On 2 February, the European Commission’s DG MARE, the Bulgarian CMA National Hub and the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism team took part in the Black Sea CONNECT Innovation Workshop to facilitate an interactive panel focusing on how the blue economy can be funded in the Black Sea. With over 240 online participants, the event emphasised the importance of blue economy activity clusters, from science to market, with examples of R&D success stories from across Europe and other maritime basins, as well as the advancement of the H2020 funded BRIDGE-BS (Advancing Black Sea Research and Innovation to Co-Develop Blue Growth within Resilient Ecosystems) and DOORS (Developing Optimal and Open Research Support for the Black Sea) projects supporting the Black Sea SRIA. You can explore the event recordings and the online exchanges on Twitter with the hashtag #BlackSeaInnov.
Stakeholder Survey On Data - DOORS Black Sea (08/02/2022)
The DOORS (Developing Optimal and Open Research Support) Black Sea project, funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme, is currently conducting a stakeholder survey.
Interactive Maritime Spatial Planning Maps For Romania and Bulgaria (08/02/2022)
The MARSPLAN BS-II project, which aims to support coherent, cross-sectoral Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) in Bulgaria and Romania has recently publised new interactive maps covering the two countries.
CMA Regional Stakeholders Conference 2021: outputs and content (08/02/2022)
2021 ended with the Annual Regional Stakeholders Conference for the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea. If you have not yet done so we invite you to explore the content, outputs and replay video of the event on our website.
Georgia 2022 CMA coordination (08/02/2022)
After Bulgaria and Turkey, Georgia is the third Black Sea CMA member country to take charge of CMA coordination. Inspired by its own specific blue economy priorities and challenges on issues such as maritime transport and tourism, Georgia has already been highly involved in pushing forward the CMA agenda and will organise on 23 February the next CMA Steering Group meeting. As always, the CMA National Hub stands ready to provide assistance and advice. As the head of the national hub, Natia Miminoshvili, has been the Head of Foreign Affairs at Georgia's Maritime Transport Department since 2014. Experienced in planning and implementing projects in the maritime sector, as well as fundraising and EU collaboration. She has represented Georgia's maritime sector on a variety of platforms and coordinated several forums and conferences.
Profile focus: Mamuka Berdzenishvili (11/02/2022)
In close liaison with Natia Miminoshvili, Mamuka Berdzenishvili is a member of the CMA National Hub. He supports the implementation of the CMA goals in Georgia by assisting the National Coordinator and local stakeholders. Over his 15-year experience in the tourism industry, he has held a number of prominent positions in the private sector (Lufthansa), as well as the public sector (Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajdara A.R.). He has also been involved in academic spheres (Caucasus University, Batumi State University) and tourism consultancy services (World Bank, EU). He is the founder and Executive Director of the Batumi-based Tourism Institute, a non-profit tourism-oriented R&D centre working on topics such as tourism legislation, digitalisation, big data and destination management.
CulTourE4Youth International Workshop. (16/02/2022)
The CulTourE4Youth project (Supporting Youth Entrepreneurship in Cultural Tourism for coastal communities) will host an International Workshop. Hosted by the Georgian CMA Coordination, the event will take place in Batumi. Mamuka BERDZENISHVILI, Georgian CMA National Hub who will host a session dedicated to Cultural Tourism.
European Maritime Day - EMD In My Country 2022 (19/05/2022)
From April 1st "EMD In My Country" events will start all over Europe. Continuing until 31 October, these events will take place in physical, virtual and hybrid formats. Last year, a record 2021 EMD In My Country events were held across 25 countries and all EU sea basins. As 2022 is the European Year of Youth, the organisers are notably looking for events focused on youth activities.
Success story: Cross-border cooperation for an aquaculture and fisheries products (08/02/2022)
The aquaculture sector is bursting with new and innovative ideas. But how do we ensure that this dynamism leads to tangible solutions being applied as widely as possible? The DACIAT project actively promoted the wide sharing of good practices across the Black Sea. Read more in our latest Black Sea Story.
