The EU Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030' is entering a decisive new chapter. After several years focused on research, pilots and governance building, the Mission is now shifting toward scaling up solutions across Europe’s seas and river basins.

Four new basin-wide projects will drive this transition by supporting community-led initiatives and local transition agendas. With its new portfolio of basin projects and direct support for communities, the Mission is entering a deployment phase where local actors will shape Europe’s transition toward restored rivers, seas and oceans. From eliminating pollution to restoring ecosystems and building a circular blue economy, these new opportunities give regions, cities and communities the tools they need to lead the transformation.

ERRIN’s role: Mobilising cities, regions and islands

The Mission Ocean and Waters is a priority for ERRIN, since its early start. ERRIN supports its members for the development of transition pathways in the Mission Implementation Plan (MIP Ocean). Furthermore, ERRIN is a partner in the BlueActionBANOS project  and mobilising waterfront cities, regions and islands to join the Mission in CO-WATERS. By connecting local authorities with Mission partners, ERRIN helps build a powerful coalition capable of driving real change on the ground and helps local and regional stakeholders to access knowledge, support and funding.

Four basins – Four lighthouses for local change

Atlantic & Arctic Basin – BlueActionAA

This basin focuses on restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and strengthening resilience in polar and Atlantic waters. BlueActionAA has built an extensive network of stakeholders and tools that now enable local actors to deploy solutions on the ground.

Baltic & North Sea Basin – BlueActionBANOS

This region aims to build a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy while tackling pollution and restoring coastal and marine ecosystems. The new BlueActionBANOS project will directly fund community-driven pilots and local transition planning.

Mediterranean Basin – TASC-RestoreMed

The Mediterranean lighthouse targets pollution reduction (plastics, chemicals, nutrients, wastewater) and ecosystem restoration. It brings together governments, researchers, NGOs and coastal communities to prevent and eliminate pollution.

Danube River & Black Sea Basin – SoS2LearnDBS

SoS2LearnDBS focuses on restoring rivers, wetlands and biodiversity by improving the Danube–Black Sea continuum. Priority actions include sediment management, pollution reduction and reconnecting free-flowing rivers.

Community-led actions & transition agendas: A bottom-up transformation

This second phase of the Mission puts communities at the centre:

• Community-led actions: Local actors (cities, ports, islands, regions, NGOs, SMEs, citizen groups) can receive sizeable support to implement concrete restoration or clean-water solutions.
• Transition agendas: Regions can develop long-term strategies toward pollution reduction, ecosystem restoration or a sustainable blue economy.
• Capacity-building & support: Successful applicants receive mentoring, peer learning, policy guidance and technical assistance from the basin projects.

New cascade funding opportunities now open for all basins

The new basin projects have now launched new cascade funding calls, allowing small actors to access EU Mission support without a heavy administrative burden.

• For BlueActionAA, the call for transition agendas can be found here and the call for community-led action can be found here. The deadline is 29 May 2026.
• For BlueActionBANOS, the call for transition agendas can be found here and the call for community-led actions can be found here. The 2-step application deadlines are 16 March and 29 May 2026.
• For TASC-RestoreMed, the call for transition agendas can be found here and the call for community-led actions can be found here. The deadline is 27 May 2026.
• For SoS2LearnDBS, the call for community-led actions can be found here. The deadline is on 30 March 2026.

Each basin will launch its own cascade funding calls, ensuring balanced support across the EU. These calls open the door for smaller actors to test, scale or replicate innovative solutions.

BlueActionBANOS is a new ERRIN project, marking a new chapter in the EU’s Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030' by shifting from an initial phase of research and pilot projects to a second phase where focus is on upscaling solutions by supporting community-led initiatives and local transitions. This four-year project, in which ERRIN and several stakeholders located in ERRIN member regions are involved, puts communities at the heart of ocean and water restoration and is led by the Submariner Network. Beyond financial grants, the BlueActionBANOS project provides:

• Technical Assistance: Tailored guidance leveraging the expertise of our 19-partner consortium.

• Knowledge-Sharing: Access to best practices and advanced tools from the wider Mission Ocean ecosystem.
• Strategic Engagement: Resources to equip blue economy stakeholders to address complex environmental challenges at local, regional and national levels.

More information about this project can be found in this news article and more details about ERRIN's role on the project webpage. ERRIN members are encouraged to follow BlueActionBANOS on LinkedIn.