On 5 March 2026, the 4th Mission Ocean and Waters Forum took place in Brussels as part of the EU Ocean Days 2026, a week‑long event dedicated to the prosperity, competitiveness, security, and sustainability of European ocean and freshwater systems. Bringing together policymakers, researchers, institutional actors and sea‑basin representatives, the Forum served as a key moment to assess progress under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and to mobilise stakeholders for the upcoming deployment phase.
Representing the Atlantic and WestMED sea basin strategies, Marta Pascual - Spanish National Hub, participated as a speaker in the session “Governance: From national and local hubs to sea-basin coordination”. Her intervention highlighted the central role of National Hubs in connecting local actors, Mission Lighthouses, and sea‑basin strategies, ensuring coherent governance and facilitating regional collaboration.
A Forum Focused on Scaling Solutions and Strengthening Governance
The Annual Forum reviewed the Mission’s achievements and the growing ecosystem of solutions that support its objectives:
- restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity,
- boosting coastal resilience,
- eliminating pollution,
- accelerating a climate‑neutral and circular blue economy.
The discussions placed strong emphasis on stakeholder mobilisation - local authorities, regional governments, academia, NGOs, and the private sector - whose engagement is essential as the Mission moves from pilot phases to broader deployment across Europe.
The session featuring the Spanish National Hub explored how governance mechanisms can enable this transition. Representatives from BlueMission AA, BlueMissionMED, BlueMissionBANOS, EcoDaLLi, and national institutions exchanged views on how Lighthouses and Sea Basin Strategies can strengthen synergies and ensure that innovative solutions reach wider geographies.
Key Messages from the Governance Session
During the panel, speakers underlined several core messages:
1. Hubs as Connectors Between Local Needs and European Ambition
National and local hubs, such as those of the AAP and WestMED, play a strategic role in linking regional priorities with the objectives of Mission Lighthouses. Their proximity to stakeholders provides essential intelligence for scaling successful initiatives.
2. New Collaboration Opportunities Between Lighthouses and Sea Basin Strategies
With Lighthouses entering the deployment phase, new opportunities emerge for transferring solutions across the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Baltic, and Black Sea basins. Exchanges between hubs are increasingly seen as critical to accelerating impact.
3. Governance Structures Must Support Scaling and Replication
Speakers highlighted that effective governance—structured, multi‑level, and coordinated—is indispensable for mobilising diverse funding streams, engaging local communities, and ensuring long‑term sustainability.
Next Steps: Strengthening Synergies Across Sea Basins
From the session discussions, several concrete next steps were identified:
- Reinforcing exchanges between Atlantic and WestMED National Hubs.
- Exploring joint project development for scaling Lighthouse solutions into new regions.
- Integrating Lighthouse actors into upcoming Sea Basin events, creating additional opportunities for dialogue and cross‑fertilisation.
- Enhancing cooperation with Mission governance teams to ensure alignment of priorities, particularly under Pillar IV of the Atlantic Action Plan (Healthy Ocean and Resilient Coasts).
A Platform for Future Cooperation
With more than 80 participants onsite and over 200 online, the Forum once again demonstrated the strong momentum behind Europe’s collaborative efforts to restore its waters. EU Ocean Days 2026 served not only as a platform to share progress, but also as a catalyst for connecting initiatives across sea basins, encouraging multidirectional cooperation and fostering a shared ecosystem of knowledge and solutions.
The involvement of the Atlantic and WestMED National Hubs underscores their commitment to bridging local realities with pan‑European ambitions - ensuring that governance remains a driver of innovation, partnership and sustainability across Europe’s maritime and freshwater regions.