Overview   Policy

IMDIS 2026 will take place in Split, Croatia, from 30 November to 3 December 2026, organised by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOF) in collaboration with SeaDataNet AISBL, IFREMER, MARIS, NOC and INGV, many of whom are long-standing EMODnet partners. The conference will bring together experts from across the marine data community to showcase advances in data infrastructures, interoperable systems, tools and platforms, and the transformation of marine data into knowledge and decision-support products.

The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB) 2026 will take place from 17–20 November 2026 in Bruges, Belgium, with organisation led by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). This flagship global event will gather scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore the latest research, innovations, and solutions for marine biodiversity observations, data, conservation and sustainable ocean management. The Call for Abstracts is open until 17 March 2026 (23:59 CET), and registration is now available via the WCMB 2026 registration portal, with early-bird rates valid until 18 June 2026. Find all submission details and updates on the WCMB 2026 website.

The call for abstracts for the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026 (WCMB 2026) is now open until 17 March 2026. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers are invited to submit abstracts across the conference themes, including a dedicated EMODnet session focused on “Science that makes a difference: supporting knowledge-based policies.” This session will explore how marine knowledge and data can better inform policy and decision-making processes. Find out more and submit an abstract: Call for abstracts: https://www.wcmb2026.org/call-abstracts
EMODnet session: https://www.wcmb2026.org/6-science-makes-difference-supporting-knowledge-based-policiesTitle: EGI Conference 2026: Advancing Digital Infrastructure for Science and Innovation

Recommendations from the conference Riding the Wave: Advancing the EU Ocean Pact through Science, Innovation and Cooperation held in May 2026, during which Kate Larkin, Head of the EMODnet Secretariat, contributed to the session From Ocean Knowledge to Policy Impact: Implementing the EU Ocean Pact through Science, Data and Innovation, have been published in Zenodo.

On 10 July 2026, EMODnet participated in the Water4All Workshop on ‘Data Sharing in the European Water Sector’ in Brussels, which brought together stakeholders to explore practical solutions to data-sharing challenges across the water domain. Discussions covered topics including data governance, national data portals, standardisation, and the development of a digital water society. EMODnet highlighted its role in supporting EU digital, climate and water policy objectives through the provision of open, free and FAIR in situ data and data products, demonstrating how marine data infrastructures can help address key data bottlenecks and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.

On 23 April, the European Commission launched a public consultation to help shape the European Ocean Act, following an earlier call for evidence in January 2026. Open until 16 July, this questionnaire invites stakeholders to share their views, including those from public authorities and administrations, experts, citizens, and coastal communities. Find out more

On 23 April, the European Commission launched a public consultation to help shape the European Ocean Act, following an earlier call for evidence in January 2026. Open until 16 July, this questionnaire invites stakeholders to share their views, including those from public authorities and administrations, experts, citizens, and coastal communities. This is the latest in a series of EC calls for evidence and consultations related to the Ocean Pact, OceanEye, and Ocean Act.

The European MSP Week 2026 will take place in Brussels, Belgium, from 1-5 June 2026, bringing together projects and initiatives from across Europe dedicated to Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). Organised with contributions from EU-funded projects, the week will feature a range of events, including the first Great North Sea Basin Initiative Stakeholder Conference, fostering exchange and collaboration across the MSP community.

EMODnet's focal role in European Maritime Spatial Planning will be presented at the 2nd European Maritime Spatial Planning Week (1–5 June, Brussels). This includes EMODnet's role as the mandated EU digital ocean platform hosting national MSP plans as open, interoperable geospatial data layers across all regional sea-basins. EMODnet will host a dedicated exhibition booth from 1–3 June, as well as a workshop on the fitness-for-use of EMODnet for MSP on 2 June, organised in the framework of the Northern European Sea Basins project (NESBp).

EMODnet Seabed Habitats joined the international marine benthic habitat mapping community at GEOHAB 2026 (11–14 May, University of Malta, Valletta), presenting a poster on how EMODnet Seabed Habitats products have been developed to inform EU and international policy. The event brought together leading experts in geophysics and habitat mapping, providing a valuable opportunity to showcase EMODnet's contribution to evidence-based marine management at global scale.

