Supporting European maritime policies through collaboration
On 23 May, Shom will host more than ten counterparts and DG Mare – Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission – at its headquarters in Brest, France, for a working session within the framework of the IHO-EU Network Working Group (IENWG) on the occasion of the European Maritime Days. The session aims to strengthen the Union's hydro-oceanographic capacities to support European maritime policies. This event offers a great opportunity to reflect on the achievements of this unique working group within the IHO.
Bringing together the hydrographic services of EU Member States and Commission directorates interested in maritime issues, the IENWG was created – a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 23 April 2012 – to exchange and to enrich European public policies through regular liaison between the European Commission and the IHO. The DG MARE is responsible for implementing this agreement.
Wide range of hydrography-related topics
The IENWG covers a wide range of topics, including maritime surveillance activities, offshore renewable energy, maritime spatial planning, integrated coastal zone management, hydrographic observations and data acquisition, data networks, implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), marine research and innovation, marine data standards and guidelines and cooperation with third countries.
Shom has played a significant role in the IENWG's creation and animation, having been elected by its peers as the coordinator and executive secretary of the IENWG. Corine Lochet, head of Shom's Europe division, stated that Shom continues to have a driving role in this adventure. In the context of the European Maritime Days 2023 in Brest, it is essential to highlight this hydrographic partnership.
For more information on the European Maritime Days in Brest, see here.
