Protection of Europe's coastal areas

Recommendation 627 (1971)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 21 January 1971 (22nd Sitting) (see Doc. 2901, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities). Text adopted by the Assembly on 21 January 1971 (22nd Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having noted the report submitted by its Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities on the protection of Europe's coastal areas (Doc. 2901) ;

2. Having noted also the declaration on tourism adopted at the close of the Brest Symposium of peripheral European regions and municipalities (May 1970), which stresses the dangers threatening the beauty of the coastline and the tourist industry ;

3. Confirming the conclusion reached by the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning, held in Bonn, in September 1970, which stated in its final resolution that "economic development and preservation of the environment are two complementary aspects of a single aspiration", and sharing its view that regional planning may make an important contribution to providing or preserving an adequate environment ;

4. Considering that the protection of coastal areas, which is a factor of major importance in the protection of the environment, must be placed in the context of the systematic and rational development of the whole of Europe's coastline by the judicious use of land for the most appropriate purposes (industrial or urban areas, recreation zones, protected zones) as a condition of real economic and social progress in these peripheral regions which often have poor amenities ;

5. Stressing the need to include individual development operations in a coherent development plan drawn up in advance jointly by local, regional and national authorities ;

6. Confirming, in this respect, the major role of regional authorities in drawing up such development plans, placed as they are between the local authorities whom they consult and the central authority which issues the general directives and outline laws ;

7. Maintaining that the coasts are the common heritage of all Europeans,

8. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers include in the Intergovernmental Work Programme a study on the means of protecting coastal areas by a regional development policy which takes account of the principles set out in this recommendation.