taking into account the Council conclusions on the implementation of EU macro-regional strategies, it is time to create and develop a macro-regional strategy for the Atlantic area, with a specific budgetary and implementation framework geared to its current situation and potential;
supports the development of the "Atlantic rail motorway" and of rail port connections, and calls for those Atlantic ports which are strategically important to structure the European transport network but which are currently outside the TEN-T core network to be included in it;
the maritime nature of the macro-region should be complemented by innovation potential derived from the areas of smart specialisation common to the Atlantic regions: renewable marine energy is a sector where the Atlantic regions have huge potential and practical experience;
considers that a specific economic and budgetary instrument should be developed for the Atlantic strategy, to facilitate its implementation and the roll-out of its linked actions in a more attractive way. Greater impact if there is a specific call for support for cross-border projects within a dedicated budgetary framework for the Atlantic maritime strategy. In view of the increase in the number of financial instruments available, invites the European Commission to organise, potentially together with the European Committee of the Regions, information campaigns for local and regional authorities on best practices for accessing and deploying those financial instruments;
suggests combining pillars 1 and 2 to form a single pillar entitled "Blue economy activities as drivers for sustainable development of coastal areas", and developing five goals within that pillar: Ports as catalysts for the regional blue economy ecosystem; Ports as innovation hubs for incorporating technological solutions; Improving activities in mature sectors (fisheries, transport and maritime logistics, etc.) and bringing them into line with the Sustainable Development Goals; promoting activities in emerging blue growth sectors and, in particular, renewable marine energies; and Digitalisation of blue economy activities.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
considers that taking into account the Council conclusions on the implementation of EU macro-regional strategies, it is time to create and develop a macro-regional strategy for the Atlantic area, with a specific budgetary and implementation framework geared to its current situation and potential;
supports the development of the "Atlantic rail motorway" and of rail port connections, and calls for those Atlantic ports which are strategically important to structure the European transport network but which are currently outside the TEN-T core network to be included in it;
the maritime nature of the macro-region should be complemented by innovation potential derived from the areas of smart specialisation common to the Atlantic regions: renewable marine energy is a sector where the Atlantic regions have huge potential and practical experience;
considers that a specific economic and budgetary instrument should be developed for the Atlantic strategy, to facilitate its implementation and the roll-out of its linked actions in a more attractive way. Stresses the possibility of greater impact if there is a specific call for support for cross-border projects within a dedicated budgetary framework for the Atlantic maritime strategy. In view of the increase in the number of financial instruments available, invites the European Commission to organise, potentially together with the European Committee of the Regions, information campaigns for local and regional authorities on best practices for accessing and deploying those financial instruments;
suggests combining pillars 1 and 2 to form a single pillar entitled "Blue economy activities as drivers for sustainable development of coastal areas", and developing five goals within that pillar: Ports as catalysts for the regional blue economy ecosystem; Ports as innovation hubs for incorporating technological solutions; Improving activities in mature sectors (fisheries, transport and maritime logistics, etc.) and bringing them into line with the Sustainable Development Goals; promoting activities in emerging blue growth sectors and, in particular, renewable marine energies; and Digitalisation of blue economy activities.