The main issue addressed by the MedCOAST. Net Project Proposal is the downgrading of urban coastal areas, which face problems such as environmental declining, accessibility and aesthetics. Through the project, which is implemented in selected urban coastal areas of the countries involved, an integrated and collective management system is been applied, aiming at the sustainable development of such areas.

The partnership was chosen with two criteria: in each country involved, a local authority of an urban Municipality will undertake the pilot demonstration actions, which will be implemented on specific urban coastal areas and an institution, such as a University with expertise on coastal management will undertake the planning and application of EMAS (Eco Management and Audit System) for the specific areas.

The project involves, as mentioned, pilot on the ground actions, which includes provision of access for all (including people with mobility needs), environmental repair and upgrading, aesthetics improvements, signing, information and interpretation facilities. Furthermore, Eco Management and Audit System is been applied with a common approach in each partner area.

During the first steps of the project, a common identification method has been applied, in order to identify and assess the specific problems that each of the urban coastal areas is facing, a process that helps in defining the specific content of the demonstration actions to be implemented. After the implementation of the pilot actions and the application of EMAS, an evaluation process takes place, based on a common methodology and through a consultation process with local authorities and public stakeholders.

The expected results of the project include amongst others the improvement of knowledge and raise of awareness of public stakeholders and agencies involved in the management of urban coastal areas, the utilization of available resources with sustainability and environmental protection, upgrading of the selected partner's urban coastal areas, production of deliverables such as a common methodology for the assessment of urban coastal areas' problems, a Best Practice Guide for EMAS Application in urban coastal areas and the establishment of a long-term and extended network of authorities and agencies for sustainable urban coastal zone management.

Another important issue has to do with the transferability of the methods used and the results, in order to be useful to other areas facing the same problems with their urban coastal zones. For this reason a publicity and dissemination strategy is been followed, including promotion material, audiovisual aids (CD, DVD etc), as well as a project website.