New factsheet: Tourism in the Black Sea (08/02/2022)
Whether for diving, cultural heritage or gastronomy, the Black Sea region has a wealth of resources to ‘Build Back Better’ and develop a smart and sustainable tourism industry. Learn how with our latest factsheet.
Tourism 4.0: Potentials For The Black Sea (08/02/2022)
The International Center for Black Sea Studies has published a new paper entitled 'Exploiting Tourism 4.0 potentials for the Black Sea'.
Supporting multi-use of the sea with maritime spatial planning in Bulgaria (08/02/2022)
A recent research paper was published to highlight the impacts and benefits of multi-use of the sea with maritime spatial planning in Bulgaria. Read more about this highly relevant research for the CMA and all Black Sea stakeholders involved in the maritime economy.
Representing the Black Sea at EMD2022 (12/01/2022)
The 2022 edition of the European Maritime Day (EMD) will take place on 19-20 May. Seize this opportunity to bring EMD to your country and organise your own event, with EMD communication materials and coverage support. More details about the EMD2022 agenda, themes and national events are available on the official EMD website. It is open to all Common Maritime Agenda (CMA) countries, and the CMA National Hubs can help you in your submission. In 2021, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine organized dedicated events. Contact us for more information.
#BlackSeaAgenda2021 and National CMA Workshops of November 2021 (09/12/2021)
The Black Sea Common Maritime Agenda community has been especially active over the past few weeks. Alongside the hackathon-fuelled CMA Regional Stakeholders Conference, three national stakeholder events also took place in Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria. Don’t hesitate to explore the exchanges and knowledge shared during these events, as recordings, as well as all the outputs and related content from all four conferences are now available on the CMA website!
2021's Regional Stakeholders Conference for the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea #BlackSeaAgenda2021 took place on 22 November from 14:00 to 17:30 EET. With a high turnout from across the CMA countries, attendees participated in a varied afternoon of interactive and productive discussions.
Key to the event were three parallel hackathon sessions, each covering one of the CMA’s headline goals, which saw project concepts presented on topics as varied as marine protected areas networks, green/smart ports pilot initiatives and innovative blue economy business accelerators presented. The conference agenda and all relevant links and documents are available on the dedicated conference website below.
22.11.2021 Regional Stakeholder Conference for the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (19/11/2021)
The 2021 Regional Stakeholder Conference for the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea will take place on Monday 22 November from 14:00 to 17:30 EET. Registration, conference agenda and all relevant links and documents are available on the dedicated conference website. Join us online for this landmark event, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn with the hashtag #BlackSeaAgenda2021.
Reminder: “Greening the Maritime Transport and Preparedness for Marine Pollution Prevention in the Black Sea Region” | 11.11.2021 (25/10/2021)
The 2021 Turkish coordination of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea is organising a regional webinar on “Greening the Maritime Transport and Preparedness for Marine Pollution Prevention in the Black Sea Region” on November 11, 2021 (14.15 GMT+3). The event pursues the CMA goals and intends to support the definition of pathways for a green transformation of the maritime transport in the Black Sea by discussing green shipping technologies and R&D initiatives and exploring financing instruments for innovations towards green and sustainable shipping. It is also aimed at sharing knowledge and strengthening cooperation between the littoral countries of the Black Sea particularly on the prevention of pollution and preparedness for a common response in pollution in the Black Sea region.
#BEBlackSea workshop: material and recordings available online (13/10/2021)
🔹The 'Black Sea Blue Entrepreneurship Workshop: Follow-up on business ecosystem support' took place on 4 October under the Turkish coordination of the Common Maritime Agenda (CMA) for the Black Sea.
🔹All presentations, recordings and material of the event are available on our website.
🔹Save the date for next annual CMA regional stakeholders conference on November 22nd.
