Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial Sea (12 NM): approx. 4 500 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: Approximately 25 000 km²
Technical resources related to MSP
- MARSPLAN-BS II – GIS webapp
- Synthesis report on maritime uses
- Defining and analyzing existing conditions in the maritime space
- Defining and analyzing future conditions in the maritim espace
- Land-Sea Interactions
- Bulgarian and Romanian maritime areas detailed studies
- Eforie case study
- Sketch match from Sfântu Gheorghe case study
- Maritime Spatial Plan for the cross-border area Mangalia – Shabla
- Marine Spatial Planning in Romania: State of the art and evidence from stakeholders
- Report on the state of the Romanian marine and coastal environment
- Maritime spatial plan – GIS maps
- Territorial Observatory
Relevant MSP projects
- Cross-border Maritime Spatial Planning for Black Sea –Bulgaria and Romania (MARSPLAN-BS II) (2019-2021)
- TEAM4SEAS – Bridging the gaps: An innovative and operational participatory platform to connect science, stakeholders and policy for successful maritime spatial planning in Romania (2018-2020)
- ECOAST – New methodologies for an ecosystem approach to spatial and temporal management of fisheries and aquaculture in coastal areas (2016-2018)
- MARSEA – Development of an integrated framework for marine spatial planning in Romania (2016-2017)
- Cross-border Maritime Spatial Plan for the Black-Sea –Romania and Bulgaria (MARSPLAN – BS) (2015-2018)
- PEGASO – People for Ecosystem-based Governance in Assessing Sustainable Development of Ocean and Coast (2010-2014)
- PlanCoast – Tools and capacities for an effective integrated planning in coastal zones and maritime areas in the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea regions (2006-2008)
- MARSPLAN-BS
- MARSPLAN-BS II
Current state of MSP
Name of the plan |
Maritime spatial plan |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2023 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
30 000 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Maritime Spatial Planning Committee |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Underway |
Plan review
|
Underway |
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)
|
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)
|
Partial 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)
|
Government |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Maritime Spatial Planning Committee and the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration which provides the secretariat of the Committee |
Governmental funding |
Sectoral at the level of competent authorities responsible for implementing sectoral objectives. |
External funding |
Two projects to substantiate the MSP (MARSPLAN-BSand MARSPLAN-BS II) were funded by the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency |
Public-private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area |
30 000 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
Being the first MSP elaborated in Romania and deriving from the obligation to implement Directive 2014/89/EU, the transposition of the Directive, data collection, analysis of good practices, cooperation with counterpart authorities in Bulgaria, substantiation and development of the MSP, including its approval procedure, took approximately 8 years. |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Renewable energy; Nature protection; Resolving conflicts between uses |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
They were involved and consulted both during the implementation of the two MARSPLAN projects and during the MSP development period, during the environmental impact assessment period and in the procedure for adopting the regulatory act approving the MSP. |
Sectors included in planning |
Navigation and ports; Fishing; Maritime and coastal tourism; Military and restricted areas; Engineering infrastructure; Buried ammunition depots; Underwater cultural heritage; Mineral resource extraction; Renewable energy resources; Mariculture (marine aquaculture); Nature protection and conservation; Scientific research. |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
It is ensured through cooperation between the MSP Committee and the IZCM Committee. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
The MSP has identified and appropriately marked the marine protected areas and the long-term vision of the MSP is that the future uses of marine waters in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea will be developed sustainably through the synergies created at the level of sectoral policies and through the mobilization of the competent authorities and to the key players of the blue economy, so that the good ecological condition that supports resilience, competitiveness and inclusion is achieved. Thus, the status of the marine protected areas will be taken into account in the maritime planning process. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
The MSP contains objectives and measures regarding environmental protection and renewable energy. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
N/A |
Plan approval process |
The plan was approved by the MSP Committee, and subsequently by the Government Emergency Ordinance, approved by Law by the Parliament. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Approved by law. |
Plan review process |
The methodology for developing the Maritime spatial plan was approved by Government Decision. The adaptation of the maritime spatial planning process includes the following stages: a) reconsideration and revision of the maritime spatial plan according to the results of the evaluation reports; b) identification of applied research needs; c) initiation of the next stage of maritime spatial planning. The MSP is reviewed at least every 10 years. |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
The competent authorities prepare periodically, every three years from the date of entry into force of the MSP, the sectoral monitoring report, according to their areas of competence, including updated data related to the indicators provided in the MSP. |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
Cooperation with counterpart institutions in Bulgaria was ensured in the implementation of the two projectsMARSPLAN-BS and MARSPLAN-BS II. |
Legal framework
The MSP aims to implement the integrated maritime policy of the European Union, namely Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Directive establishes the legal framework for planning and organizing human activities in marine waters, with the aim of promoting a coordinated, integrated and cross-border decision-making process.At the national level, during the preparation stage of the planning process, a series of normative acts were developed and approved, which have the role of creating the methodological framework and establishing the institutional structure that underpin the development, implementation and monitoring of the MSP.
Thus, Government Ordinance no. 18/2016, approved with amendments and completions by Law no. 88/2017, with subsequent amendments, establishes the objectives of the MSP activity, the general framework for developing the MSP and for informing and consulting stakeholders, as well as cooperation with the Member States. The competent authorities with responsibilities in the development and monitoring of the implementation of the maritime spatial plan are also defined: the Maritime Spatial Planning Committee (with a coordinating role) and the institutions with responsibilities in the field of maritime spatial regulation, whose representatives are part of the Committee.
By Government Decision no. 406/2017, the Regulation on the organization and functioning of the Maritime Spatial Planning Committee was approved, amended by Government Decision no. 261/2022. Its role is to develop and monitor the implementation of the MSP, and its members are responsible for the implementation of the thematic sections on the activities, uses and areas within their area of competence.
Government Decision no. 436/2018 establishes the stages of the planning process and the content framework of the MSP.
Contact
Maritime Spatial Planning Committee and the Ministry of Development, Public Works (Administration provides the secretariat of the Committee)
Bogdan Ghinea – Adviser