European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

This call for proposals aims to accelerate the development and implementation of the EU Maritime Policy and the sustainable development of the blue economy across Europe. This general objective is further divided into specific objectives as described under each of the 3 topics that are part of this call for proposals. Our oceans, seas and coasts are key drivers for economic development. The EU’s first annual economic report on the blue economy describes the blue economy which covers a wide range of interlinked established and emerging sectors related to oceans, seas and coasts. The report discusses the current status and recent trends of established sectors – such as ports, shipbuilding, fisheries, tourism – and of innovative sectors now emerging – such as ocean energy, blue bioeconomy, desalination, coastal and environmental protection – to gain insight in the areas where new opportunities and sustainable competitive advantage may be found. In 2016 the blue economy generated €174 billion of value added and created jobs for nearly 3.5 million people in the EU, although the report notes that these estimates could be understated for emerging sectors due to lack of data. The report also echoes the OECD´s Ocean Economy report, which underlines that realising the full potential of the ocean will demand responsible, sustainable approaches to its economic development.

Size of Funding Total: €18.7 million. • Topic 1 (Blue Labs): €5 million • Topic 2 (Blue Careers): €5.5 million • Topic 3 (Blue Economy): €8.2 million