Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 NM): 13 679 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 98 240 km²
Strategic documents related to MSP
- National Strategy for Integrated Maritime Policy
- National Policy Statement for Maritime Spatial Planning
Technical resources related to MSP
- N/A
Overview of MSP related maritime uses
Current main uses:
| Ammunition storage sites | Offshore renewable energy |
| Aquaculture | Oil and Gas |
| Cables and pipelines | Ports |
| Coastal protection | Scientific research |
| Desalination | Shipping |
| Fisheries | Tourism and leisure |
| Military | Underwater cultural heritage |
| Nature conservation |
Which marine spatial plans exist?
Name of the plan (year) |
Plan name to be defined |
|---|---|
Scale of the plan |
National |
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development
|
Status: Completed |
Plan completion
|
Status: Completed |
Plan approval
|
Status: Underway |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Shipping Deputy Ministry |
Governmental funding |
Shipping Deputy Ministry |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Size of planning area |
Marine waters of the Republic (Territorial sea and EEZ), approximately 112 000 km2 |
Time required to complete the planning document |
12 months |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Sustainable growth of the Republic’s maritime economy, sustainable growth in its marine waters and sustainable use of its marine resources |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
The Council of Ministers, by virtue of Regulations issued pursuant to Law 144(I)/2017, establishes means of public participation and consultation with all relevant stakeholders, authorities and the public concerned, at an early stage in the development and revision of the Maritime Spatial Plan |
Sectors included in planning |
All marine and maritime sectors |
Articulation between MSP and coastal zone management |
The outcome of coastal management shall be taken into account in the Maritime Spatial Plan by the competent institutions |
Articulation between MSP and marine protected areas |
Conservation needs and trends and compliance with existing protected areas are considered |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
N/A |
Plan approval process |
The Plan will be set up pursuant to the relevant provisions of Law 144(I)/2017 |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legally binding |
Plan review process |
The Maritime Spatial Plan is to be revised as the Council of Ministers may decide from time to time, at least every ten years |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
The Council of Ministers may make Regulations, published in the Official Gazette of the Republic, for the better implementation of the provisions of Law 144(I)/2017, including for the monitoring and evaluation of marine waters |
Legal framework
The MSP Bill transposing the Directive 2014/89/EU was approved by the House of Representatives of Cyprus on 29 September 2017 and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on 13 October 2017 as Law 114(I)/2017.
Law 114(I)/2017 was amended by Law 34(I)/2021 published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on 23 March 2021.
Furthermore, a set of subsidiary legislation, namely The Maritime Spatial Planning (General Provisions) Regulations of 2021 (P.I.132/2021) and The Maritime Spatial Planning (Public Consultations) Regulations of 2021 (P.I.133/2021) were published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on 26 March 2021.
Contact
Mr. Kyriacos Aliouris-Marine Surveyor A’
Mr. Nicolas Ioannou- Maritime Affairs Officer