The third and final Steering Group Meeting of the Common Maritime Agenda (CMA) for the Black Sea in 2024 took place online on 6 December, under Moldova’s coordination. This milestone meeting marked a year of substantial progress and brought together national coordinators from Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, and Ukraine and representatives from the European Commission (DG MARE). Black Sea Assistance Mechanism (BSAM) National Hubs and regional observers, such as Black Sea Commission (BSC), the World Bank, Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Programme, also participated. This meeting welcomed for the first time coordinators from the WestMED Initiative and Atlantic Strategy, underscoring strengthened synergies among the three EU sea basin strategies.
The meeting opened with a reflection on achievements under Moldova’s 2024 coordination, including advancements in sustainable aquaculture, stakeholder engagement, and enhanced awareness of available funding opportunities for blue economy projects. DG MARE anticipated the ongoing work on an EU Ocean Pact, highlighting opportunities for the Black Sea region to contribute to its implementation through sustainable practices and coastal community engagement. Moldova’s leadership was commended for fostering enhanced cooperation, including inter-basin dialogues and innovative project development.
Key updates on activities included a summary of the 2024 Black Sea CMA Annual Stakeholder Conference, which brought together over 100 regional stakeholders in Chisinau, in September, and resulted in actionable follow-ups. Additional activities of BSAM and the National Hubs highlighted the support for 26 project proposals— 7 of which have already received EU funding. Regional events strengthened ties with private sector stakeholders, and a unique focus was placed on funding opportunities. Updates from Black Sea countries underlined progress in implementing the CMA, and illustrated diverse priorities, including decarbonization initiatives, maritime spatial planning, infrastructure modernization, and the resilience of blue economy projects in challenging circumstances.
Increased cooperation with the Atlantic and WestMED sea basin strategies emerged as a key theme, with shared priorities such as biodiversity preservation, blue skills, and sustainable energy creating pathways for future joint actions. The SustAqua technical group presented its policy recommendations, while a new technical group, focused on sustainable tourism, was formally endorsed under the CMA.
As Moldova handed over coordination to Ukraine, the incoming priorities for 2025 include joint environmental monitoring, green port and maritime transport initiatives, and continued efforts under the SustAqua Technical Group. Stakeholder engagement will remain a priority, with a flexible approach to account for security considerations. The Black Sea countries welcomed the future Ukrainian coordination and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a sustainable and resilient blue economy in the Black Sea region.