Greece
The EU MSP Directive (2014/89/ΕΕ) has been transposed in Greek legislation, with the Law 4546/2018. The Law sets the national legal framework for maritime spatial planning in Greece which provides for a National Maritime Spatial Strategy and Maritime Spatial Plans. Maritime spatial Plans are included functionally in the regional strategic level of spatial planning and are renamed to Spatial Frameworks (after Law 4685/2020).
The Ministry of Environment and Energy is the Competent Authority for the implementation of MSP. For the achievement of the objectives of Maritime Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Environment and Energy cooperates with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy which is responsible for the National Strategy of Maritime Policy. In January 2021 the Law 4770 of The Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy was voted. Chapter 1, Integrated Maritime Policy for Insular Territory, refers in particular to the definition of the framework for the elaboration and specification of the guidelines for the integrated maritime policy in the insular territory.
Recently, there has been a major regulatory reconstruction for Spatial Planning in Greece. Ιn December 2020 the Law 4759/2020 “Modernization of Spatial and Urban Planning Legislation and other provisions” and particularly Chapter II: “Provisions for Maritime Spatial Planning”. Accordingly, the Maritime Spatial Frameworks correspond to the regional spatial level, refer to maritime spatial units, determined by the National Planning Strategy for Marine Space and they can be of sub-regional, regional or interregional scale.
Relevant Technical Information
- Greek territorial sea (6 nm zone) is approximately 92,095 km2.
- Involvement of The competent authority, the Ministry of Environment and Energy
- Development of National portal for MSP
- Dissemination and formation on MSP and Ocean Literacy at national level
The Law induces significant amendments:
- On the former Law 4546/2018 (Directive 2014/89/EU) regarding the purpose and scope of MSP, by decoupling of land coastal zone planning from maritime spatial planning. Consequently, the MSP is implemented on the maritime (sea) waters and coastal waters.
- On the former Law 3983/2011 (Directive 2008/56/EC) by adding to the features of determining the sea regions and subregions the spatial and growth characteristics. (hydrological, oceanographic and biogeographic features). Consequently, the above mentioned characteristics are taken into account for the designation of the maritime subregions.
Work in progress
- Works of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, set up for the elaboration and the implementation of MSP, in accordance with the Memorandum between Ministry of Environment & Energy and Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy
- At the meantime, work is in progress for the specifications of the National Spatial Strategy for Maritime Space and the specifications for the preparation of Maritime Spatial Frameworks.
- In parallel, on the basis of the strategic objectives of the Directive, the data required for the monitoring of Maritime Spatial Frameworks are recorded. The geospatial information data parameters have been classified in 9 thematic categories, taking into account the 2016 MSP Study, by the Assistance Mechanism for the Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning and the country’s specific features and priorities.
- Additionally, a dataset will be available through a Geoportal which is in progress, as an undertaken task of the transboundary project “Cross-Border Cooperation for Maritime Spatial Planning implementation” with acronym: THAL-CHOR 2, (funded by the INTERREG V-A Greece-Cyprus Program 2014-2020). The main goal of the geoportal/web GIS is the dissemination of quality spatial data (and their metadata) related to MSP.
In the present circumstances, it is estimated that the draft version of the National Spatial Planning Strategy for the Marine Space will be completed by the end of July 2021 and will be submitted to public consultation. The final draft of the National Spatial Planning Strategy for the Marine Space is estimated to be completed by the end of September 2021. After taking into consideration the National Spatial Planning Council’s opinion, as well as the co- competent Ministries’ opinion, it is foreseen that by the end of December 2021, the Minister of Environment and Energy could submit the final version of the National Spatial Planning Strategy for the Marine Space to the Council of Ministers for its approval and the announcement in the Greek Parliament.
