International Blue Flag Jury meeting, April 2009

(15.5.2009)

The International Blue Flag Jury had its annual meeting on 23 April 2009 to decide on Blue Flag candidates from Europe, Morocco, Tunisia and Canada

For the first time the Blue Flag was awarded to beaches in Malta and Belgium-Wallonia. Belgium-Wallonia was also the first country in Blue Flag history to receive the Blue Flag without going through the pilot phase.  More detailed information about the 2009 awards will be published on the Blue Flag website www.blueflag.org on June 5, 2009.

Every year, the International Blue Flag Coordination conducts a detailed evaluation of selected Blue Flag sites, focusing each time on a slightly different set of spot-check criteria, which is then presented to the International Blue Flag Jury.

This year, selected Blue Flag marina candidates were evaluated in detail to ensure compliance with the criteria concerning the hazardous waste facilities in the marina, the presence of a map indicating all required facilities and environmental education activities. Selected beach candidates were evaluated in detail to ensure the posting of information concerning the presence of a map indicating all required facilities, environmental education activities and compliance with the water quality criterion regarding limit values and sampling frequency. Also evaluated this year was the presence of the common information board, the composition of the national juries, the outcome of control visits in 2008 and the planning of control visits for 2009. The Jury also re-evaluated dispensations cases from 2008, complaints from 2008 and special dispensation cases for 2009.

At the next International Jury meeting in September 2009, the outcome of the evaluation of Blue Flag candidate beaches and marinas from South Africa, the countries of the Caribbean, Brazil and New Zealand will be presented.

The International Jury is composed of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Lifesaving Federation (ILS), European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), an Environmental Education expert, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA), European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The Blue Flag highly appreciates the good cooperation with our sponsors and is pleased to announce the new collaboration with Corona Extra – Save the Beach campaign (www.coronasavethebeach.org/). The campaign is focusing on endangered beaches and the Blue Flag is looking forward to a fruitful alliance.

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FEE - Foundation for Environmental Education is a network of national non-governmental and non-profit organisations representing 58 countries worldwide that are promoting environmental education. Each national member organisation is responsible for undertaking the FEE programmes (Blue Flag, Eco-Schools, Young Reporters for the Environment, Learning about Forests and Green Key) on the national level. More information about FEE and the FEE programmes can be found at www.feeinternational.org.