Blue Flag

Blue Flag Programme

What is a blue flag?

International Blue Flag Programme

617 Greek beaches, 18 marinas and 6 tourist boats have won the international “Blue Flag” quality award for 2023 – Greece is 2nd in the world The “Blue Flag” is a symbol of quality, which is awarded according to strict criteria to organized beaches and marinas managed by coastal municipalities, hoteliers and other entities or to boats that meet the relevant criteria.

The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF) has been the national operator of the “Blue Flag” programme in Greece since 1992.

The voluntary “BLUE FLAG” project was first piloted in France in 1985, but its actual launch was on 5 June 1987, International Environment Day, when it was presented to the Council of Europe and the European Union as a “prototype Environmental Action for beaches with a large number of bathers”.

Today, 52 countries from almost every continent participate in this voluntary programme. The founder and internationally responsible operator of the programme is the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

Evaluators from the HEPF and Fee (Foundation for Environmental Education) inspect the beaches and point out any problems and omissions

Who is responsible at the international level and in Greece

The internationally responsible operator of the Programme, Fee (Foundation for Environmental Education), in cooperation with the Coordinators of its member countries, periodically revises the award criteria, making their application more and more stringent, with the aim of improving the conditions of the beaches, marinas and boats awarded. In Greece, the operator of the programme is the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature. The Blue Flag programme is under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism.

For analyses of bathing water

The competent body for the implementation of the “Swimming Beach Water Quality Monitoring Programme” NSRF is the Ministry of Environment & Energy, General Secretariat for Natural Environment & Waters (formerly E.G.Y.).

Criteria

What are the criteria for the award of the Blue Flag?

The criteria are grouped into four categories as follows:

environmental education and information
bathing water quality
environmental management
Safety, lifesaving, first aid, services and facilities

Environmental education and information (criteria 1-6)

Information on the coastal ecosystem and the sensitive natural environment of the coastal area.
Continuous information to the public on the quality of bathing water.
Information about the International Blue Flag Programme on the notice board on the coast.
Printed information and posted guidelines for the coast. Code of Conduct
Activities that actively promote the protection of the natural environment of the coast

Bathing water quality ( criteria 7-11)

Quality of bathing water, confirmed by random measurements

Sampling shall be carried out by independent persons, duly authorised and properly trained, and analyses shall be carried out in accredited laboratories.

No discharge of industrial waste water to the coast
Urban wastewater treatment, as required by the European Directive of the EU

Environmental Management ( criteria 12-26)

Land use plan and environmental management
Periodic cleaning of the coast from rubbish, cigarette butts, etc.
Adequate rubbish bins, which are regularly emptied
Facilities for recyclable materials ( special bins for paper, plastics and aluminium )
Adequate sanitary facilities, with a controlled drainage system
Ban on driving vehicles and mopeds on the coast
Prohibition of free camping
Surveillance of pets on the coast
Maintenance of buildings and equipment on the coast

Safety, lifesaving, first aid, services and facilities (Criteria 27-33)

Trained lifeguards – or immediate access to telephone – life-saving equipment and first aid
Plans to deal with a pollution accident, with immediate information to the public
Safe passage to the coast and care for people with disabilities

More Information

A) What is a busy coast?

A busy coast is considered to be a coast which receives at least three hundred (300) bathers per day, during peak periods, for a length
of coastline of one (1) kilometre.

According to the Decree 71/2020 Government Gazette 166/A/2020: Lifeguard training schools, licensing, lifeguard, mandatory hiring of
lifeguard in organized or unorganized beaches. Regarding the protection of human health and physical integrity
the Municipality of Korinthia has only one busy beach, the beach “Kalamia” and all other beaches have been classified as non-populated beaches.

What does this mean for the Municipality?
Since the Kalamia coast is a busy coast, according to the Coast Guard and the Blue Flag, the Municipality must have the following equipment on the
coast:
1. 3 towers with 4 lifeguards. Each lifeguard to control an area of shoreline within two hundred (200) feet on either side of the tower
2. The lifeguard equipment as described in Article 73.
3. A 5-meter boat with the lifeguard equipment as described in Article 7, with one lifeguard and one boat operator
4. One a 3.3 m long boat for each lifeguard etc. with a licence and comparable markings
5. The City shall have a 5 meter boat with signs and medical supplies to supervise all City shores with a lifeguard and boat operator
6. Have a water moped, at least two meters and seventy-five (2.75) inches in overall length, with a horsepower of at least
eighty (80) horsepower
7. Buoys 100 metres from the shore and buoys for the lifeguard boats for the entry and exit of small boats

B) The Municipality according to the Blue Flag program among others
criteria, must have safe passages to the coast and care for
people with disabilities.

The Municipality of Corinth has services for People with Special Needs in each Municipal Unit with an awarded coastline, such as:

Parking for disabled, WC for disabled, special corridor from the beginning of the coast to the sea and amphibious wheelchair.

C) Equipment on unfrequented beaches
Unfrequented beaches – beaches that do not receive at least three hundred (300) bathers daily, during peak periods, for
a coastline length of one (1) kilometre – do not need to have a lifeguard. The “Blue Flag” program for each shoreline requires that all
criteria be met and that instead of a lifeguard, life jackets and first aid supplies be available for bathers.

Please do not leave litter on the coast, do not make graffiti on the notice boards and in the changing rooms.
Make sure not to waste too much water because unfortunately water is getting scarce !
The beaches are checked by inspectors of the program and if a criterion is not met the Blue Flag is removed from the mast.
We always take care of a clean environment in our Municipality!