MARITIME SPATIAL PLANNING POLICY IN FRANCE
The French government deals with maritime spatial planning on a two-layer basis.
In order to guarantee the good environmental status (GES) of the marine environment while enabling the economic and social development of the sea and coastline, France has a national strategy for the sea and the coast. The second version of this strategy was adopted by decree on June 10, 2024 and for six years. It is the reference framework for public policies concerning the sea and the coast.
At a local level, the maritime spatial planning documents known as "documents stratégiques de façade" are the territorial declination of this national strategy.
France has chosen to implement two European framework directives through theses plans:
• Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56 of June 17, 2008) that aims at maintaining or achieving good environmental status in of the marine environment. Accordingly, member states are required to draw up marine strategies, to be reviewed every six years.
• The Maritime Spatial Planning framework directive (Directive 2014/89 of July 23, 2014), which establishes a framework for maritime planning and requires member states to ensure coordination of the various activities at sea.
PROCESS AND STRUCTURE OF MARITIME SPATIAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS
MSP documents are established for the four metropolitan maritime regions: Eastern Channel North Sea, North Atlantic Western Channel, South Atlantic and Mediterranean. MSP documents also exist for overseas regions.
The preparation and implementation of these documents are carried out under the authority of the coordinating prefects, the maritime prefect and the prefect of region. At national level, the MSP process is steered by the ministries responsible for the sea, the environment and energy.
From a formal point of view, the Environment Code (articles R219-1-7 to R219- 1-14) stipulates that these documents comprise four parts:
• the existing situation, that includes a diagnosis of the state of the environment and uses of the sea, the challenges and a vision for the future (part 1);
• the definition of strategic objectives from an economic, social and environmental point of view, and associated indicators; these are accompanied by vocation map that defines coherent zones within maritime areas with regard to the general challenges and targets assigned to them (part 2);
• procedures assessing the implementation of the MSP document (part 3);
• the action plan (part 4).
Parts 1 and 2 of the MSP document constitute the strategic section.
The updating of the strategic section started with a procedure of a public debate, organized between November 2023 and April 2024, merged with the process for offshore wind planning. The French National Commission for Public Debate organized various events (public meetings, workshops, various initiatives, visits, mobile debates). An online participatory platform was also set up, attracting more than 1,000 textual contributions (for all mainland sea basins combined).
The minutes and balance sheet of the public debate, published by the National Commission on June 26, 2024, summarized the public's contributions and included requests for clarification and recommendations to the project owner (the French government and French TSO).
Following the public debate, the ministerial decision of October 17, 2024 acknowledged:
the continuation of the process on the updating of the strategic sections of the maritime spatial planning documents
The mapping of priority maritime and terrestrial areas for offshore wind power,
Priority sectors for the development of high protected areas
Project owners' also published an extended report on the lessons learned from the public debate.
The decision includes two mappings for each maritime area concerning offshore wind:
A map of priority maritime and terrestrial zones for development over the next ten years ;
A map with a 2050 horizon.
The documents you will find below includes the briefs of the strategic environmental assessments for the 4 maritime regions and the ministerial decision, including OWF and highly protected areas maps.
NEXT STEPS
Between May and August 2025, various authorities will be consulted under the Environment Code (R.219-1-10), as well as french population (via an electronic participation) and neighbouring countries, in particular under the ESPOO Convention and the aforementioned directives.
All the feedback gathered during these various consultations will be processed to ensure the best possible development of the maritime spatial documents, which should be adopted in autumn 2025.
Tender procedures for the installation of new offshore wind farms should be launched in 2025 for 8 to 10 GW in 2025 (AO10).
Documents to consult:
Presentation of the videoconference on 18 June concerning the French MSP process
Strategic environmental assessment Summary - Eastern Channel North Sea
Strategic environmental assessment Summary - North Atlantic Western Channel
Strategic environmental assessment Summary - South Atlantic
Strategic environmental assessment Summary - Mediterranean
Annexes of the ministerial decision
Decision of October 17, 2024 (French version)
Maritime spatial planning documents (french version) :
Eastern Channel North Sea region
Le questionnaire est fermé et vous ne pouvez pas y répondre.
Partager