Slovenia traditionally marks Mediterranean Coast Day as part of the Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week, organised with the support of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR) Facility Point for Pillar 3 – Environment, based in Izola.
The three-day programme brought together stakeholders to discuss EU Cohesion Policy and macro-regional strategies, cross-border cooperation, EU enlargement, and the IPA ADRION financial instrument, with a focus on strengthening cooperation on environmental quality in the Adriatic-Ionian region.
PAP/RAC contributed to the final day of the programme, dedicated to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). Discussions focused on how IPA ADRION-funded projects can support EUSAIR Pillar 3 priorities, including marine and coastal environments, terrestrial biodiversity, ICZM/MSP, and pollution reduction.
Together with the UNEP/MAP Focal Point for Slovenia, Mr M. Bricelj, PAP/RAC presented a concept note on applying a Source-to-Sea approach to ICZM/MSP. The proposed methodology aims to strengthen synergies and integrated management across interconnected marine, coastal, terrestrial and river-basin ecosystems in the Adriatic-Ionian region, where different policy frameworks and legal instruments intersect.
The working groups also discussed ways to improve the alignment of future IPA ADRION funding with policy priorities and territorial needs, while strengthening the uptake of project results within the EUSAIR framework.
A dedicated side event featured presentations on the Medigreen project and the MSP Community of Practice. PAP/RAC is an active partner in Medigreen, which focuses on advancing MSP in the Mediterranean.