Boosting the implementation of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters: Tools, Strategies, Knowledge and Legacy for the Mediterranean Sea basin

This high-level session will gather key actors from across the Mediterranean to focus on one of the most strategic pillars of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”: scaling up cooperation, building long-term legacy, and embedding sustainability at the core of regional action. Anchored in the achievements and lessons learned from recent years of mobilisation, the session - taking place within the MED Bootcamp - aims to chart the way forward for a resilient, connected and mission-driven Mediterranean community.

In this context, the event is an opportunity to discuss the cooperation of territories across the Mediterranean in support of the Mission Objectives, to set up institutional structures beyond the CSA support, and to position such cooperation within the broader policy Vision for the Mediterranean. A key focus will be on ensuring that these structures and collaborations are designed for long-term sustainability, enabling continued impact beyond the life span of individual projects.

Participants will explore how sectoral coordination, capacity-building, and cross-programme collaboration can be scaled to deliver tangible impact under the frameworks of the Mission Ocean and Waters, the EU Ocean Pact, The New Pact for the Mediterranean and the Barcelona Convention.

With high-level contributions from European Commission and regional leading organisations, today’s session aims to lay the foundations for a resilient, connected, and forward-looking Mediterranean legacy. By integrating sustainability into every dimension of cooperation and innovation, this workshop seeks to foster a Mediterranean ecosystem that is not only mission-driven but also future-proof. Anchored in strong regional leadership and a shared commitment to ocean and water resilience, this event sets the stage for a connected, inclusive, and mission-driven Mediterranean future.

Program

Moderators:
Fedra Francocci, CNR DSSTTA, BlueMissionMed Coordinator
Francesco Camonita, CPMR-IMC, BlueMissionMed Partner

15.00 Building a Sustainable Mediterranean: EU Missions, Partnerships and Regional Cooperation

Moderator:
Fedra Francocci, CNR DSSTTA, BlueMissionMed Coordinator

Speakers:
Philippe Tulkens, European Commission, HoU Climate & Planetary Boundaries, Synergies with Mission Climate Adaptation (online)
Angiolo Boncompagni, Senior Policy Officer - Ministry of University and Research (MUR), Italy 
Giordano Giorgi, ISPRA - PNRR MER

15.20 Transferability & Strategic Alignment: Potentials for inter-regional cooperation

Moderator:
Fedra Francocci, CNR

Speakers:
Elisabetta Maini, Dirigente Area Ricerca Innovazioni Reti Europee della Regione Emilia-Romagna
Maria Loloni, Climate KIC, CO-Waters – Coalition of Waterfront Regions, Cities and Islands for the Mission Ocean and Waters
Maxime Bonnaud-Delamare, Region Sud (TBC)
Irene Alonso Placer – Ecorys Senior Consultant - Policy & Research - The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI)

16.00 Mediterranean Synergies: Cross-Fertilization for Scalable Innovation

Spotlight session: Cross-fertilisation Webinar

Moderator:
Francesco Camonita, CPMR-IMC

Speakers:
Aldo Puleo INTERREG NEXT-MED: Mediterranean MultiProgramm Coordination Mechanism (online)
Barbara di Piazza, IPA Adrion Interreg IPA ADRION Programme
Silvia Comiati, Managing Authority of INTERREG ITALY-CROATIA
George Bugeja, XM Future Prima
Angiolo Boncompagni, MUR - Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership 
Alessandro Daraio INTERREG EURO-MED: Dialogue4Innovation 

16.30 The Mission Shaping a shared Vision for the Mediterranean and Launch of the Mediterranean Blue Living Lab

Moderators:
Fedra Francocci, CNR
Loic Blanchard, European Commission, DG RTD  

Closure roundtable

Speakers:
Alessandra Sensi, Head of Sector Environment, Green and Blue Economy - Union for the Mediterranean 
Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Tunisia - Blue Africa Summit 
Pinar Uygurer, Middle East Technical University, METU - Türkiye
Francesco Petracchini, CNR DSSTTA Director and Angiolo Boncompagni, MUR - Presentation of the Mediterrenean Blue Living Lab Network