Ecorys leads on a consortium with PWC and AETS to boost the blue economy in 3 different Sea Basins: Atlantic, the Western Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Ecorys is leading a large Assistance Mechanism team which has been set up to support the implementation of EU’s three Sea Basin strategies: the Atlantic Strategy, the WestMED Initiative and the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea.

The European Commission has been supporting the establishment and implementation of three sea basin strategies in the Atlantic, the Black Sea and the Western Mediterranean for the last few years and this new Assistance Mechanism is gathering the three sea basin strategies in a larger consortium in order to better identify and build on the synergies between all three sea basins. It will do so by exchanging best practices and organizing national and regional events with themes that have a clear cross sea basin relevance such as blue skills, blue investments, green shipping, and sustainable aquaculture. This new approach will ensure the specific targets, opportunities and needs of each sea basin while facilitating synergies and increasing outreach and visibility.

This new joint Assistance Mechanism has recently passed its inception phase and is now working at full swing, continuing to use its networking skills to forge project alliances and aid in obtaining funding by providing proposal development support, just as it did in previous years. 

The National Hubs in the 3 Sea Basins will continue with their previous tasks (organisation of events, coordination of policy activities, project guidance). In addition, the Sea Basin coordinators in the new AM will allow for synergies between them to ensure a consistent overarching strategy. Thus, the activity of the national hubs will be established in accordance with the standard operating procedures for the Sea Basins.

Overall, the Ecorys led consortium will count with a team of more than 40 experts working from more than 17 different countries for a two-year period. Our network of experts in all these countries will be willing to inform and help you in any query regarding your blue economy project or initiative in the 3 Sea basins!

Our activities will run until November 2024. Click here to learn more about sustainable blue economy developments in any of these 3 Sea Basins, or contact Jan Maarten de Vet (Project Director) at JanMaarten.Devet@ecorys.com or Javier Fernández (Team Leader) at javier.fernandez@ecorys.com.