Working Group Leaders
Representatives of Brussels-based offices leading the work of Blue Growth Working Group.
Blue Economy
The Working Group focuses on the blue economy, covering research, innovation and policy initiatives in marine, maritime and water systems with the intention to support members´ activities within these fields. Sustainability, economic development, climate adaptation and digital challenges related to the ocean, seas and water sectors are key issues for the Working Group. The group aims to foster participation in European funding programmes and initiatives and to build partnerships between members.
ERRIN Contact
Future Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings
Project Development Session: Natural Resources and Adaptation Cluster
The Bioeconomy and Blue Economy Working Groups and the Climate Adaptation Task Force are hosting a project development session on the Horizon Europe Cluster 6, Mission Soil, Mission Adaptation,
Blue economy WG: The Water Resilience Strategy
According to the European Environmental Agency’s recent reports, water is one of the biggest threats for Europe. Countries are already experiencing drought, water scarcity and increasingly severe
Science & Education for Society WG Meeting: Towards a Union of Skills: what can regions expect?
After concluding the Year of Skills in April 2024, the European Commission announced the Union of Skills as one of the new initiatives for its first 100 days. This initiative aims to address Europe’s
Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings
Regional Innovation Valleys: lessons learned and next calls
This joint Policy and Smart Specialisation Working Group meeting will focus on two upcoming calls for proposals on ‘Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys’
Update of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy - Bioeconomy WG meeting
ERRIN’s Bioeconomy Working Group is organising an in-person meeting on 14 March 2025 from 9:30 to 12:00 to discuss the upcoming update of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and its implications for European
ERRIN’S Blue Economy Get Together
Set sail for new connections at our Blue Economy networking event! ERRIN’s Blue Economy Working Group is delighted to invite you for an evening of networking to mark the opening of the European
WG Related Events
Blue economy WG: The Competitiveness in Europe’s Maritime Industry
This event shall look into the potential of a sustainable blue economy to contribute to growth and jobs in the EU. It will discuss which sectors will be particularly crucial to ensure the EU’s competitiveness (from maritime transport to offshore energy and blue biotechnology), how innovation (such as advanced materials or AI) will be changing the sector and how this development can be supported at EU level.
Blue economy WG: Revitalising our seas and waters: how to address nutrient run-offs?
Nutrient runoff from terrestrial and agricultural grounds poses a severe threat to aquatic ecosystems all over Europe. This meeting will provide a brief overview of the challenges, dive into how to approach the issues through policies like the Nature Restoration Law and present number of regional examples which will explore innovative approaches and practical measures to tackle this issue.
Save the date: European Research and Innovation Days 2025
Save the date for the European Research & Innovation (R&I) Days 2025, taking place 16-19 September in Brussels. The European Commission’s flagship research and innovation event will bring together policymakers, researchers, business leaders and innovation experts to discuss how research and innovation drive Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability and industrial leadership.
Science & Education for Society WG Meeting: Towards a Union of Skills: what can regions expect?
After concluding the Year of Skills in April 2024, the European Commission launced the Union of Skills as one of the new initiatives for its first 100 days. This meeting will inform the membership about the key aspects of the Union of Skills. Additionally, the event aims to provide insights into the regional dimension in this initiative and the reorientation for the skills funding that is envisaged.
Blue economy WG: The Water Resilience Strategy
The European Commission will propose a new European Water Resilience Strategy to ensure sources are effectively managed, scarcity is addressed, that the competitiveness of water industry and a circular economy approach are fostered. The Blue Economy Working Group offers to organise an event that will cover this initiative of the EC Work Programme.
Save the date: EU Green Week 2025 will feature the next CCRI Conference
The 2025 edition of the EU Green Week will be all about the circular economy and will be dedicated to Circular solutions for a competitive Europe. Save the date for the next CCRI conference, which will be featured by the EU Green Week, on Thursday 5 June 2025.
WG Documents
ERRIN Year in review 2022
The ERRIN Year in review 2022 is out! Read the report to see the numerous activities ERRIN and its members have been involved in throughout the year.
ERRIN input to the Ocean and Waters Mission Implementation Charter
The Blue Economy Working Group has prepared an input to the Ocean and Waters Mission Implementation Charter, which has been submitted to the Mission Secretariat.
ERRIN input paper on a future EU Algae Strategy
ERRIN's input paper on a potential EU Algae Strategy, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of such a strategy at a regional and local level.
ERRIN input to the future EU Algae Strategy - Draft
A drafting group has prepared a first version of the ERRIN input to the future EU Algae Strategy.
