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
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
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. Excessive amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen flowing into water bodies lead to
Blue economy WG: The Competitiveness in Europe’s Maritime Industry
The next years the EU’s agenda will be all about competitiveness. One crucial sector which hasn’t been mentioned enough yet will be the blue economy. Therefore, this event shall look into the
Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings
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
ERRIN Natural Resources and Adaptation Cluster kick-off meeting
ERRIN Natural Resources and Adaptation Cluster is organising its kick-off meeting on 3 February from 14:30 to 17:00 (with networking drinks afterwards). This informal and interactive meeting will
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.
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.
Info Days: EU Missions calls 2025
The European Commission will host online Info Days on 22–23 May 2025 to present the 2025 calls for proposals under the EU Missions Work Programme of Horizon Europe.
Horizon Europe Info Days - Cluster 6 calls 2025
The European Commission will host an online Info Day on 20–21 May 2025 to present the 2025 calls for proposals under the topics included in the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment.
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
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.
Horizon Europe Info Days 2025
The European Commission announced the dates of the upcoming Horizon Europe Info Days about the 2025 call for proposals. The Horizon Europe info days give prospective applicants and other stakeholders of EU research and innovation the opportunity to get information and ask questions about the main funding instruments ans processes of Horizon Europe.
European Commission launches the Union of Skills
Skills shortages and gaps are hindering EU competitiveness. Many people are falling behind as job requirements evolve, while businesses struggle to find people with the right skills and qualifications. To address these challenges, the European Commission launched the Union of Skills. This new initiative will deliver a new approach, combining education, training and employment policies with a common vision of competitiveness. ERRIN invites its members to the forthcoming meeting of the Science and Education for Society (SEFS) Working Group taking place on 2 April, which is dedicated to the…
New call for cities and regions working on circular economy to join the CCRI Communities of Practice
Cities and regions across Europe are invited to apply for the new call of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) to join the CCRI Community of Practice. Four dedicated communities will be set up to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between cities and region on the topis of urban planning for the circular economy, municipal waste companies for circular cities and regions, supporting local circular businesses and reducing consumption-based emissions. The deadline for application is 28 March 18:00 CET.
Pathways2Resilience launches 2nd Expression of Interest
Pathways2Resilience will open a new call for applications in 2025, where regions can receive support for developing a climate adaptation strategy, including technical support and sub-grants of up to €210,000. Express your interest now to access key resources and maximise your chances of selection. Deadline: 18 April 2025.
Call for expression of interest: 6 EU Regions to partner with North American Regions for industrial transition
The European Commission's Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), invites EU regions to participate in an innovative project aimed at enhancing regional development policy for industrial transition. This is an opportunity for regions to exchange best practices, tackle shared challenges, and build long-term transatlantic partnerships. Apply before 21 March.
Latest Updates
- By Astrid Hannes
EIB Call for applications Circular City Centre: free advisory programmes for cities
The Circular City Centre (C3) Programmes of the European Investment Bank (EIB) offer free support to cities that want to progress in their circular transition, helping cities to prepare circular projects and improve their access to financing. Currently there is a call for applications open until 28 February. Interested applicants can attend an online Q&A session taking place on 19 February.
- By Astrid Hannes
The CCRI map: 142 European frontrunning cities and regions in circular economy
The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) has launched its CCRI Map, a new interactive map that plots all CCRI beneficiaries across Europe. The map allows users to explore the growing CCRI community of 142 cities and regions by zooming into a map of Europe, allowing to identify interesting peers and seek collaborations opportunities.
- By Astrid Hannes
Connecting circular cities and regions through CCRI’s Communities of Practice
The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) has extended its office, expanding its support activities available to European cities and regions. With the aim of encouraging peer learning and networking, bringing together city and region practitioners, the CCRI will launch a call for a new CCRI Communities of Practice in February.
- By Astrid Hannes
The CCRI Compass is out
Aiming to point cities, regions and the stakeholders from their regional innovation ecosystems in the right direction, the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative has now launched the CCRI Compass, designed to support the circular economy journey of local and regional authorities by visualising the CCRI’s expansive support into three areas: knowledge, exchange and support.
- By Ewa Chomicz
The Competitiveness Compass for the EU is out
On 29 January the European Commission presented the Competitiveness Compass, the first major initiative of this mandate providing a strategic framework to steer the Commission's work. The Compass is composed of three transformational imperatives - innovation, decarbonisation and security - to boost competitiveness, and five horizontal enablers necessary to underpin competitiveness across all sectors.
- By Maria Bostrom
A joint call for stronger political leadership of the EU Missions
ERRIN, alongside Eurocities, ICLEI Europe, Energy Cities and Resilient Cities Network, has sent a joint letter to Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, urging her to take political ownership of the EU Missions as part of her leadership on Europe’s Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.