Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 NM zone): 213,2 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: N/A
Strategic documents related to MSP
- N/A
Technical resources related to MSP
Relevant MSP projects
- Click here for a list of national practices
- Development of the Process and Procedures for Integrated Maritime Spatial Planning
- Cartographic and Geo-information Support for Maritime Spatial Planning
- ESPON project “MSP-LSI – Maritime spatial planning and land-sea interactions
- Project ADRIPLAN
- Project SUPREME (SUporting maritime spatial Planning in the Eastern Mediterranean)
- Project SHAPE, Pilot project – Strunjan Landscape Park
Overview of MSP related maritime uses
Current main uses:
| Mining | Shipping |
| Ports | Nature conservation |
| Fisheries | Aquaculture |
| Military | Urban development |
| Coastal protection | Ammunition storage sites |
| Cables and pipelines | Tourism and leisure |
| Underwater cultural heritage | Oil and gas |
| Scientific research |
Which marine spatial plans exist?
Name of the plan (year) |
Pomorski prostorski načrt Slovenije (Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia) (2021) |
|---|---|
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: Completed |
Plan implementation |
Status: Underway |
Plan review |
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning – Spatial Planning, Construction and Housing Directorate |
Governmental funding |
Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning – Spatial Planning, Construction and Housing Directorate |
External funding |
Status: N/A |
Public-private funding |
Status: N/A |
Size of planning area |
|
Time required to complete the planning document |
Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia was adopted by the government on July 15, 2021. |
Main issued that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning was coordinating the preparation of Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia. Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia has been adopted by the government of Republic of Slovenia. |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
The vision of future development should be oriented towards ensuring the conditions for the coexistence of all present actors and cooperation of stakeholders in reconciling the interests in the enlargement of existing and placement of new activities.
The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning was coordinating the preparation of Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia. The process also included broad consultation involving stakeholders from the national (ministries and national public institutions) and local levels. In the process are participating also coastal local municipalities, the relevant economic actors of different sectors and business support organizations, universities and research institutions and NGOs (civil organizations). |
Sectors included in planning |
In the process of the preparation of Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia were included all sectors responsible for maritime activities and uses determined with Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management. |
Articulation between MSP and coastal zone management |
Slovenia does not have a specific legislation for its coastal zone and coastal management. Coastal zone is planned (on national and municipal level) on the basis of national (terrestrial) spatial planning legislation. The only relevant act in this respect is the Spatial Planning Act adopted in 2017 and its amendment, adopted in 2021. According the Spatial Planning Act and Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management the guidelines for coastal management will be included in the Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia. |
Articulation between MSP and marine protected areas |
Protection of coastal and marine habitats and species is also highly important in Slovenia; also considering the ecosystem service they provide to support some of the economic activities, as specifically coastal tourism and fisheries. Slovenia is investing a significant effort to combine sustainable development with coastal and marine protection. 12 Natura 2000 marine sites (9 SCI and 3 SPA) are defined in Slovenia, accounting for 10.74 km2 protected area at sea (European Environmental Agency, 2013 – Natura 2000 Barometer).
Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia will be judged in accordance with the SEA directive. In the procedure for comprehensive environmental impact assessment, the effects of the plan will be evaluated on the basis of the environmental report. The procedure is conducted by the ministry, responsible for the environment. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
– In the Slovenian territorial sea, a number of activities are carried out which in spite of the diversity of their programmes are already largely coordinated with each other; – Visible disparities are evident between the fishing activities and maritime transport (particularly in the area of traffic separation scheme), protection and development interests in the coastal zone (nature, tourism, transport, interests of local communities) and between specific seasonal nautical and tourism activities in the coastal zone (swimmers, navigation, anchoring); – The Port of Koper is among the largest “space users” due to its anchorage area and different impacts on the environment. Large cargo ships sail to the northern Italian ports of Trieste and Monfalcone through the Slovenian sea. Future technological and business growth of the ports in the Northern Adriatic will lead to the expansion of maritime traffic and the resulting increase in the environmental impacts. – There is a significant lack of space in the field of aquaculture, since all breeding fields at Debeli rtič, Strunjan and Seča are fully occupied; – The interstate memorandum on traffic separation scheme is the most notable regulatory regime, which area covers approx. 50% of the entire Slovenian sea and presents an evident limitation for other activities and uses (fishing, sports, etc.); – Research of the underwater cultural heritage is clearly insufficient. According to the official records of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, there are 38 sites registered, but there are another 52 that have not been investigated and properly secured. Underwater heritage is subjected to intense damage and destruction due to the shallowness of the Gulf of Trieste, large ships with deep drafts, frequent anchoring and bottom fishing; – In the field of energy products (oil, gas and other energy sources) no activities and interests were identified. Because of limited spatial possibilities, a wide range of users already present in the area and the potential possibilities, this industry is hardly feasible and it is environmentally questionable; – Among all recorded activities (and the related uses of marine land), there are many historically linked to the marine environment; therefore, their presence in the area has a wider social significance (saltpans, shellfish farms, local harbours – culture, identity, tradition, tourism, etc.). In the MSP preparation, it will be essential to ensure the conditions for their long existence and qualitative development. – Identification of the areas (interests of local communities) that can be governed and planned by local communities. It would be reasonable to determine the areas and modalities of spatial intervention in the coastal zone, where the local communities could independently intervene both in the coastal and marine areas. It is appropriate that the local communities can independently start the process of spatial documents preparation for the agreed locations and types of interventions (as defined in the legislation), and join in the preparation of River Basin Management Plans. |
Plan approval process |
Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia was adopted by the government on July 15, 2021. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia is according the Spatial Planning Act the Action Programme for the implementation of the Slovenian Spatial Development Strategy at sea. It will be a concrete maritime plan; it will set goals and guidelines for all maritime activities and uses at the sea and in the coastal zone. In the hierarchy of spatial documents, the MSP is regarded as an action programme for the implementation of the Spatial Development Strategy of Slovenia at sea and as such, it is superior to implementation plans at national and regional/local levels |
Plan review process |
The Maritime spatial plan has to be checked in terms of compliance with the facts and needs of the area at least every ten years. |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
The Maritime spatial plan has to be checked in terms of compliance with the facts and needs of the area at least every ten years |
Legal framework
The Spatial Planning Acts adopted in 2017 and in 2021 (ZUreP-2 and ZUREP-3) require the MSP plan to be prepared in the form of the Action Programme for the implementation of the Slovenian Spatial Development Strategy at sea. This latter is a strategic document, which applies to both land and sea.
In the hierarchy of spatial documents, the MSP is regarded as an action programme for the implementation of the Spatial Development Strategy of Slovenia at sea and as such, it is superior to implementation plans at national and regional/local levels.
Maritime spatial plan of Slovenia will be a concrete maritime plan; it will set goals and guidelines for all maritime activities and uses at the sea and in the coastal zone.
Contact
Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning
Spatial Planning, Construction and Housing Directorate
Lenča Humerca Šolar – Head of Division