These discussions are for us a first step in the developing of a global lobbying strategy whose purpose is to be increased at full length during this 5-year mandate. Our intentions are to re affirm our presence within the European institutions in order to influence future legislative issues. Our specific work programs such as macrowaste, bathing water quality, coastal negative changes (erosion and concrete constructions) and maritime transport are to us, such important subjects on which claims and actual propositions will have to be put forward.

Indeed, our fieldwork on the follow-up of our Keepers of the Coast files enables us to know the deficiencies and difficulties in the implementation of the adopted standards. This monitoring network, active in the whole European territory, has become an important database and reveals the lack or the inappropriateness of the law when it comes to some real coastal issues. Beyond our legal expertise, the Keepers of the Coast give a fresh look at these issues and enable us to make proposals at institutional level.

In 2005, we had already initiated this approach when the directive on the bathing water quality was passed. From then on, we must intensify our actions by participating to the elaboration and the reflection on the applicability of European standards related to our core subjects with the European commission (workshops, European Maritime Days…). The European Parliament is for us another piece of the European chessboard on which we must pressure on.

Two Mps, Sandrine Belier and Yannick Jadot, agreed to sign our petition giving great scope to our action. Other meetings will continue throughout these upcoming months aiming at strenghtening the strategic lobbyong potential of the organization.

Nevertheless, the rule in community law clearly says that a directive should be adapted by member states. This means that they must create a national act allowing the directive to be effective in each state. But, as very often in debates over environment, states are reluctant in  passing these laws. And adaptation deadlines are often past.

In all cases, the Commission denounces states and brings legal actions in front of the European Union judicial section, the European Communities Court of Justice which will sentence the state for not having respected deadlines.

Here yet, France has recently passed the « Environmental responsibility Act” in August 2008, the deadline was set on April 30^th of 2007. Then, France, running out of time, passed this law in an emergency situation whereas stakes were fundamental. As a consequence, the law has been lacking of several advances from the directive.

Surfrider notes with embarrassment this new sentence for France at the time of Environment “Grenelle”. Nine other member states were also judged by European Commission for non-adaptating this directive, which shows the states’ reluctance to make environment protection progress.

Feel free to comment as we are paying great attention to what you believe. It is important for our lobbying activities at European and national levels.

We will follow the publication of these texts to evaluate the benefits of this much needed reform. One can note that these European texts are similar to the US Oil Pollution Act of 1990 even if they are not as demanding.

Other texts will follow at the European level to achieve a better shipping regulation. Surfrider Foundation wants to be an important actor on these projects and will follow the concrete application of theses policies.

In order to manage the lobbying on this subject we have been invited as a stakeholder by the Ministry of Environment in the December 17^th operational meeting. Surfrider wants to insist on this neglected problem.

Moreover the Grenelle 2 law project dispositions will be debated during the second quarter of 2009. Their objective is to set technical and application measures in accordance with the main themes of the first law project.

Surfrider is unsatisfied with the debating procedure. Indeed the government has decided to adopt this text in urgency procedure. Indeed this urgency method will reduce parliamentary debates opportunities without any doubt. Furthermore one can consider that the legislative power of the parliament is reduced according to the 88^th article of the project. Indeed most of the directives’ implementation about biodiversity and wastes will be taken via ordinances, i.e. without being debated by the assembly. As a result any amendment initiatives by a NGO will be prohibited during the adoption of the text. Surfrider will keep watching and will try to propose amendment during the parliament negotiation.

Surfrider’s presence is all the more essential since this trade show is one of the major maritime events of the French Presidency of the European Union, it constitutes an excellent way to make our claims heard.

See you there! 

More info on the website of the BioMarine event