Posts

Memorandum of Understanding signed between WOC and UfM-WestMEDUnion for the Mediterranean

Memorandum of Understanding signed between World Ocean Council and the UfM/WestMED to boost private sector engagement in the Mediterranean Blue Economy

/in /by

On March 28,2023, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the World Ocean Council (WOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the UfM Headquarters in Barcelona. This, within  the framework of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy and Roadmap for its implementation, and the WestMED Initiative, supported by the UfM and by the European Commission.

The MoU details key avenues of collaboration to promote cooperation, strong engagement, stewardship, and corporate responsibility from the business and investment communities in the maritime  sectors at Mediterranean level.

Cooperation will mainly focus on blue business development and entrepreneurship (incl. blue skills, careers, jobs and employability) and blue investments i..e the blue finance process in the Mediterranean. This via joint promotion and possible co-organisation of events, helping connect political to business apirations, exchanging expertise etc.

The WestMED Assistance Mechanism and the WOC are currenly exploring practical plans for joint development and cooperation in 2023.

Announcement poster stakeholder conference with photo of La Valetta in Malta

Join us on 22 June in Malta for the 2023 edition of the WestMED Initiative stakeholder Conference

/in /by

After the successful 2021 WestMED Stakeholder Conference in Rome and the 2022 Hackathons on project development in Malta, we invite you to the 2023 edition of the WestMED Stakeholder Conference.

The Conference will be held on Thursday, 22 June 2023 in Malta. The event is open to all stakeholders that are contributing to improve the sustainable blue economy in the region.

So, whether you are a business owner, an entrepreneur, a scientist, an investor, a lecturer, a local or regional authority or a policy maker, this will be a day for you.  Learn the latest developments, meet new inspirational people, and consult the (national) blue economy experts from the WestMED Initiative in-person.

This year’s focus will be on the four main thematic areas that the WestMED Initiative actively supports:  Sustainable Aquaculture, Green Shipping and Ports, Maritime Clusters and Marine Spatial Planning.

We will share with you the results achieved so far and discuss the challenges that lie ahead.

The format will be interactive. Based on your level of expertise, you can both contribute to the discussion or ask fellow experts to help you in your activities.

Next to this, we plan to give you the latest updates and insights into the most relevant funding opportunities for your project ideas.

As a bonus, we are looking at the possibility of including a unique on-site visit, to learn from success stories on blue economy development in Malta.

The Stakeholder Conference will be followed by an (invitation only) official Ministerial meeting on June 23. On this occasion, Ministers from the 10 member countries will sign a new Ministerial Declaration with a commitment to reconfirm and streamline priorities for boosting the blue economy in the Mediterranean region.

 

For more information and registration  Visit the conference 2023 page

EMD in my country poster

Boost your maritime event with EMD in my country 2023

/in /by

Last year, over 600 EMD In My Country events took place all over Europe and beyond!

It is time to break a new record to celebrate our blue planet this year!

Any blue event between 1 April and 31st October 2023 can apply.

There is no limitation: from beach clean-ups to educational tours or seafood fairs, all events promoting sustainable ocean and blue economy are welcome.

As a token of our gratitude for your action, you will receive promotional material for the participants in your event, which will be featured on our website. Make sure you indicate the number of participants in your application to receive enough goodies.

Now it’s up to you! Fill in the application form before 15 March 2023 and bring European Maritime Day 2023 to your country!

Visit the maritime day event website here

Submit your application here

Stephanie Vella at MMF event - 16 february 2023

Dr. Stephanie Vella zooms in on the importance of sea basin partnerships at ESG Conference

/in /by

On 16 February, 2023  a conference was organised by the Malta Maritime Forum tackling ESG from every angle including the legal, economic, banking, industry and financing implications. Dr. Stephanie Vella (WestMED National Hub Malta) was part of the panel providing an insight into the economic aspect of ESG and the use of EU funds in order to tackle in particular the environmental and social elements of ESG. Dr Vella highlighted the importance of building networks and partnerships over the sea-basin and the role of the Westmed in this regard.

There can be little doubt that ESG is changing the shape of business across all economic sectors and the maritime industry is certainly no exception. The industry and all players within it must be adequately prepared to ensure it can face the challenge and responsibilities in an effective manner. In this way, ESG becomes an opportunity rather than a cost because it gives the operator an edge over the competition.

