European MSP Week

Join Us for the European Maritime Spatial Planning Week, 21 – 24 October 2024

Venue: Palais du Pharo, Marseille, France

Register here

Be part of European MSP Week 21^st – 24^th October 2024! This series of dynamic events is dedicated to Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and offers a unique opportunity for stakeholders from industry, civil society, the public sector, and academia to come together. Reflect on the achievements made in MSP across European seas, discuss current policies, and strategise the next steps forward.

This year marks a significant milestone—a decade since the adoption of the EU MSP Directive on 23^rd July 2014. We celebrate the achievements of Member States and the entire MSP community. In addition, the MSP-Green and REGINA-MSP projects will host their joint final conference in the following days, allowing participants to hear even more valuable insights and discussions. All the events will be hybrid, accommodating both those who wish to travel and meet in person, as well as online participants.

Don’t miss this chance to connect with the European MSP community!

A Decade of European MSP – Stakeholder Conference

22nd October 2024, 09:00-17:45 CET

Join us for exciting and dynamic conference exploring the evolving landscape of MSP. This event brings together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the European Union and beyond, to foster dialogue, share best practices, and chart a course towards more integrated and sustainable maritime planning. Over five engaging sessions, we will explore the accomplishments of the last decade, lessons learnt, challenges, and future direction of MSP, highlighting the critical role of stakeholder engagement, regional cooperation, and innovative technologies.

Our discussions will cover a range of priority topics, from the impact of the European Green Deal on MSP to the integration of climate-smart trends and cutting-edge technologies. We will explore how MSP plans are being updated to address contemporary issues such as climate change and multi-use conflicts, and we will examine the benefits and challenges of data-driven innovations like digital twins for marine environments.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the MSP community and leading experts and stakeholders in MSP. Together, we will explore the challenges and opportunities ahead, fostering a collaborative environment to shape the future of Europe’s seas.

Draft Agenda

MSP-GREEN and REGINA MSP Joint Closing Conference

23rd  October 2024, 14:00-18:00 CET & 24th October 2024, 09:00-14:30 CET

MSP-GREEN and REGINA-MSP projects are pleased to invite you to their joint final conference. Key outcomes from their efforts will be shared and discussed. The conference is structured around two days of interlinked panels and working sessions, during which participants will be engaged in a vivid debate about the role that MSP can play in strengthening the marine dimension of the European Green Deal (EGD). Namely, the role of Regions, the barriers and the opportunities to increase their effective participation in the MSP process, in relation with EGD objectives and much more, will be addressed. The results from the conference will be presented to EU, national and regional Institutions, for immediate use. We look forward to welcoming you to Marseille in October! 

Draft Agenda

Register here

***on the 23rd October, 09:00-12:00 CET, field visits are organised by MSP-GREEN and REGINA-MSP projects:

• Marseille actions for ocean literacy: During this visit, participants will discover the coastal management and the development of a maritime culture in Marseille, by the City with its partners. It consists of a tour of ten of the metropolis' fifty kilometers of coastline. Four stages are envisaged : 1. development and maintenance of Parc Balnéaire du Prado, 2. Hublot / Borely beach: biodiversity issues and coastal environmental education (artificial reefs, Posidonia, erosion…), 3. Hublot-Huveaune (coastal river and interactions with marine pollution), 4. Roucas Blanc nautical stadium: Olympic Games development project and biodiversity.
• Offshore wind assembly site: During this visit, participants will discover the Eiffage offshore wind farm assembly site, located on the Maritime Port of Marseille-Fos, at one hour drive by bus from Marseille city center. This will be the opportunity to discover how floating wind turbines are assembled before their installation at sea. A bus will take the participants to the tour site and then back to Marseille.
• Parc marin de la côte bleue (PMCB): During this visit, participants will discover by boat the Parc Marin Côte Bleue, a natural marine protected area since 1983, located along the coastal cities of Marseille and Fos-sur-Mer. Participants will learn more about the actions carried out in the park to preserve the ecosystems and sustain human activities, as well as the history of this site, created and managed by local communities.
• Decarbonisation of the Port: During this visit, participants will discover the impressive Maritime Port of Marseille-Fos, with a focus on the decarbonization actions of the port. This will be the opportunity to learn deeper about topics such as the decarbonization of maritime shipping and offshore wind farms in the Region. A bus will take participants there to the tour site and back to Marseille.
• Parc National des Calanques: During this visit, participants will discover by boat the Parc National des Calanques, a national park of 530 km² located alongside the coastlines at the east of Marseille. Created in 2012, this is the first national park outside a city of Europe which is both terrestrial and maritime. This visit will present the history, the governance and the rich biodiversity of the park.

In parallel to the main events happening during the European MSP Week, additional events are also taking place that you won’t want to miss. 

Be sure to follow the ones listed below: