Editor: Cipriano Marin. Published by: UNESCO, INSULA, DGXI (European Commission). The coastal zones of Europe represent a great wealth. They are areas of natural beauty, ecological diversity and frequently also areas of cultural heritage. Properly managed, these assets can provide both environmental, social and economic benefits to the local people and to the population as a whole. However, many coastal areas are presently being threatened by unplanned and uncoordinated development: new uncontrolled infrastructure, rapidly increasing population, and change of the economic structure are contributing to the degradation of coastal zones across the continent. The practical cases and perspectives discussed in this publication illustrate the particular problems and challenges posed by the artificial wetlands in the countries of the E.U. and our near neighbours.