Throughout the week, a series of events will be organized to discuss and shape future EU policies and initiatives on oceans and water, including the EU Mission « Restore Our Oceans and Waters, » the European Ocean Pact, and the European Water Resilience Strategy. Bringing together diverse stakeholders and communities, including youth, research, innovation, and universities, regions, cities, ports, and islands, as well as the BlueInvest and European Blue Parks communities, the week will highlight collective action for ocean and water health and discuss Europe’s blue future.
Monday, March 3 Preparing the Ground with Young Voices for the Ocean (Location: Sparks)
The European Ocean Days will open with an inspiring and thought-provoking session setting the tone for the week, featuring an interactive dialogue between young ocean advocates and the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans. Recognizing that the future of our ocean largely rests in the hands of the next generation, it is essential to listen to and reflect on young people’s perspectives in the policy-making process. Throughout the day, various panels will be organized to promote youth participation and ensure the voices, views, and needs of young people and youth organizations are considered when defining the Ocean Pact.
Mission Ocean and Water Projects Meeting (Location: Charlemagne, Morning)
This clustering and networking event will bring together projects funded under the Ocean and Water mission and other relevant EU projects contributing to the mission’s goals, including those within the related partnerships.
Waves of Collaboration – Matchmaking for the Ocean and Water Restoration Mission by 2030 (Location: Charlemagne, Afternoon)
The Mission matchmaking event will promote collaboration and connect various stakeholders and communities of the Mission, including Charter actions, projects, research and innovation, businesses, and investors.
Tuesday, March 4 Progress in Action: Forum on the Mission « Restore Our Oceans and Waters » (Location: Charlemagne)
The third annual forum of the EU Mission « Restore Our Oceans and Waters » will take stock of progress and key achievements, mobilize governments and stakeholders around key mission outcomes, and discuss the needs and strategic steps required to achieve the mission’s goals by 2030. The event will showcase innovative, concrete solutions developed within the Mission, contribute to its objectives, discuss how key stakeholders, such as regions, local authorities, the private sector, and citizens, are engaged in the Mission’s implementation, and explore how different funding streams are mobilized to scale up and deploy solutions to meet the Mission’s goals. The event will be an opportunity to discuss the Mission’s strategic direction in the coming years and the steps required for scaling, replicating, and deploying innovative solutions developed by the Mission. It will also serve as a platform to explore how the mission can actively contribute to future EU priorities, including the Ocean Pact.
Wednesday, March 5 Fishing and Ocean Dialogues (Location: Charlemagne/Morning)
The dialogues (held at Charlemagne) will bring together a wide range of stakeholders from the fishing, aquaculture, maritime, and blue economy sectors. The event aims to foster collaborative discussions, share ideas, and develop actionable strategies in preparation for the Ocean Pact. The dialogues will focus on the three main goals of the Ocean Pact: (1) promoting a healthy and productive ocean through the implementation of relevant EU legislation and supporting the EU’s international ocean governance agenda, (2) boosting a competitive, resilient, and sustainable EU blue economy, including fisheries, and (3) strengthening, simplifying, and expanding the EU’s marine knowledge framework.
Blue Invest Day (Location: Sparks, Afternoon)
In the afternoon, Blue Invest Day (organized over two days and held at Sparks) will present the best of innovation, investment, and sustainability in the blue economy. Participants will have the opportunity to attend targeted small group sessions, such as sector-specific workshops and a networking session.
Meeting with the Mission Communities – Regions, Cities, Ports, and Islands (Location: Charlemagne, Afternoon)
This event will bring together representatives from key Mission communities, such as regions, cities, ports, and islands, showcasing local initiatives, the Mission’s targeted support, and discussing ways to strengthen cooperation to empower stakeholders to implement on-the-ground actions to restore the ocean and waters.
Thursday, March 6 Ocean and Water Mission for River and Water Resilience (Location: Charlemagne)
The event will address innovative solutions proposed by the Mission and research and innovation from source to sea. It will showcase research and innovation solutions to restore rivers, lakes, and coastal waters and strengthen water resilience for communities across Europe.
Investing in a Blue Future (Location: Sparks)
BlueInvest will focus on successful and high-potential investment initiatives, emphasizing their impact on sustainability and transformative potential. By providing a dynamic platform for existing and potential BlueInvest community members to converge, the event aims to catalyze investment and innovation initiatives within the blue economy, promoting sustainability and transformative impact across all sectors. Participants will have the opportunity to dive deep with keynote speeches, panels, pitch sessions, and high-level networking opportunities.
4th European Blue Parks Community Workshop (Location: Charlemagne, Afternoon)
This event will bring together the European Blue Parks community (EU Member State authorities, MPAs managers, practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders) to collaborate on marine protection and restoration while contributing to the effective management of Marine Protected Areas. The community directly supports the Ocean and Water Mission’s overall goal of “protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity,” particularly by protecting 30% and strictly protecting 10% of the EU’s marine areas by 2030.
Ocean and Water Mission Roundtable with Universities (Location: Charlemagne, Afternoon)
This meeting will bring together universities and research and education communities engaged in the mission to share best practices and discuss opportunities for developing EU transdisciplinary study programs and exchanges on ocean and water education and skills.
Friday, March 7 Knowledge is Power (Location: Sparks)
The preparation of the Ocean Pact requires a solid knowledge base, and Day 5 will focus on this crucial need by bringing together marine data and observations from across Europe, as well as fisheries experts to discuss the latest advancements and challenges. The morning session, Marine Knowledge for the Ocean Pact, will highlight the crucial role of all components of its value chain: ocean observation, data, research, models and forecasts, assessments and scenario analysis, delivering these results in various forms, including applications within the European Digital Twin Ocean, and citizen science. In the afternoon, the Fisheries and Ocean Science Seminar will provide a dialogue platform on current and future scientific challenges and offer a networking opportunity for all stakeholders to reflect on the state of scientific advice and fisheries research, as well as upcoming challenges. This, in turn, will feed into DG MARE’s internal reflections to shape future policies or adjust current policies, making them more relevant ahead of the next Commission mandate. Day 5 sessions will cover a range of important topics relevant to the new Commission’s political priorities, particularly the Ocean Pact.
