The 17th meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Platform on Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) took place on 19-20 of February 2025 at Palau Reial, the UfM headquarters in Barcelona, bringing together experts and observers from across the Mediterranean to pave the way for the implementation of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on SBE and its Roadmap. As part of ongoing efforts to foster innovation and sustainability in the Mediterranean region, the Interreg Euro-MED Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission actively contributed to the meeting.
The meeting served as a key moment to assess the progress of the UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy, particularly in relation to synergies with the WestMed Initiative and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR). Discussions focused on policy coordination, funding opportunities, and the practical implementation of blue economy projects across the region. Country representatives provided an update on the latest developments on initiatives and strategies in their countries, while relevant stakeholders in this field provided their advancements and opportunities for collaboration.
In the session on funding opportunities and stakeholder engagement, representatives of the ISE Mission, Mr. Francesco Camonita (CPMR-IMC Project & Policy Officer for Dialogue4Innovation) and Ms. Mercè Boy Roura (BETA/UVIC, Lead Coordinator of the Community4Innovation project) presented the latest developments and opportunities linked to the ISE Mission and the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters”. Their interventions highlighted available financial mechanisms and collaborative frameworks that support regional innovation and sustainability initiatives. ISE mission was presented in terms of objectives, results and recent progress in the Mediterranean innovation ecosystems of the Blue Economy priority. In particular, Ms. Mercè Boy Roura introduced the Thematic projects of the Marine Resources cluster: 2B-BLUE, BLUE ECOSYSTEM, AZA4ICE and SPOWIND. The discussion emphasized the importance of knowledge-sharing hubs, digital platforms, and demonstration sites, which are crucial for accelerating sustainable economic transitions in coastal and maritime regions.
To know more about the Thematic projects, click here
She then outlined some of the concrete ways in which the ISE Governance projects are helping to advance cooperation in this area in the region: the ISEC Hub and the Mentoring and Twinning programmes. The first is an opportunity to keep abreast of blue and green growth issues, exchange information and build knowledge. The second provides the occasion to capitalise on or replicate successful practices across the Mediterranean. As part of this activity, a pilot phase is currently underway with 4 participants from Palestine, Lebanon and Greece.
Mr. Francesco Camonita also took the opportunity to present the latest developments of other projects related to the Blue Economy and the priority of the fight against marine litter and water pollution, in particular in the context of the EU Mission’s BlueMissionMed project and the Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Mission.
The ISE Mission remains committed to promoting cross-sectoral cooperation and supporting Mediterranean regions in their transition towards innovative and sustainable Green & Blue Economies, while ensuring that innovation plays a key role in addressing regional challenges.