 

For more information, contact Stephanie Vella at  National Hub Malta

Malta Science and Technology event on Sustainble Blue Economy Partnership - 16 February 2023

WestMED National Hub Malta highlights its project matchmaking role during the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership event at the Malta Council for Science and Technology

/in /by

On the 15th February, the Malta Council for Science and Technology organised an evening with stakeholders in order to launch the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership. During the event, which was also attended by the Parliament Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, MCST provided a detailed overview of the Partnership including the pillars and its key enablers. MCST also explained the five Priority Areas which are the basis for the first call including:

  • Development and validation of Ocean Digital Twins at sub sea-basin scale
  • Blue generation marine structures
  • Planning and managing sea-uses
  • Healthy ‘Blue Food’ under a ’One Health’ approach
  • Enabling the green transition of ‘Blue Food’ production

This partnership provides an opportunity to continue addressing the objectives of the Westmed and creating synergies with other sea-basins.

The WestMED National Hub for Malta took the opportunity to provide an overview of the WestMED during the event to the stakeholders including the assistance provided by the Assistance Mechanism in the identification of partners for projects.

For more information, contact Stephanie Vella at  National Hub Malta

Finger pressing search bar

New domain name for WestMED website and emails

/in /by

The WestMED Initiative has received a new domain name for all its communications: westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu.

It means that both the website, as well as the email addresses have changed. The website can now be accessed through: https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

All emails will receive the @westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu extension. So the new email for Algeria for instance is now: algeria@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

Below you will find an overview of all new email addresses

The new  domain name  is the official domain for the  European Commission. It meant that the website had to undergo a major transformation in order to comply with the EC standards which relate to elements such as accessibility, security and privacy. At the same time, also some pages have been redesigned to be more user friendly.

At the backend, the website servers have also been updated to comply with strict security standards as required by the EC.

Here is a list of all new email addresses:

National Hub Algeria algeria@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub France france@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Italy italy@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Malta malta@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Mauritania mautitania@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Morocco morocco@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Portugal portugal@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Spain spain@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
National Hub Tunisia tunisia@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
Communications communications@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

 

Emails sent to the old email address will be forwarded for a period of 6 months until June 30, 2023.

Lighthouse Chania after sunset

A landmark document: Roadmap for the implementation of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) in the Mediterranean

/in /by

Source: based on article UfM stakeholder platform

Following the adoption by the 43 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in February 2021 of the 2nd UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE), the UfM countries, Co-Presidency, and Secretariat, agreed to create a Roadmap for the implementation of the 2021 Ministerial.

This, with a view to produce an in-depth overview and analysis of the joint needs, gaps and opportunities for future support, funding, and implementation for each of the 10 priorities set by the Declaration.

This landmark document includes a sketching out of ongoing initiatives, programmes, and projects, while linking to and formulating promising pathways, processes, and actions to be launched, scaled-up, and promoted from the short to the longer term. The Roadmap also foresees an easy to implement monitoring system; essential to assess progress towards the implementation of the Ministerial at regional level.

The WestMED initiative as a succesful example
In the 2nd Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy, the ministers of the UfM countries recognised that the WestMED Initiative is a successful example of cooperation, focused on clear goals, priorities, and measurable targets and as a catalyst for the development of SBE projects in the region.

The roadmap identifies key elements of good practice that can be replicated at regional level by some other frameworks or initiatives, especially in the topics of governance (i.e. how the actual WestMED Initiative and the macro regional strategy EUSAIR work in terms of planning and decision making) and in the key aspects on project development support through the work of dedicated Technical Groups (for instance, and in the case of the WestMED Initiative: Green shipping, Sustainable Aquaculture(AquaWEST) and the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance.

For more information and download of the Ministerial Declaration and the Roadmap documents, visit the Med blue economy platform

Conference room table with micrrophones

The WestMED Iniatiative welcomes the Mauritanian/ Maltese Co-Presidency in 2023

/in /by

In 2023, Mauritania will co-chair the WestMED Steering Committee along with Malta in accordance with the principle of rotation among the participating WestMED countries (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania).

The Mauritanian Co-Presidency will keep supporting the six priorities agreed by the countries in 2018 on the common roadmap for the development of a sustainable blue economy:

  • maritime safety and fight against marine pollution,
  • maritime cluster development,
  • skills development and circulation,
  • sustainable consumption and production,
  • biodiversity and marine habitat conservation and restoration
  • Development of coastal communities  and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

At national level, Mauritania has set ambitious targets on blue economy, which includes: the promotion of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, the development of a maritime cluster that brings together all the actors of the sea, development of maritime transport and development of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). These topics are already included in the priorities of the new strategy for the sector in Mauritania and are at the heart of the missions of two new agencies created within the department, namely the Agency for Maritime Affairs and the Agency for Inland Fisheries and Fish Farming.

