The Blue Flag is a voluntary and exclusive eco-label awarded in 2009 to more than 3450 beaches and marinas in 41 countries worldwide.
The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches and marinas through publicly awarding sites that meet strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services. A few of the issues covered in the criteria include cleanliness, provisions for waste and recycling, zoning of activities, and environmental education activities for a variety of people. The Programme has also recently started a voluntary scheme for private boat owners called the Individual Blue Flag, which boaters can fly if they have signed and agreed to follow an environmental code of conduct.
Since 1987 the number of beaches and marinas participating in the Programme has increased, despite toughening criteria. The criteria are updated as needed to keep abreast of new scientific findings, legislation, and generally to keep the campaign participants striving for ever better environmental quality.
The Blue Flag Programme outside Europe
The Programme started in 1987 in 10 European countries. Since then the number of awarded sites and number of participating countries in Europe have increased. Since 1997, several organisations and authorities outside Europe have expressed interests towards FEE in starting the Blue Flag Programme in non-European countries. FEE has been cooperating with UNEP and UNWTO on extending the Programme to areas outside Europe. The Blue Flag Programme is currently fully implemented in South Africa, Canada, New Zealand and in four countries in the Caribbean region. Aruba, Brazil and Chile are currently in the pilot phase of the Programme and interest has also been expressed by a number of other countries.
The Programme today
In 2009, 2808 beaches and 650 marinas were awarded the Blue Flag.
41 countries have fully implemented the Blue Flag Programme: Bahamas, Belgium-Flanders, Belgium-Wallonia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and Wales.
Aruba, Jordan, Sint Maarten, Turks & Caicos Islands, Ukraine are currently running the Programme in the pilot phase.
Programme Organisation
The national organisation in each country represents FEE and the Blue Flag Programme on the national level, following the common guidelines of FEE. The main responsibility of the national organisation is to interact with local communities and businesses.
The International Blue Flag Coordination is responsible for coordinating the programme activities on the international level, supporting new and existing member organisations, and the overall development of the Blue Flag Programme.
Please visit our website and find more information at: www.blueflag.org.
About Blue Flag
