European-funded projects and partnerships as engines for a more circular blue (bio)economy across the mediterranean

There is growing need of finding new sustainable way to produce food, energy and reduce waste in both land and sea. These unpredecent challenges are getting increasing priorities at European, national and regional level, and growing attention is given to the Blue Economy emerging and innovative sectors, including Blue bioeconomy and biotechnology, sectors that offer significant potential for economic growth, sustainability transition, as well as employment creation.

In order to address these challenges, it has been registered a significant increase of funding opportunities to help support organisations in addressing these challenges. According to the EU blue economy report 2022, about € 345 million have been allocated to blue bioeconomy and biotechnology under Horizon 2020, and there is growing attention to this growing sector with more fundings available in the coming years.

Several European marine and maritime clusters and organisations have already taken on these challenges and intend to address these issues through European-funded projects. We will hear of several actions taken through projects funded by COSME, Erasmus+ and EMFAF, with the main aim to maximise the positive impacts and enhancing the innovation in the blue bioeconomy sector by supporting SMEs, the backbone of the European economy, through cascade funding, and through the training of new maritime clusters manager in order to provide the right skillset to address critical issues related to blue economy sectors, with positive impacts on the bioeconomy, as well as investing in new innovative sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in various sectors, i.e. aquaculture.
 

Session Chairs

Giovanni Caprino, Cluster Blue Italian Growth
Leonardo Manzari, WestMED Clusters Alliance
Angiolo Boncompagni, MUR
Apollonia Tiziana De Nittis, Emilia Romagna Region/Mistral

 

Programme

10.00-10.20 Introduction by the Chairs

Giovanni Caprino, Cluster Blue Italian Growth
Leonardo Manzari, WestMED Clusters Alliance
Angiolo Boncompagni, MUR
Apollonia Tiziana De Nittis, Emilia Romagna Region/Mistral
 

SESSION 1 – BLUE ECONOMY PROJECTS ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN

10.20-10.40 Overview of EMFF/EMFAF projects in the Mediterranean and future opportunities
Vincent Favrel, CINEA Sustainable Blue Economy Unit

10.40-11.00 The WestMed Clusters Alliance blue economy projects: MEDBAN, IKAT, MARMED projects addressing the bioeconomy-related challenges
Sara Tedesco, Cluster Blue Italian Growth

11.00-11.20 ALGAENAUTS: development of new lines of sustainable and eco-friendly biopesticides line of products
Joaquín Pozo Dengra, Algaenauts project

11.20-11.40 EU-funding opportunities in the Mediterranean
Leonardo Manzari, WestMed Clusters Alliance

11.40-12.00 Bluesealand as a blue bridge across the Mediterranean
Nino Carlino, BueSeaLand

12.00-12.20 Advanced manufacturing for energy related applications in harsh environments
Stefano Valentini, ADMA Emilia Romagna Region

12.20-12.40 The Challenge of the Circular Economy approach for a common European Ship Recycling Strategy and the Blue Growth
Enrico Maria Mosconi, Università della Tuscia

13.00-14.00 Lunch break

SESSION 2 – BLUE ECONOMY & BIOECONOMY EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIPS

14.00-14.20 Digital Twins of the Ocean: European and Italian Initiative
Emilio Fortunato Campana, DIITET-CNR

14.20-14.40 Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP): joint transnational calls and emerging blue economy opportunities
Angiolo Boncompagni, Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, Brussels - MUR

14.40-15.00 Circular Bio Based Industry Joint Undertaking (CBE JU): a public-private partnership to unlock the European bioeconomy potential
Virginia Puzzolo, Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking

15.00-15.20 The Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans) joint actions in support of the blue bioeconomy
Angelo Camerlenghi, JPI Oceans, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS

15.20-16.30 Discussion and closure by the Chairs