EMFAF: Two Calls for Projects for the Black Sea Region (01/01/2022)
Two new EMFAF Calls for Projects have been published for the Black Sea region. These two funding opportunities focus on (1) Innovation Capacity Building Pilots and (2) Maritime Spatial Planning.
1 - Boosting innovation and digitalisation in blue economy sectors. The selected pilot project(s) will contribute to the implementation of the European Green Deal objectives, the Digital Agenda and the EU Communication on Sustainable Blue Economy - Total available budget 1M€
2 - The objective of this call for proposals is to facilitate the implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the EU, including through the effective application of Directive 2014/89 establishing a framework for MSP - Total available budget 3.75M€ for all EU Seabasins.
2nd Blue Entrepreneurship Workshop ‘Follow-up on business ecosystem support’ (09/09/2021)
The next Blue Entrepreneurship Workshop will take place on 4 October (afternoon, exact starting time TBC) under the Turkish coordination of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea.
Continuing on from discussions at the May’s Regional Webinar on ‘R&I towards cultivating the potential for Blue Entrepreneurship’, October’s online event will be dedicated to ‘Follow-up on business ecosystem support’.
Maritime spatial planning in the Black Sea (06/09/2021)
Building on the first MARSPLAN-BS project which ended in 2018, MARSPLAN-BS II further developed maritime spatial plans and a common cross-border strategy between Romania and Bulgaria for the Mangalia-Shabla area. Read more about this project and MSP in the Black Sea with this new article published by EC Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
EMFF supports working conditions for fishers. (06/09/2021)
In Burgas, Bulgaria, this EU funded project improves working conditions as well as environmental protection of coastal communities. Read more below.
New strategic guidelines for EU aquaculture (08/09/2021)
The strategic guidelines for more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture provide a vision for the further development of aquaculture, contributing to the European Green Deal, the multi-use of maritime space and economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Blueing the Black Sea: open consultation (06/09/2021)
The GEF and World Bank Regional initiative Blueing the Black Sea is producing a series of diagnostics on the state of pollution in the BlackSea. Take part to this important initiative via an open consultation.
World Bank Interactive Story Map: Blue Growth in Bulgaria (06/09/2021)
A look back on this informative and interactive visualisation tool, highlighting bluegrowth hot spots of Bulgaria.
Blue opportunities in the Black Sea: New Euronews OCEAN episode (06/09/2021)
OCEAN is a Euronews magazine developed in collaboration with the EC DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, this episode explores the Black Sea, it's challenges and opportunities.
ESPON MSP peer learning workshop Romania (28/09/2021)
This ESPON Peer Learning Workshop (PLW) will focus on the green offshore energy potentials of the Black Sea and also on how these potentials could be best exploited in an economically and ecologically sustainable way.
Hack4Oceans (20/10/2021)
Hack4oceans is a 2-day Youth Innovation Event where participants from across Europe will learn, explore and co-create opportunities for prosperity through ocean conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
WhiteClam 2021: Black Sea Aquaculture Conference (18/10/2021)
A forum to discuss the latest developments in the research and assessment of the Black Sea shellfish resources.
Workshops: offshore platform safety and multi-use context (26/10/2021)
The H2020 project UNITED is organising a series of multi-use training workshops. This first workshop will focus on "Offshore Platform Operation, Safety and Logistics within the context of multi-use"
SEARICA webinar - MarineLitter in the Danube & BlackSea region: concrete proposals from the regions. (04/11/2021)
Co-organised by International Centre for Black Sea Studies, CPMR Balkan and Black Sea Commission and hosted by MEP Ms Carmen Avram and Searica_ITG Vice-Chair
First CEFEnergy call for 2021-2027 published (10/09/2021)
The first call under the CEF Energy programme 2021-2027 has been published, with €785 million made available for studies and works for Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) in the field of trans-European energy infrastructure.
LIFE calls proposals (10/09/2021)
Recently published LIFE Calls for proposals are open for nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, clean energy transition and operating grants.
