MEDREGION project has taken a six-month extension of implementation period (1st February 2021-31st July 2021) (AMENDMENT N° 2 TO GRANT AGREEMENT N°110661/2018/794286/SUB/ENV.C2) due to COVID 19 crisis.
As the MSFD is now entering the second 6-year cycle of the implementation, with updates of the initial assessment, determination of GES and environmental targets due to be reported in October 2018, followed by updating of monitoring programmes due to be reported in October 2020, and updating the programmes of measures due to be reported in March 2022, a call for proposals was launched by DG ENV in order to support the forementioned as well as the regional or subregional needs of the Member States.
According to the call such proposals besides covering as a minimum one marine subregion, they shall involve at least two Member States within that subregion.
The MEDREGION proposal is planned to be a supporting project for the second cycle of the MSFD Implementation and following the background set in the Call, it has a strategic role in the frame of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the MSFD.
This particular institutional and strategic connotation was underlined by the Commission during the presentation of the Call for Proposal, at the Marine Strategy Coordination Group held last 23 of April 2018, where it was emphasized that the Member States are the main beneficiaries of the project. This is also reflected in the text of the proposal, where the involvement of at least 2 National Competent Authorities for the MSFD Implementation is indicated as a key parameter for the participation.
In synthesis, the overall objectives of this project have been identified with the specific aim to provide the necessary support to the CIS for the coordinated implementation of the New GES Decision and to provide a useful platform for the necessary Regional and Sub-regional cooperation, in order to support the further development of the Programmes of Measures.
It is precisely under this strategic perspective that the involvement of the UNEP/MAP system (UNEP/MAP member of the Advisory Board, INFO/RAC, RAC/SPA, PLAN BLUE partners) plays an essential role, taking into account the regional and cross-border aspects that involve both the EU context and the third Countries.”
Therefore the main points in the concept of the MEDREGION project are:
- To support the Competent Authorities (CAs) of the Mediterranean Member States to implement the MSFD.
- It has an Institutional role, reflected in the Activities undertaken to ensure that the CAs are involved and consulted throughout the work of the project.
- The deliverables and other outcomes of the project should be endorsed by the Competent Authorities to reflect their views and needs, in the extend that is possible
- The Project can make suggestions regarding the implementation of the New GES Decision, based on scientific merits and the Competent Authorities can decide on their acceptance.
- The project has provisions for strong effective links with the Non EU Mediterranean States (as through UNEP/MAP, in order to communicate its outcomes to the ongoing work of the Barcelona Convention on the implementation of the EcAp.
