In 2025, Ireland chaired the Atlantic Steering Committee (ASC) in accordance with the rotating presidency between the EU Member States of the Atlantic Maritime Strategy. The Atlantic area accounts for more than a third of a gross added value of the EU's blue economy, and the Atlantic Member States are key players in this, contributing of the blue component...
The 1st meeting of the Atlantic Maritime Spatial Planning Community of Practice happened on 9th December 2025 online. It marked a significant milestone in advancing regional cooperation on maritime spatial planning. This initiative follows the proposal by the Atlantic Irish Presidency to the Atlantic Strategy Committee for the beginning of Atlantic Region Maritime Spatial Planning, which was...
The European Commission has announced three major funding opportunities under the Innovation Fund, backed by €5.2 billion from EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) revenues, to drive Europe’s path toward climate neutrality by 2050 and deliver the Clean Industrial Deal.
Three calls to transform industry:
2025 Net-Zero Technologies Call (IF25 NZT) – €2.9 billion
The European Commission launched a public consultation and Call for Evidence on the upcoming revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). This initiative seeks input from stakeholders and the public to strengthen marine protection, simplify implementation, and reduce administrative burden.
The MSFD, in place since 2008, set an ambitious goal: achieving good environmental status in EU marine waters...
Be part of European Maritime Day In My Country 2026 - a Europe‑wide initiative celebrating our oceans and seas and promoting sustainable blue economy practices.
From 1 April to 31 October 2026, communities across Europe and beyond will host events that raise awareness about the importance of maritime activities - from coastal tourism and fishing to offshore renewable energy...
The 2025 National Event of the Atlantic and WestMED Sea Basin Strategies was held within the Matosinhos Business2Sea 2025 on the 25th November at Porto de Leixões, Porto.
This high-level event brought together 67 participants and key regional actors as speakers including Marisa Lameiras da Silva (DGPM), Eduardo Silva (INESC TEC), Miguel Santos (IPMA), André Couto (DGRM), Wim Stubbe...
The Atlantic Project Awards 2025 ceremony was held during the 12th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference in Galway on November 13, 2025. These prestigious awards celebrate outstanding success stories achieved by projects within the geographical area covered by the Atlantic Strategy.
The winners of the 2025 awards in each category are:
🏆 Atlantic Ports and Blue Economy: SMARTDEC...
4th ASC Meeting Outcomes
The 4th Atlantic Steering Committee (ASC) meeting took place online on 21 November 2025. The meeting, built around a comprehensive agenda, addressed strategic priorities, project updates, and future cooperation across the Atlantic region.
Introduction
The meeting opened with a welcome from the Irish Presidency and DG MARE, followed by the approval of the agenda and...
The 12th Atlantic Stakeholders Platform Conference report is out!
The 2025 edition of the Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference (ASPC2025) took place in Galway, Ireland on the 12th and 13th of November and was co-organized by the Irish Atlantic Steering Committee Presidency, DG MARE, and CINEA, with support from the Atlantic Assistance Mechanism.
This year’s conference theme “...
The European Commission has adopted new detailed rules on fisheries control and enforcement, aiming to harmonise procedures, simplify compliance, and reduce administrative burden for EU countries and operators. These measures are designed to prevent overfishing, ensure fairness among fleets, and modernise the way fishing activities are monitored across the EU.
Key Features of the new rules:
Digitalisation...