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Glasgow welcomes the EU Atlantic Stakeholder Conference

October 26, 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications No Comments | Category Collaborations, Marine Planning

Registration is now open for the conference and workshops for the annual Atlantic Stakeholder Conference, which will take place in Glasgow on 8 November 2017 with a theme of ‘Regeneration across Generations’ and a focus on creating socially inclusive and sustainable models of regional development.

This priority of the EU’s Atlantic Strategy and Action Plan will bring together representatives from each of the five EU Member States bordering the Atlantic Ocean: the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal. The event is jointly hosted by the European Commission and the Scottish Government and provides a platform for sharing experiences and expertise, finding partners for future projects and funding opportunities for innovative ideas.

Social inclusion in peripheral and coastal communities is a key Scottish Government policy and Fergus Ewing MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, will welcome delegates as part of the opening plenary session. “Scotland is delighted to host our Atlantic friends and neighbours in a city that embodies the challenges and opportunities offered by regeneration and social inclusion. Our Economic Strategy addresses the diversity of activities in a shared marine space but identifies the connections between them and the potential for sustainably managing fragile resources through a process of investment, innovation and tackling inequality, where it still exists.”

The event will enable social innovation to be considered as an effective mechanism for the sustainable, inclusive and smart development of the Atlantic Ocean area. Delegates will participate in plenary sessions and parallel workshops covering diverse topics including gender equality in the maritime economy and collaborative approaches to Blue Growth, such as through the Year of Scotland’s Coast & Waters in 2020. In recognition of some of the most recent successful projects stimulating the blue economy in the Atlantic area, the 2017 Atlantic Project Awards will also be presented during the event.

Notes to Editors

The Atlantic Strategy Stakeholder Conference will take place at Strathclyde University’s Technology and Innovation Centre on 8 November 2017. Glasgow beat competition from Cardiff and Belfast to host this prestigious event, which is held under the UK Chairmanship of the Atlantic Strategy.

In addition to Fergus Ewing MSP, key speakers at the event are:

• Councillor Eva Bolander, the Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow
• Mr. Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (video message)
• Councillor Jerry Lundy, Member of the EU’s Committee of the Regions
• Mr. Bernhard Friess, Director of Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission.

The EU Atlantic Strategy is one of five similar initiatives run by the European Commission, addressing key issues and challenges to sustainable economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection in Europe’s major sea basins: the Atlantic Region, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The Atlantic Region includes EU Overseas Territories such as Madeira, the Azores and Canary Islands and French Guiana.

The Atlantic Strategy has four themes:

• Promote entrepreneurship and innovation
• Protect, secure and enhance the marine and coastal environment
• Improve accessibility and connectivity
• Create a socially inclusive and sustainable model of regional development.

The Atlantic Strategy and Action Plan’s objectives are in line with the EU’s ‘Blue Growth’ initiative, which is the contribution made by maritime sectors to the overall goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Strategy and Action Plan have just gone through their mid-term review: distinguished speakers from the Atlantic coastal countries and EU officials will recall the milestones of maritime cooperation in the Atlantic and set the scene for the thematic sessions.

Scottish involvement in this event has been coordinated by the Scottish Coastal Forum, working in association with Marine Scotland. For further details, please contact Rhona Fairgrieve, SCF Manager, on 0131 244 2284 or rhona.fairgrieve@gov.scot.

Tags: Atlantic, Scottish Government

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