In addition, the Mauritanian National Hub along with Tunisia play an important coordination role in the WestMED technical group on Maritime Clusters Alliance, ensuring and facilitating the cooperation within South-South and also North-South through actions, partnerships and projects.

MSP community of practic kick-off meeting with participants seated around a rectangular table

The Community of Practice on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) for the Mediterranean has been launched!

/in /by

Brussels, January 26, 2022. During the Hackathon organised by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism in Malta on June 30th 2022 and a couple of meetings under MSPMED project, the relevant stakeholders discussed about the creation of an open Community of Practice for exchange on MSP in the framework of the WestMED Initiative and supported by CINEA and DG MARE.

In the Mediterranean, there are many policy drivers for the implementation of Maritime/Marine Spatial Planning at regional, sub-regional and national levels. These include the MSP Directive implementation for the European Union Member States, the Ministerial declaration on Blue Economy of the Union for the Mediterranean and the Conceptual Framework for MSP developed by UNEP/MAP promoting a common approach to MSP as a key process for planning and managing the marine space in line with the provisions of the ICZM Protocol. Still, the MSPglobal pilot project in the Western Mediterranean Sea promoted by UNESCO-IOC and the European Commission allowed the creation of a network of experts and the publication of specific technical reports and recommendations.

Given the existing policy framework and the broader political will to commonly work on MSP, there is a shared interest to set an MSP Community of Practice in the Mediterranean, in the framework of the WestMED Initiative. The MED-MSP-CoP will be initially focused on the Western Mediterranean, being however open to experts and observers from the whole Mediterranean..

The main objective of the MED-MSP-CoP is to establish a permanent communication and dialogue across borders between experts on MSP (i.e. planners, technical experts, researchers), and to exchange knowledge and relevant experiences in the region, so as to reach a shared perspective on topics of common interest on MSP and enhance the cooperation between the north and the south of the Mediterranean.

On January 26, 2023, CINEA and DG MARE officially launched the Community of Practice during the kick-off meeting in Brussels where the experts discussed the structure and the action plan for the next year.

Thanos Smanis, WestMED expert and member of the MSP Assistance Mechanism, highlights “the instant willingness by MSP experts to mobilise and establish a Community of Practice on MSP for the MED, for joint dialogue and cooperation, demonstrates the shared perception that this will significantly support the creation of a regional framework and vision whereby all stakeholders will be needed.”

Next to the the Community of Practice on MSP, three technical-/ work groups have been formed under the WestMED Initiative;  Sustainable Transport-Green Shipping, the AquaWEST technical group on aquaculture and the Maritime Clusters Alliance.

More information on the Community of Practice on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) for the Mediterranean : https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/two-days-key-developments-maritime-spatial-planning-2023-01-25_en

laptop with mock-up of WestMED infographic displayed on the screen

Four years of practical support to a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Mediterranean

/in /by

In the past 4 years (2018-2022), the WestMED Assistance Mechanism has accomplished a lot to be proud of.

It helped secure 50 million euros in funding alone for all kinds of different projects that contribute to the WestMED Initiative’s main objective to develop and strengthen a sustainable blue economy in the region.

It also helped drive discussions between stakeholders from the northern and southern shore on key maritime topics such as green shipping, sustainable aquaculture, project funding, maritime clusters and blue skills. Primarily, through the creation of technical-/ work groups and organizing thematic events.  It has also been at the forefront of starting a Community of Practice on Maritime Spatial Planning for the Mediterranean which had its kick-off meeting in January 2023.

For an overview of the work done, the Assistance mechanism has produced both a 3-page Executive Summary and an infographic.

Both are available now for download.

Executive summary

Infographic

 

Moving forward (2022-2024).

After positive reviews, the European Commission has agreed to continue this initiative for at least another two years.

With a new approach by the European Commission, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism will team up with the Assistance Mechanisms of the other EU sea basin strategies (Atlantic Action Plan/ CMA Black Sea) to further explore and capitalise on synergies related to common maritime themes, allow for addressing relevant cross-sea basin project (funding) proposals and provide coordinated policy feedback.