Blue Bioeconomy Forum - Roadmap for the blue bioeconomy
The Blue Bioeconomy Forum was set up in 2018 as a platform for entrepreneurs, researchers, government officials and other stakeholder to further develop the blue bioeconomy.
WG Related Content
Partnerships and ideas taking shape at ERRIN’s Regional Innovation Valleys matchmaking event
On 10 April 2025, the ERRIN Policy and Smart Specialisation (S3) Working Groups organised a matchmaking event in anticipation of the two upcoming Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs) calls under Horizon Europe to support members to prepare for applying. The event brought together over 50 regional and local stakeholders, offering a valuable platform for experience sharing, exploring proposal ideas and early-stage matchmaking.
Blue Economy WG: Call for a new leader
The Blue Economy Working Group is looking for a new co-leader to join Saara Nuotio-Coulon (Region of Turku-Southwest Finland), Aki Ishiwa (Emilia-Romagna Region), Pernille Juhl Dagø (Region of South Denmark) and Martin Broberg (Småland Blekinge Halland South Sweden) in steering the Working Group’s activities and priorities.
Deadline extended for the Pathways2Resilience expression of interest
The Pathways2Resilience project has launched its second Expression of Interest. It is an opportunity for regions and communities to benefit from a range of support services and capacity-building activities designed to enhance their capacity to implement transformative climate adaptation actions and formulate their strategic adaptation instruments. The deadline has been extended to 2 May at 18:00 CET.
New funding opportunity for sustainable blue economy research projects
The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership has launched its second transnational call to fund research and innovation projects aimed at a sustainable and resilient blue economy. With a budget of €40 million, this call covers four strategic priorities and involves 26 countries. The deadline for pre-proposals is 10 April.
The European Commission launches public consultation on upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy
On 31 March, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy. The bioeconomy strategy, due for adoption by the end of 2025, will aim to offer solutions for a circular and climate neutral economy, boosting the EU’s prosperity and competitiveness. The call for evidence is open until 23 June 2025.
ERRIN Paper Series: ‘Towards a better framework for a stronger role of regional and local ecosystems in the European Partnerships'
ERRIN is pleased to present its latest position paper on European Partnerships. This is the fourth publication in ERRIN's Towards the 10th Framework Programme paper series, providing analysis and recommendations to strengthen the role of regional and local R&I ecosystems in European Partnerships.
Latest Updates
- By Gianpiero Petruzziello
The European Commission launches public consultation on upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy
On 31 March, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy. The bioeconomy strategy, due for adoption by the end of 2025, will aim to offer solutions for a circular and climate neutral economy, boosting the EU’s prosperity and competitiveness. The call for evidence is open until 23 June 2025.
- By Maria Bostrom
ERRIN Paper Series: ‘Towards a better framework for a stronger role of regional and local ecosystems in the European Partnerships'
ERRIN is pleased to present its latest position paper on European Partnerships. This is the fourth publication in ERRIN's Towards the 10th Framework Programme paper series, providing analysis and recommendations to strengthen the role of regional and local R&I ecosystems in European Partnerships.
- By Huyen Vu
Marine pollution’s impact on ecosystem functions and services
ZEUSS - Central EU Service Saxony is looking for partners to address the nexus of plastic and plastic related pollution and the impact on marine ecosystem functions and services. They may also find partners who have dealt with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), POPs (persistent organic pollutants) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) under the Destination ZeroPollution since 2021.
- By Sindre Langaas
Seeking coordinator/consortium HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-07: Reducing pollution from the food and drink industries (IA)
NIVA, together with the representative of a food industry and a local municipality, is looking for potential consortium to join/build. The industry partner is an eager representative of the chicken production/processing sector, who is forward-thinking and at the same time has issues with wastewater management which could be utilized as a test site to determine BAT that the call requires.
- By Carole Esclapez
European regions meeting “Towards soil health”
The regional chamber of agriculture of Pays de la Loire, the municipality Angers Loire Metropole and the regional competitiveness cluster Vegepolys Valley, partners of the Mission Soil HuMUS project, are organising the in person event 'European regions meeting Towards soil health' on 18 March in Brussels. The invitation is open to all interested ERRIN members, particularly to Northern and Eastern regions, to have a good geographical distribution.
- By Silvia Ghiretti
Clean Industrial Deal: A new European roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation
On 26 February, the European Commission launched the Clean Industrial Deal, a major initiative aimed at strengthening European industry by combining climate action with competitiveness. This ambitious roadmap addresses critical challenges such as high energy costs, global competition and the need for industrial decarbonisation, setting out a clear trajectory for sustainable and resilient production across Europe.