Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) for the North Sea

Applicants have to list the main results expected from the project. The expected results to be achieved by the end of the project must be concrete, realistic and time bound and quantifiable, as far as possible.

In particular, proposals are expected to:

• Ensure that maritime plans are coherent and coordinated across the marine region concerned;
• Create a repository of best practices and lessons learnt from the project and a list of achievements of the projects, including in coordination with the European MSP platform;
• Produce two "policy briefs", one at mid-term and one at the end of the project, that summarise the main results of the project and their relevance for the implementation of the MSP Directive. These documents should include elements of "policy feedback", in particular suggestions for changes / improvements in the current EU policy instruments.

Proposals are expected to develop innovative responses to tackle specific challenges that EU Members States might encounter in the implementation and/or revision of their maritime spatial plans.

The following is a list of priorities related to the aforementioned challenges:

1. MSP as an enabler of the European Green Deal. Developing strategies and approaches to review/revise maritime spatial plans to make them future proof, more integrated and more coherent, especially in a sea basin context. Contributing to the development or review of the MSPs, taking into account circular blue economy and nature-food-energy nexus, coherently in a sea-basin context. Climate proofing of MSP, including incorporating climate adaptation and mitigation actions and/or strategies.
2. Facilitate/enable the development of marine protected areas and economic sectors (e.g. tourism and maritime/underwater cultural heritage, offshore energy, fisheries, aquaculture) in the maritime domain: ex-ante assessments (Strategic Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment) and environmental monitoring; multi-use in project design and licensing/permits; development of a regulatory framework for multi-use, including Land Sea Interactions (LSI); allocation of sufficient sea space, enabling synergies with other sectors / activities.
3. Applying an Ecosystems Based Approach (EBA) in MSP: designing maritime spatial plans to integrate objectives and measures of other EU instruments (e.g. the Marine Strategy Framework Directive) with the aim to reduce collective and cumulative pressures and ensuring that marine ecosystems are in a healthy, productive and resilient condition.
4. Analysing how maritime spatial plans identified and addressed existing and potential tensions between different sectors. For example analysing the socio-economic implications of the offshore energy development and marine protected areas on recreation and tourism activities, boating, indigenous life, aquaculture and on fishing. Developing strategies on how to address those interactions, social and economic implications, increase the social acceptance and ensure perceived fairness in the MSP process.

Applicants should identify one among the above priorities, or address a combination thereof, and build their proposal around it.