EU invests €116 million in 13 projects to restore ocean and waters
The European Union has announced a significant investment of €116 million in 13 new projects aimed at restoring the health of the ocean and waters. The projects, selected under the EU Mission Ocean and Waters calls, will focus on a range of initiatives, including preserving offshore marine protected areas, protecting migratory fish habitats, reducing the environmental impact of fisheries and empowering local communities to lead the restoration of our ocean, seas and waters.
The 13 projects, which involve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research organisations, local authorities, schools, and businesses, will deliver a wide range of benefits to the ocean and waters in the EU and beyond.
The projects will be implemented across various sea basins, including the Black Sea, Danube River, Baltic and North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Atlantic and Arctic regions.
Some of the notable projects include SEAMPHONI, which will use advanced technology to monitor offshore marine biodiversity, and DanubeLifelines, which will restore pathways for fish in the Danube River. Other projects, such as ECO-CATCH and MarineGuardian, will develop new fishing technologies to reduce unwanted bycatch and protect marine habitats.
The investment is part of the Horizon Europe programme, which aims to bring solutions to some of societys greatest challenges. The projects were selected following a peer evaluation by independent experts, and more details on the selected projects, including budget and beneficiaries, are available on the EU Mission website. With this significant investment, the EU is taking a major step towards restoring the health of the ocean and waters – a key priority under the European Ocean Pact - and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
You can find more information online.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Anna Wartberger – Tel: +32 2 28 20 54)
STATEMENTS
Statement by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen and Commissioner McGrath on the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes
To commemorate the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes tomorrow, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, and Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath issued the following statement:
“86 years ago, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, an alliance of blood between two of the most brutal regimes in history, leaving a deep scar on Europe. The oppression these totalitarian and authoritarian regimes inflicted, and the suffering endured by countless victims, remain vivid memories for many Europeans.
On 23 August, we honour their story. We celebrate the relentless pursuit of freedom and democracy by Europeans throughout history, who have resisted tyranny, demanded justice, and strove for a more just, equal, and free Europe. We owe it to them that, for the first time in history, every EU country is now home to a generation that has grown up free from the shadow of tyranny.
Yet, this struggle is not a distant memory. The seeds of hatred, intolerance, and oppression can still be sown, and our adversaries are eager to exploit them. Freedom, democracy, the Rule of Law and fundamental rights are hard-earned principles, but they can be eroded if they are not properly maintained and guarded. The European Union will always stand on the side of those that nurture the soil of human dignity, justice, and equality. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard these values.”
More information is available in our statement online.
(For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Cristina Torres Castillo — Tel.: + 32 2 299 06 79)
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