerged human occupation sites are known and studied in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Channel, French Atlantic coast, Gibraltar, Spanish Mediterranean coast, French south coast, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Bulgaria.

• These rich archaeological and cultural sites can be irredeemably lost by increasing offshore activity – fishing, drilling, construction.

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

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Possible lines of action

1. Make this workshop a success by giving a strong message

2. Build on the EMD events by creating a network3. Feed into the EHL process and animate Member States

to propose maritime sites and objects4. Contact the Commission (DG MARE and EAC) with fresh

ideas and concrete suggestions5. Use other maritime heritage events for the

development of an EU dimension

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage

Google image results “European maritime heritage” (FR, DE, EN, ES)

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Thank you for your attention.

ContactR o n a l d V o p e l - E u r o p e a n C o m m i s s i o nMaritime Affairs and Fisheries - Maritime PolicyMail: EC, J99 02/79, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium Visits: 99, Rue Joseph II, Brussels Tel.: +32.2.29.91820Fax: +32.2.29.79536E-mail: ronald.vopel@ec.europa.eu

The Case for a European Approach to Maritime Heritage