The first stakeholder consultation occurred on 2nd December 2025. The meeting took place in Brussels with the aim of collecting input from selected relevant stakeholders and building consensus around needs and the main objectives of the European Ocean R&I Strategy 2026. Cristina Gambi (UNIVPM) and Boris Barov (SERE) participated to this event and followed the discussion of the different topics and panels. The opening remarks were introduced by Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans and Ekaterina Zarahieva Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.
Here below the agenda:
Panel 1 – Europe’s added value in Ocean Science, Research and Innovation
The session aimed to address how to maintain and enhance EU global leadership in ocean science and to discuss the needs of the EU Ocean Research and Innovation landscape and the necessity and objectives for European action.
Keynote Speaker: Katja Matthes, Director, GEOMAR
Panel Discussion
- Fiona Grant, Chair, European Marine Board
- Maria Grigoratou, Executive Secretary, European Polar Board
- Niall McDonough, JPI Oceans
- Milen Baltov, Rector, Burgas Free University and SBEP Black Sea node
- Jan-Stefan Fritz, Managing Director, KDM The German Marine Research Consortium.
Panel 2 – R&I for Ocean health
The session aimed to address the R&I needs at EU level for improving our understanding of the climate-ocean nexus, of ocean ecosystems and their services (including blue carbon), and of innovative solutions for protecting and restoring ocean health, for tackling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
Keynote Speaker: Spyros Kouvelis, EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition, Senior Associate, Uni of Cambridge CISL, Board Member, EU Mission Ocean and Waters
Panel Discussion:
- Cristian Mihai Adamescu, University of Bucharest
- Isabel Sousa Pinto, PT representative in UN IPBES and Group Leader of the Coastal Biodiversity Lab CIIMAR
- Louis Demargne, Global Key Account Manager FUGRO
- Nicolas Pade, Director EMBRC-ERIC.
Panel 3 – R&I for a Prosperous and Competitive Blue Economy
The session addressed how R&I can support a prosperous and competitive blue economy by making sustainability a factor of competitiveness for all the blue economy sectors and support the uptake and upscale of disruptive innovative solutions. It should address integrated approaches, and the development of new business opportunities in existing and emerging blue industries, including R&I needs of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and coastal communities.
Keynote Speaker: Matt Bjerregaard Walsh, Mission Board Member
Panel Discussion
- Cristina Simioli, Director Offshore Energy and Nature, Renewable Grid Initiative
- Jaap Gebraad, Waterborne Technology Platform
- David Basset, EATIP EU Aquaculture Technology Innovation Platform
- Kinnie De Beule, Innovation Manager, Blue Cluster
- Margarita Cappelletto, Coordinator Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership.
Panel 4: Ocean Technologies and uptake
The session addressed the main priorities, gaps and forward looking on the key Ocean technologies aimed at diverse applications (such as ocean exploration, observation, monitoring and surveillance, enabling developments in offshore energy, fisheries, aquaculture, ecosystem protection and restoration, pollution reduction, enhancing security, blue biotech, etc). It will also address ocean technologies testing sites, focus on how to accelerate innovation cycles and facilitate the development and deployment of cutting-edge solutions.
Keynote Speaker: Alan Haynie, General Secretary International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
Panel Discussion
- Holger Brix, Board Chair, European Global Ocean Observing System – EuroGOOS
- Joaquín Hernandez Brito, Director PLOCAN
- Uwe von Lukas, Head of Division Maritime economy, Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD
- Antonella Calvia-Goetz, European Investment Bank
- Craig Donlon, Head of Earth Observation System Architect Office, ESA
Conclusion
Remarks on the meeting were summarised by James Morrison Director Healthy Planet, DG RTD and Delilah Al Khudhairy, Director Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, DG MARE.