Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial Sea (12 NM): 8 783 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 19 736 km²
Strategic documents related to MSP
- Integrated Maritime Policy of the European Union
- Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning
- Maritime policy of the Republic of Poland until 2020 (with an outlook until 2030)
- Polish Energy Policy until 2040 (PEP 2040)
Technical resources related to MSP
- Maritime administration spatial information system
- Study of conditions of spatial development of Polish sea areas
- BaltSeaPlan Findings
- Transboundary management of transitional waters – Code of conduct and good practice examples
- The overarching strategy of spatial development of Poland
- German-Polish Spatial Planning Portal
- Interministerial Group on Maritime Policy
- MSP of Polish Sea Areas: Maritime spatial plan for the inland maritime waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone in 1:200 000 scale [Draft version v3 (08.08.2019)]
- Maritime Administration’s Geographical Information System
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Zoning plan for internal maritime waters, the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone on a scale of 1:200,000 |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2021 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
29 765 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Ministry of Infrastructure, Maritime Office in Gdynia, Maritime Office in Szczecin |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Completed |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
National |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
Startegic |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
Collaborative |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
Grants |
Name of the plan |
Zoning plan for the internal maritime waters of the Szczecin Lagoon |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2023 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
410 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Ministry of Infrastructure, Maritime Office in Szczecin |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Completed |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
Strategic |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
Collaborative |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
Grants |
Name of the plan |
Maritime Spatial Plans for Kamieński Lagoon |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Underway |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Maritime Spatial Plans for Vistula Lagoon |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Underway |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Maritime Spatial Plans for port area waters |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Underway |
Plan approval
|
N/A |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Local |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Detailed plans for selected areas covered by the Maritime Spatial Plan of Polish Sea Areas in scale of 1:200 000 |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Underway |
Plan approval
|
N/A |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Local |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Ministry of Infrastructure |
Governmental funding |
Possible |
External funding |
EU operational programmes |
Public-private funding |
Not implemented |
Total size of planning area |
30 560 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
5 years |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
DIRECTIVE 2014/89/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Public displays of the plan projects, public hearings,consultation meetings (national including dedicated sectoral, international) |
Sectors included in planning |
All |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
Connected |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
Poland, while elaborating its MSP, followed the HELCOM-VASAB guiding principle of the spatial development of the sea areas (2012), where one of them is the so called ecosystem approach. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
Connected |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
The climate changes were considered in the Polish maritime spatial plans to some extent. Firstly – at the level of evidence-building and knowledge gaining the information on the climate changes and impacts were gathered and analyzed. As coastal protection is one of the state’s responsibilities, these activities were mainly focused on the sea level rise, and rise in storms’ frequency and strength. The sections of the Polish coast which were most exposed to erosion were indicated and the threats were described. Secondly – at the solutions level, the climate change mitigation goals were considered in specific plans. |
Plan approval process |
Maritime Offices are responsible for plan development. Ministry of Infrastructure is responsible for plan adaption in form of Regulation of Council of Ministers. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legally binding |
Plan review process |
Rules established in legislation: The Act on Sea Areasof Poland and Maritime Administration of March 21st 1991 |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
Rules established |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
3 international meetings + SEA within ESPOO Convention |
Legal framework
The main legal act is “The Act on Sea Areas of Poland and Maritime Administration of March 21st 1991” (Ustawa z dnia 21 marca 1991 r. o obszarach morskich Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej i administracji morskiej) . In order to implement the Directive 2014/89/EU, the Polish Parliament has adopted changes on The Act on Sea Areas of Poland and Maritime Administration of March 21st 1991, on 4th September 2015, regarding inter alia, MSP procedure in Poland. Regulations concerning maritime spatial planning are placed in Chapter 9: “Maritime spatial planning in maritime internal waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone”. This chapter describes the whole procedure, basis and principles of developing maritime spatial plans in Poland.
A maritime spatial plan is adopted by ordinance by the Council of Ministers. The drafts of the plans are prepared by the territorially competent Directors of Maritime Offices.
The supporting law is “Ministerial ordinance on required scope of MSPs in their textual and graphic parts” (Rozporządzenie Ministra Gospodarki Morskiej i Żeglugi Śródlądowej oraz Ministra Infrastruktury i Budownictwa z dnia 17 maja 2017 r. w sprawie wymaganego zakresu planów zagospodarowania przestrzennego morskich wód wewnętrznych, morza terytorialnego i wyłącznej strefy ekonomicznej) available in Polish at: http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20170001025
The ordinance specifies:
- MSP terminology
- Scope of the plans and necessary links between different planning regimes (NATURA 2000, terrestrial plans)
- Objects to be planned
- Textual and graphics requirements