Based on its long standing maritime tradition and the belief that the sea and maritime activities is an inexhaustible source of growth and prosperity for the whole of Europe, Greece decided to make the “sea” one of the pillars of its Presidency. The maritime pillar of the Greek Presidency constitutes a horizontal thematic that will run across all priority areas, namely growth and jobs, European integration, migration and borders. It comprises a number of domains such as maritime transport policy, Integrated Maritime Policy, Insularity, Sea-borne migration and Security of our seas and oceans.

The Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), since its creation in 2007, has sought to enhance the sustainable development of the European maritime economy and to better protect the marine environment by facilitating the cooperation of all maritime players across sectors and borders. It seeks to provide a more coherent approach to maritime issues, with increased coordination between different policy areas by coordinating and not replacing policies on specific maritime sectors.

On that basis, the Presidency has decided to host the 10th Meeting of the High Level Focal Points on IMP in Athens on the 21st of March 2014. The network of High Level Focal Points on IMP constitutes a valuable informal forum for exchange of experience and good practices between Member States, as well as a forum for discussion on common policy priorities, with a view to further developing and promoting the IMP of the European Union. This meeting usually takes place once a year and is hosted and chaired by the Member State holding the EU Presidency for the given semester.

During the IMP High Level Points Meeting, Member States will have the opportunity to discuss issues of high maritime interest as well as give their input with regard to future funding priorities of relevance to the IMP. The meeting’s agenda includes the following topics:

-    Maritime Surveillance and Security – Development of Common Information Sharing Environment
-    Elements for a Maritime Security Strategy,
-    EU Support for Maritime Innovation and Knowledge – Horizon 2020 – Future Steps for Marine Knowledge 2020,
-    Orientation Debate: Funding for Blue Growth between 2014-2020 – Final Discussion on IMP Work Programme – Update on opportunities of EU funding for Blue Growth in structural funds