On 8 May 2024, the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea, in collaboration with the European Commission, held the event “Navigating Funding Opportunities in the Black Sea Blue Economy.” The event featured various funding opportunities for stakeholders in the Black Sea, under the coordination of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) and the Moldovan Ministry of Environment (Black Sea Common Maritime Agenda Coordinator for 2024).
During the session, the Managing Authority of the Black Sea Basin Operational Programme presented the second call for proposals under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme. This programme, with a proposal submission deadline of 28 June 2024, serves as the primary funding source for implementing the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea, offering significant opportunities for blue economy stakeholders in the region.
The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) introduced other funding opportunities under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), which among others follows a sea basin approach and fosters cross-border cooperation.
Moreover, the European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) presented additional funding opportunities like HORIZON EUROPE, the EU Mission Restore Our Oceans and Waters, and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership’s second joint transnational call.
The first session of the event gathered perspectives and questions from over 80 participants and a satisfaction survey indicated that more than 90% of attendees would like to participate in similar events in the future.
The second session consisted of bilateral targeted meetings where potential future applicants presented project ideas relevant to various blue economy topics in the Black Sea region, such as education and training programs, support for maritime innovation clusters, sustainable tourism strategies and more. The Black Sea Assistance Mechanism team and the National Hubs actively participated, providing advice and guidance on how to align project ideas with the goals of the Common Maritime Agenda and facilitating connections among stakeholders to promote collaboration and innovation in the Black Sea. This session had eight parallel meetings, where productive discussions took place to advance the objectives of the Black Sea blue economy sector.
This new format was well received by the dedicated stakeholders, and more than 30 requests for bilateral meetings were submitted. Although only eight could be addressed during these sessions, the rest will be followed up by the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism, through their project support work.
To close the event, the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism coordinator reminded participants about the Black Sea Stakeholder Conference 2024, which will be held in person in Chisinau, Moldova, on 11-12 September 2024.
Stay tuned for further news and information, and let’s keep building a sustainable blue economy in the Black Sea region.