EMODnet joined OBIS and other biodiversity data services, monitoring programmes and stakeholders including BIODIVERSA+ between 4-7 May for BioMonWeek 2026. The event took place in Montpelier, France, and included sessions on Essential Biodiversity Variables and wider Ocean Variables, and cross-domain dialogues between freshwater, terrestrial, coastal and marine biodiversity knowledge to support policy implementation, among other applications. EMODnet was also featured in a knowledge transfer session organised by the European project MARCO-BOLO.

EMODnet experts were on the ground in force at the EGU 2026 General Assembly in Vienna (3–8 May), with presentations spanning Geology, Chemistry, Bathymetry thematics and with experts from EMODnet’s Central Portal and Secretariat also showcasing EMODnet’s latest contributions to the EDITO booth showcasing the capabilities of Europe's Digital Twin Ocean.

In 2025, as part of EMODnet Seabed Habitats Phase 5, an updated version of the Seabed Habitats flagship product EUSeaMap was published. Since 2023, this has extended to the Caribbean Region. Progress on the CaribbeanSeaMap has been constrained by access to data and limited stakeholder engagement, affecting data discovery and integration. To address this, EMODnet Seabed Habitats delivered a workshop in Anguilla (22–24 April 2026) bringing together researchers, regional authorities and international organisations, to advance collaboration in seabed mapping. The event highlighted ongoing EMODnet activities, showcased regional initiatives, and enabled knowledge exchange, with strong engagement during discussions on marine spatial planning and governance. Continued workshops are planned in future phases to support further development of EMODnet activities in the region.

The European Digital Twin Ocean was showcased at European Maritime Day (EMD) on 21-22 May 2026 in Cyprus, where EMODnet Secretariat (Seascape Belgium) and Central Portal host and Biology thematic lead (VLIZ) joined Mercator Ocean International in presenting an exhibition booth of the integrated EU digital ocean data service offer. This followed the success of EDITO's presence at EGU in April 2026.

Within the framework of the UNESCO initiative ‘Global Ocean Oxygen Database and ATlas (GO2DAT)’, EMODnet Chemistry best practices, available in the UNESCO repository EMODnet Chemistry Community Practices, were used to produce the paper Ocean oxygen data: how to measure, how to manage? by Garçon et al. The paper itself represents best practice and serves as an inventory of the most important best practices for building the UNESCO Global System of Ocean Oxygen Data. Since 2019, participants in GO2DAT, including EMODnet Chemistry, have coordinated the implementation of the System, which aims to federate ocean oxygen data sources and ensure harmonised access, discovery, and processing capabilities.

On 18–19 March 2026, the EMODnet Technical Working Group (TWG) held its 19th meeting online, alongside the inaugural meeting of the EMODnet Task Force. Thematic coordinators presented the latest updates from their respective thematic areas, with agenda items including updates on the EMODnet Map Viewer, OGC Service Monitoring, progress monitoring, and metadata developments. The first meeting of the newly established EMODnet Task Force also took place during this session, marking an important step in the evolving governance structure of EMODnet.

The minutes and presentations of the 19th EMODnet TWG and 1st Task Force meeting are published on the EC Maritime Forum.

May 2026 marked an impactful month for EMODnet, with active participation in multiple marine and maritime events in Cyprus marking the nation’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. These included the Riding the Wave event, co-organised by EMODnet partner CMMI on  the European Ocean Research and Innovation Agenda, the EuroGOOS 11th International Conference and European Maritime Days 2026 where EMODnet held dialogues with Commissioner Costas Kadis, highlighting EMODnet’s role for EDITO, OceanEye and the Ocean Act, and engaged with stakeholders from research, policy and the Blue Economy, including  ocean observation technology companies.

The European Maritime Day 2026 will take place 21-22 May in Limassol, Cyprus, bringing together Europe’s maritime community to highlight the breadth of sea-related activities and the vital role oceans play in our daily lives. Organised by the European Commission and Cypriot partners, the event offers a vibrant platform for Ocean leaders in private, policy, academic and society sectors to connect, share insights and shape joint action for sustainable Blue Economy.

The EuroGOOS International Conference, taking place from 18-20 May 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus, will bring together Europe’s ocean observing and forecasting community to discuss the latest advances in operational oceanography.

EMODnet Seabed Habitats (ESH) is organising a three-day workshop in Anguilla (22–24 April 2026). It will facilitate engagement with regional stakeholders and actors in seabed mapping in the Caribbean region, building on existing partnerships. The workshop will provide an overview of ESH work, explore regional habitat mapping efforts, and create space for exchange to ensure EMODnet activities effectively address regional needs.