Spain

Which Maritime Spatial Plans exist?

The Spanish MSP, Planes de Ordenación del Espacio Marítimo (POEM), was adopted on the 28th of February 2023 by the Council of Ministers by Royal Decree. It establishes plans for each of the five Spanish marine subdivisions: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Estrecho and Alboran, Levantine-Balearic and Canary Islands.  

The Planes de Ordenación del Espacio Marítimo (POEM) are accesible here: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/costas/temas/proteccion-medio-marino/ordena...

The geographical information is in the geoportal: http://www.infomar.miteco.es   

A first draft of the Maritime Spatial Plan (POEM), together with the Initial Strategic Document, was subject to a strategic environmental assessment process and opened to administrative and public consultation. Once public consultation was finalised, a transboundary consultation with neighbouring countries was launched, and a specific online meeting with France, Portugal and Italy was held. In July 2022, the Competent Authority finalised the integration of the observations received during the public consultation process and the decision-making regarding certain high potential and priority-use areas established within the plans. The final documents have been submitted to the environmental assessment competent authority in order to complete the strategic environmental assessment process. Once the strategic environmental document has been published, the plans was submitted to the Council of Ministers to obtain their approval by Royal Decree. The first cycle of the plans, including the implementation of measures and the monitoring, will take place between 2022 and 2027. 

MSP Legislation

Spain adopted the Royal Decree 363/2017 of 8 April establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning, that transposes into Spanish legislation the Directive 2014/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July. 

National MSP authority & Contact

Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge
General Directorate for the Coast and the Sea

Ms. Marta Martínez-Gil Pardo de Vera

Assistant Deputy Director for the Protection of the Sea
MMGil@miteco.es

Strategic Environmental Assessment

General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Assessment

D. Eugenio Jesús Domínguez Collado

Subdirector General de Evaluación Ambiental

Buzon-sgea@miteco.es

Environmental Impact Assessment

General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Assesment

D. Eugenio Jesús Domínguez Collado

Subdirector General de Evaluación Ambiental

Last Update 02.03.2023