Joe Borg promotes draft EU maritime policy in Greece

European Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg held talks with senior officials of the Greek government in Athens on the ongoing preparations by the EU to draft a new maritime policy.

In separate meetings with the Greek Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ioannis Valinakis and the Minister for Mercantile Marine Manolis Kefalogiannis, Dr Borg discussed a range of maritime issues, including maritime surveillance and civil and military roles in handling crisis situations at sea.

He welcomed the active role Greece is playing in stimulating the debate on a maritime policy. Greece, he said, is one of the most important countries in this sector having the largest shipping fleet in the EU.

Dr Borg also addressed the Mare Forum Conference in Athens attended by the major EU players in the shipping sector. He spoke of the benefits that a maritime policy could bring to shipping by enhancing the competitiveness of the sector while protecting and preserving the marine environment and putting maritime governance on a sound footing.