On March 4, 2025, the Mission ‘Restore Our Ocean and Waters’ community gathered in Brussels for the third Annual Mission Forum, a pivotal event bringing together policymakers, researchers, businesses, and environmental advocates to assess progress and outline key actions towards achieving the Mission’s 2030 targets. The Forum was part of the broader European Ocean Days, reinforcing Europe’s commitment to restoring and protecting marine and freshwater ecosystems.
The event served as a platform to showcase cutting-edge solutions, discuss key challenges, and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders. Through an interactive on-site exhibition, attendees explored innovations developed by Mission Ocean-funded projects, each designed to address critical environmental concerns. The Mission Ocean and Waters Forum featured contributions from more than 50 distinguished speakers, including European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis and European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva.
The REMEDIES consortium, represented by SMILO, University of Maribor, National Institute of Chemistry of Slovenia, River Cleaning, Venice Lagoon Plastic Free, F6S, Impact Hub Athens, and Infordata, played an active role in the discussions. Additionally, the REMEDIES Open Calls winners from associated regions—Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Malta and Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Turkey—participated in the event, further strengthening the project’s network and showcasing their integration of REMEDIES solutions in marine protection and plastic waste management.
Throughout the Forum, participants engaged in interactive discussions, networking sessions, and knowledge exchange, focusing on accelerating innovation adoption and strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure lasting impact on marine ecosystems.
Highlighting REMEDIES Innovations
A key highlight of the event was a dedicated session where Mission Ocean-funded projects pitched their technologies and innovations. Among the 67 Mission-Ocean funded projects, REMEDIES presented its plastic monitoring, collection, and zero-waste solutions, demonstrating their impact across eight Mediterranean demonstration sites. The matchmaking session in the afternoon facilitated networking among projects, investors, enterprises, and local authorities, fostering collaborations for implementing new technologies and solutions. Sylvain Petit from SMILO and Uroš Novak from National Institute of Chemistry of Slovenia, offered insights about Small islands and eco-conscious tourism. This session was part of a broader discussion on scaling up tested solutions across the 223 demonstration sites involved in the Mission.
Additionally, REMEDIES innovations were showcased on March 3 during the Side Event: Connecting Mission Projects for Ocean, Seas, and Inland Waters. This clustering and networking event, organized by the European Commission, brought together projects funded under Horizon Europe – Mission Ocean and Waters, along with other EU R&I initiatives contributing to the Mission’s objectives.
Workshops and Expert Contributions
On March 3, a key highlight was that Uroš Novak, REMEDIES Project Coordinator, contributed to the workshop on Harmonizing Monitoring Approaches & KPIs, in collaboration with experts from PREP4BLUE, BlueMissionAA, BlueMissionBANOS, BlueMissionMED, and EcoDaLLi, along with panelists and participants from Ultfarms ,BIOPROTECT, DALIA, and SEACURE. Discussions focused on how Mission Ocean CSAs are developing and refining impact measurement tools to ensure effective monitoring and maximize the impact of restoration efforts. The session emphasized the need for consistent and scalable monitoring approaches to track progress and guide future actions.
On March 5, the event Mission Ocean and Waters: Empowering Local Changemakers – Ports, Islands, Cities, and Regions brought together key stakeholders to showcase local initiatives and discuss strategies for strengthening cooperation in implementing on-the-ground restoration actions. During this session, Irene Mangion from Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Malta shared insights on implementing REMEDIES solutions as an Open Call winner, emphasizing the impact of community-driven initiatives in tackling plastic pollution.
Scaling Up REMEDIES Solutions
Beyond discussions and workshops, REMEDIES was also present in high-profile investment and innovation networking events. On March 6, REMEDIES partner F6S, represented by Lina Silveira and Carolina Vilaca, participated in BlueInvest Day 2025, a premier event connecting blue economy startups with investors. This engagement underscored REMEDIES’ commitment to scaling up its innovative solutions and fostering sustainable business models.
On March 7, REMEDIES partners Lina Silveira from F6S and Nicola Rubini from River Cleaning showcased the River Cleaning System at the Freshwater Clustering Event, demonstrating how new technologies are being deployed across EU demo sites to combat freshwater and marine pollution.
Strengthening Commitment to the Mission’s Objectives
As the Forum concluded, a clear message emerged—a strong and continuous commitment to the Mission’s objectives is essential for achieving meaningful environmental impact. With global developments and upcoming policies, such as the European Ocean Pact, discussions emphasized the urgency of accelerating innovation adoption, policy action, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
With over 60 projects and 800+ actions under the Mission Charter, the Mission is making significant strides. However, continued investment, policy support, and engagement from local and international actors will be crucial in scaling up these efforts and ensuring lasting impact on marine ecosystems.
Learn More
📢 Read more about the Mission and the event: 👉 https://tinyurl.com/2mkd2dys
