The Ukrainian CMA Coordination hosted the second CMA Steering Group Meeting on 26 September 2025 in Brussels, bringing together representatives from the Black Sea countries and National Hubs, European Commission, the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism (BSAM), and other CMA observers.
Updates of recent initiatives from the European Commission
During the meeting, the European Commission presented the EU Ocean Pact, launched in June 2025, as a flagship initiative to bring together ocean-related policies across the EU, regional, and national levels, and supported by an EU Ocean Board and an Ocean Pact Dashboard to monitor progress. Furthermore, the Commission presented the EU Strategic Approach for the Black Sea Region, adopted in May 2025, with some of the flagships including the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, EU Military Mobility Corridors, a new Connectivity Agenda and targeted efforts for ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, and civil protection.
During the meeting, the CMA National Coordinators from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, and Türkiye reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing the region’s sustainable blue economy and strengthening cooperation in maritime security, environmental protection, and connectivity. They welcomed new EU initiatives as timely and aligned with the Common Maritime Agenda’s objectives, emphasising the Black Sea’s strategic role in ensuring regional stability, innovation, and prosperity.
Outcomes from MR-SBS Days 2025
Next, BSAM presented a brief recap of the Macro-Regional and Sea Basin Strategies (MR-SBS) Days 2025, which strengthened regional cooperation and alignment with EU priorities. Key themes included governance, visibility, engagement, and innovation. As a result, a joint roadmap is currently being developed, identifying short-term achievements and longer-term actions, which will be outlined in the next Steering Group meetings. All meeting participants broadly welcomed the expanded scope of this year’s MR-SBS Days and the efforts to support coordinated action in the Black Sea. Also, they welcomed the greater youth involvement, improved financing mechanisms for project development, and the creation of new technical groups to address regional issues and foster mutual learning.
Updates from CMA implemented activities
Then, the meeting continued with key updates from several CMA activities. The SustAqua Technical Group introduced the Black Sea Joint Aquaculture Monitoring Programme, designed to support sustainable aquaculture through coordinated environmental monitoring and policy guidance. The Technical Group on Coastal and Maritime Tourism reported progress on its action plan, including project development and regional cooperation, with a focus on sustainable tourism and underwater cultural heritage. Further highlights included outcomes from the Regional Roundtable on War-Related Pollution (June 2025), and Bulgaria’s efforts to promote underwater cultural heritage through the creation of the Black Sea Centre for Culture, Art, and Science.
Regional cooperation highlighted by CMA observers
Other regional actors shared key updates reinforcing Black Sea cooperation. The Black Sea Commission reported progress on marine litter and pollution initiatives and upcoming events. DG REGIO confirmed the continuation of Interreg funding in the next programming period. Interreg Next Black Sea Basin Managing Authority reported of the high interest for funding projects aligned with CMA priorities. CPMR and BSEC highlighted ongoing EU-funded projects updates and reaffirmed their commitment to CMA goals. The World Bank presented the Eco-Innovation Challenge to support environmental solutions, while GFCM reported continued efforts in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, with plans to collaborate on joint monitoring.
Conclusions and upcoming events
The meeting concluded with appreciation for continued cooperation among CMA countries despite the challenging geopolitical context, and a reaffirmed commitment to maintaining regional dialogue and face-to-face engagement. Final remarks also pointed to two upcoming key events: the Ministerial Meeting on the Black Sea region, scheduled for 20 October in Luxembourg, and the CMA Annual Stakeholder Conference on 28 October in Constanta, Romania, followed by the next CMA Steering Group meeting on 29 October.