Take home messages General issues for public participation

Take home messages

General issues for public participation: • • Achieving MSFD goals depends on integration with a range of policy areas and processes • • Strengthen coordination with related “environmental” work and respective processes at regional sea level. • • Differences in timing, etc. mean the level of public participation is not always comparable across Member States. • • Ensuring stakeholders' “active involvement” can strengthen policy integration, development, support and implementation. • • Participation should take place early in the policy process • • Plans should account for MSFD schedules but also those of related processes & policies at national & regional sea level. • • Monitor and learn from what has been done to see where things might be improved in the next cycle or the next project.

Tools and methods • Specific mechanisms will depend on national • and/or thematic context. • Need to reach out to other sectors (e. g. media, private sector, academia, NGOs) to leverage their strengths in ensuring effective communication knowledge and technical assessments.

When setting up the public participation process: • Be clear about what the subject matter is and about who your audience is going to be • Know what must be done to comply with policy requirements and expectations of the public (not always the same thing) • Be aware of traditions for stakeholder engagement and public participation but consider new approaches • Tailor your approaches to different audiences; don't assume that 'one size' of consultation will fit all • Be inclusive in those approaches • Make an investment in human, financial and time resources • Provide reflections/feedback of/on the contributions you have received to the public. Show the public participation has influenced the process.

Specific issues for sea basin wide stakeholder consultation: • • Establish an agenda, a calendar and common ground for a common approach to participation which takes into account the EU, regional and national public consultation obligations. • • Identify the challenges of involving non-EU countries sharing a sea basin in public participation processes linked to implementing EU Directives. • • Consider language issues, e. g. which to use, need for translation and timing/costs involved. • • Can public participation at the level of a Sea Basin support/be supported by communication policies of RSCs? • • Consider different levels of participation: dedicated workshops, International Conferences or Coast Day celebrations help with gathering views and developing the dialogue at sea basin level

Specific issues for achieving Multi instrument, multi legislation public consultation • • Identify relations between different policy objectives and measures; link underlying planning processes and strengthen institutional cooperation where needed • • Workshops on common issues (e. g. issues and measures for coastal waters under the WFD and for marine areas under the MSFD) can strengthen links and ensure efficiency • • Information campaigns can also be linked together.

Next steps… • Share the results of the workshop in relevant groups and bodies: • . At home • . WFD, MSP • . Regional Seas Conventions • . Collection of best practices for a best practice document/guidance document