Coalition for the MOW

European Ocean Days 2026: Launch of the Coalition of cities, regions, islands and ports for Mission Ocean and Waters

Last week, the European Ocean Days 2026 (2–6 March) opened with a significant political endorsement from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who introduced OceanEye, the EU Ocean Observatory. Scheduled for rollout by year-end, OceanEye underscors underscored the Commission’s commitment to evidence-based ocean and water cycle protection. 

Also, the localised implementation of the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters was very central to the event, evidenced by the significant presence in the Programme of regional and local authorities as implementers, particularly through their involvement in 'Lighthouse' projects. 

This engagement culminated in the formal launch of the Coalition of cities, regions, islands, and ports for the Mission Ocean and Waters, a dedicated initiative designed to bring together European and other territories and stakeholders working to support the objectives of the Mission. 

Key messages 

Maria Cristina Russo (Director for Prosperity, DG RTD) emphasised that the Mission is entering a new phase of deployment. She noted that the next programming period, including the proposed Competitiveness Fund, will be vital for sustaining the Mission.

Markku Markkula (Vice-President of the Committee of the Regions) highlighted the need to address fragmented governance and secure long-term financing post-2027. He advocated for embedding the Missions into the EU’s broader competitiveness strategy to ensure political visibility and impact.

Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament) argued for a "Blue" mainstreaming approach, calling for the maritime budget to increase from 3% to 6% of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). He stressed that the Mission now "knows what to do," and efforts must shift toward adapting solutions for a total systemic transformation.

Closing the session, James Morrison (Director Healthy Planet, DG RTD) noted the transition from 'commitment to collective delivery'. He described the Coalition as a tool for building trust and local ownership, bridging the gap between European science and regional implementation.

Regions and the Mission Ocean and Waters

Panelists shared concrete examples of how the Mission Ocean and Waters are being deployed locally:

  • Smart Specialisation (S3) & Innovation: The Blekinge region (Sweden) has integrated Mission Ocean and Waters objectives into its S3 strategy, creating an innovation management system to turn pilots into transformative regional processes.
  • Cooperation Working Arrangements (CWA): Regions like Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna are using CWAs with DG RTD to align funding sources and actions on the ground to the Mission Ocean and Waters objectives.
  • Financial Support: Projects like TASC-RestoreMed, BlueActionAA, BlueActionBANOS and SoS2LearnDBS provide cascade funding for 'Transition Agendas' (grants up to €100k) and community-led actions (up to €1-2m, depending on the basin). These projects have funding opportunities open and some of them have imminent deadlines (16 March 2026). More information about these can be found here.

ERRIN's Blue Networking event

The day concluded with ERRIN’s Blue Networking event, hosted by Capucine Seguin (Région Sud) at ERRIN’s premises. The gathering provided a dedicated space to exchange on the day's highlights, including the Launch of the Coalition for the Mission Ocean and Waters, the Mission's Cooperation Working Arrangements and the practical integration of the Mission into Smart Specialisation Strategies. 

The event featured interventions from Wiebke Pankauke (Mission Ocean and Waters Secretariat), Maria Loloni and Annemie Wyckmans (CO-WATERS project) and Pirita Lindholm (ERRIN Director), who acknowledged the importance of regional collaboration in achieving the Mission's goals.

Looking ahead

More information regarding the various workshops and thematic sessions that took place during the European Ocean Days will follow in an upcoming news. In the meantime, we invite all local and regional authorities to take the next step in their blue transformation.

Join the Coalition of cities, regions, islands and port for the Mission Ocean and Waters: The Coalition, implemented by the CO-WATERS project, brings together public authorities and the wider ecosystem supporting them in their blue transition. Members gain access to structured services such as networking and peer learning, capacity building, stakeholder engagement tools, guidance on funding and implementation and assistance to obtain the Label in support of the Mission Ocean and Waters. 

Waterfront authorities located in the EU or Associated Countries are invited to join the Coalition at any stage of their journey. It only takes 5 minutes to fill out a simple form. More information can be found here.

 

ERRIN has played an instrumental role in the Coalition's foundation, leading the stakeholder mapping and strategic outreach to ensure a diverse and representative membership. Furthermore, ERRIN has supported the design of the Coalition Label methodology, incorporating input from members. In the coming months, ERRIN will focus on the continuous engagement of Coalition members and the operationalisation of thematic working groups, which will serve dynamic spaces for interaction and peer-to-peer exchange. We will ensure that ERRIN members are informed of all opportunities stemming from this initiative, including upcoming policy recommendations.

This work aligns with ERRIN’s ongoing engagement in the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, where the network has consistently highlighted the role of regions and contributed to implementation through its participation in the Mission Charter, the MIP Ocean Platform and other projects such as BlueActionBANOS. In this line, ERRIN is gathering good practices showcasing the Mission’s real impact in EU territories, with the aim of illustrating the value of regional engagement in the Mission Ocean and Waters. If there are such examples in your territory/ies, please send them to ana.nava@errin.eu or silvia.ghiretti@errin.eu.