● The project joined the European Commission’s two-day forum in Brussels to present its work, exchange perspectives and strengthen cooperation on marine governance, sustainability and emerging pollutants
ONE-BLUE participated in the EU Macro-Regional and Sea Basin Strategies Days 2026, held on 8 and 9 July at the Square Brussels Meeting Centre and co-organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). The event brought together the eight European macro-regional and sea basin strategies to exchange perspectives on territorial cooperation, maritime governance and emerging EU priorities. It also provided a space to discuss how these strategies can continue supporting coordination across borders, regions and policy areas in the post-2027 programming period.
Represented by the Finnova Foundation, ONE-BLUE took part in the event’s Networking Village, where it presented its work on emerging pollutants and the protection of European marine and coastal ecosystems.
The forum offered the project a valuable opportunity to identify common priorities and explore new possibilities for collaboration with representatives of European institutions, regional authorities and organisations working in sustainability and the blue economy.
During the two-day event, ONE-BLUE exchanged perspectives with several representatives working in maritime and regional policy, including Delilah Al Khudhairy, Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy at DG MARE; Tomislav Pinter, Policy Analyst for Smart and
Sustainable Growth at DG REGIO; and Christos Economou, Deputy Head of Unit at DG MARE, among others. These exchanges helped reinforce the connection between scientific research, European policy and regional action, while expanding ONE-BLUE’s network of stakeholders committed to healthier, more resilient and sustainable European seas.
Participation in this forum represents another step in ONE-BLUE’s efforts to promote cooperation and support more coordinated responses to the challenges posed by emerging contaminants in marine ecosystems.
