CO-WATERS will take part in the European Ocean Days 2026, taking place from 2 to 6 March 2026 in Brussels, a flagship event organised by the European Commission. Inspired by the European Ocean Pact, the European Ocean Days bring together a wide range of stakeholders working across ocean and water-related themes, including the Mission Ocean and Waters community.
The third edition of the event focuses on scaling up solutions, strengthening cooperation across sectors and territories, and translating ambition into concrete action. As the Ocean and Waters Mission moves into its large-scale deployment phase, local and regional actors play a central role in delivering change on the ground, across both marine and freshwater systems.
The European Ocean Days therefore builds momentum to strengthen collaboration, exchange experiences, and accelerate collective action for clean, healthy, and resilient ocean and water systems across Europe.
Together for Change: A Coalition to Empower Communities for Mission Ocean and Waters
As part of the European Ocean Days, CO-WATERS, together with the European Commission, are co-organising the high-level session “Together for change: A Coalition to empower communities for Mission Ocean and Waters” taking place on 4 March 2026 from 09:00 to 12:30 CET at the Charlemagne Building.
This in-person interactive session will bring together representatives from cities, regions, islands and ports, alongside all Mission Ocean and Waters communities and Mission Charter signatories, to celebrate progress and strengthen collaboration under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”.
The session takes place at a pivotal moment for the Mission, as it moves into its second phase focused on large-scale deployment. Local and regional authorities are already delivering solutions on the ground, from ecosystem restoration to pollution reduction and sustainable blue economy initiatives. The challenge now is to connect, scale, and support these efforts more effectively.
Building on the shared vision reinforced by the European Ocean Pact, the Water Resilience Strategy, and other EU strategies and initiatives, the session will:
- Highlight concrete examples of territorial actions and innovative solutions that contribute to Mission objectives.
- Give voice to local actors and Mission communities across basins.
- Discuss shared challenges, needs and enablers for replication and scale up.
- Strengthen collaboration between stakeholders, including managing authorities, investors, research actors and practitioners.
The session will also formally launch the Coalition of cities, regions, islands and ports for the Mission Ocean and Waters, implemented by the CO-WATERS project. This Coalition provides a platform for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and collaboration as a driving force for Mission implementation.
The session will provide opportunities for communities participating to share experiences and contribute insights, ensuring the discussion reflects a wide range of perspectives from across Europe.
From dialogue to action: an in-person needs assessment workshop
To ensure that the Coalition of cities, regions, islands and ports for the Mission Ocean and Waters responds to real needs on the ground, CO-WATERS is also organising an in-person needs assessment workshop as a follow-up to its online consultation activities.
Taking place on 4 March 2026 from 15:00 to 17:00 CET at the ERRIN Meeting Room in Brussels (Rue du Luxembourg 3, 8th floor), the workshop builds directly on the CO-WATERS digital needs assessment process, which engaged cities, regions, islands, ports and other key actors actively working toward the objectives of the Mission Ocean and Waters across Europe. The workshop will provide a space to:
- Discuss the main challenges communities face in working with coastal and freshwater systems
- Identify the types of support that provide the most value, including peer-learning, capacity building training, stakeholder engagement, funding and finance advice, and knowledge exchange opportunities
- Explore how the Coalition and the Mission Ocean and Waters Label can support local transition pathways
By combining insights from the online consultation with an in-person dialogue, CO-WATERS aims to co-create services that support communities in delivering the Ocean and Waters Mission’s objectives.
If registration exceeds capacity, participation will be managed to ensure a balanced representation of stakeholders.
Strengthening the Mission Ocean and Waters through empowered actors across territories
CO-WATERS’ participation in the European Ocean Days highlights the importance of empowered and well-supported communities in advancing the blue transition. By connecting key stakeholders and initiatives, CO-WATERS helps communities deliver on the Mission’s objectives.
