European policy

Several bodies at European level agree on priorities for marine and maritime research policy. In addition, marine and maritime research is partly funded through European initiatives. An overview of the broad landscape can be found below.

European Commission - general policy context

The Directorate General for Research and Innovation (DG R&I) of the European Commission is responsible for the European research and innovation policy. Important concepts and strategies are the Open Science and Open Innovation, the Innovation Union, the European Research Area (ERA) and the establishment of a European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot. In addition, DG R&I is also responsible for the funding of research, for example by means of European framework programmes such as the current Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) and the upcoming Horizon Europe (2021-2027) which is currently being conceived.

For the implementation of its policy, DG R&I collaborates with various departments of the EC and agencies such as the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA), Research Executive Agency (REA), Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME), Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA), Joint Research Centre (JRC), etc.

Integrated Maritime Policy and the MSFD

The Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) is a cornerstone in these policies. The IMP aims at a more coherent approach to maritime issues and a higher degree of coordination between the different policy domains involved. The IMP integrates a number of transversal policy instruments in the fields of Blue Growth, Marine Knowledge (see below), Maritime Spatial Planning, Integrated Maritime Surveillance and Sea Region Strategies. Marine Knowledge 2020 is considered by the EC as an important component within the IMP for centralising marine data from different sources.

The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses the environmental aspects of the IMP, and provides a joint framework and goals for the protection and conservation of the marine environment. The MSFD aims for a ‘good environmental status’ (GES) for all seas under the jurisdiction of the Member States by 2020, with the maintenance of biological diversity as the main objective.

Policy instruments	Information systems in support of the policy instruments
Common Fisheries Policy	Data Collection Framework for the CFP
Water Framework Directive	Water Information System for Europe (WISE) and other water related European directives (like, for MSFD, WISE-marine)
Habitats Directive	Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE)
Birds Directive	Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE)
EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020	Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE)
EU Adaptation Strategy	European Climate Adaptation Platform (CLIMATE-ADAPT)

European funding instruments for marine research

The EC disposes of various instruments for the funding of research, important mechanisms for the current marine research community are:

Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), which included marine research as a transversal priority
The Structural Funds, including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which finances the Interreg program (III, IV, V)
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF, 2014 - 2020), in support of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the IMP
The Programme for Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (COSME) (2014-2020)

ERA-NET Cofunds are (partly) funded with Horizon 2020, launching joint calls for transnational research and innovation in areas with significant added value for Europe. Several of these ERA-NET Cofunds address a marine theme (e.g. MarTERA Cofund on marine/maritime technologies, OCEANERA-NET Cofund on Ocean Energy, ERA-NET Cofund on Blue Bioeconomy). Finally, the European Investment Bank (EIB) also invests in large-scale research infrastructure.

European networks for marine research and innovation

There are several consortia and networks involved with European marine research and innovation. The European Marine Board (EMB) operates at the interface between marine research and policy and develops common positions on research priorities for European marine research. The EurOCEAN conferences provide a forum for the marine research community to interface with European and member state policymakers and strategic planners. In the context of these conferences, the European research community has contributed to shaping the European vision for marine research through various declarations such as the Rome Declaration 2014 on the relationship between ocean sciences and blue growth.

Furthermore, there are several examples of (thematic) partnerships between innovation and research institutes of which the European Marine Research Network (EUROMARINE); the European Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Organisation (EFARO), the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP), the European Global Ocean Observing System (EuroGOOS), the European Network of Marine Research Institutes and Stations (MARS), the EU Technology Platform Waterborne and EurOcean are just a few.

More on sharing of research infrastructure

European collaboration concerning marine research infrastructure

Several European initiatives facilitate the sharing of marine research infrastructures in order to optimise their use. The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) supports a coherent and strategic approach to the European policy on this infrastructure. Examples of these pan-European networks are the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) and the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC). Please visit the website of ESFRI for an overview of their current networks.

In addition to the ESFRI networks, several European initiatives aim to stimulate cooperation of marine research infrastructure. In this regard, the European Research Vessel Operator (ERVO) unites the operators of European research vessels. Within the projects Eurofleets I and II, a common framework was established to coordinate the transnational exchange of ship time. Furthermore, initiatives such as EMODnet, EOOS and Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service ensure the alignment on the European level with regard to marine observation and data infrastructure. This coordination is further elaborated in EU projects such as JERICO-NEXT (collaboration with regard to coastal observatories), Atlantos (optimising and enhancing the integrated Atlantic ocean observing systems), Hydralab+ (adaptation for climate change) and Seadatanet/Seadatacloud.

An overview of the marine research infrastructure in Europe is provided in the infrastructure database of EurOcean.

Source: Compendium Coast and Sea

Published: 2014.07.02 | Last updated: 2022.02.02

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