This event is organised with active support from the EU Sea Basin Strategies Assistance Mechanism (WestMED, Atlantic Maritime Strategy and CMA Black Sea). On the 2nd day (September 25), a dedicated ‘Cross-strategy Fertilisation’ session will be organised and moderated to identify synergies and opportunities for future joint projects between all 8 strategies (sea basins and macro-regional).

On 24 and 25 September, the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries invite you to a two-day event in Brussels to address themes and challenges of common interest to both the four Macro-regional strategies and four Sea Basin Strategies.

Exploring five themes for joint cooperation
On 24 September, the agenda features interactive workshops on five key themes relevant to the Macro-regional strategies (Alpine, Danube, Adriatic-Ionian, Baltic) and Sea Basin Strategies (Atlantic, Western Mediterranean, Black Sea and North Sea) to exchange knowledge, foster new synergies, and strengthen existing partnerships through joint cooperation opportunities. The themes are:

1. 1. 1. Water resilience through European Union Strategies lenses
      2. Increasing energy security and accelerating green energy transition: the role of the Macro-regional and Sea Basin Strategies
      3. Cooperation in Action: Addressing Security Challenges through Collective Efforts
      4. Transnational Interreg programmes: strengthening cooperation in Macro-regions and Sea basins
      5. Coastal Communities at the Forefront: Empowering communities in implementing the European Ocean Pact

Networking and speed-dating with the Commission
The event will be designed to facilitate networking among attendees and also engage in rapid, purposeful conversations with their counterparts from various European Commission services.

Cross-strategy Fertilisation Session
On 25 September, the Assistance Mechanisms to the Sea basin strategies and Interact will collaborate to organize a ‘Cross-strategy Fertilisation’ session.’ This session will focus on learning, collaboration, and innovation among the different strategies and identifying opportunities for future joint initiatives. It will also explore how these strategies can work together to implement the priorities of the new European Ocean Pact.

1. 1. • A 3-hour interactive session with moderated discussions and parallel thematic sub-groups
      • Opportunities to share experiences, success stories, and learning from each strategy
      • Identification of good practices, innovative approaches, and shortcomings to be addressed
      • Development of operational, bottom-up recommendations for joint initiatives and projects

For whom
It will be a platform for participating countries, pillars coordinators, stakeholders, presidencies and representatives of the EU institutions to engage in discussions about existing and new synergies with an eye on the future.

When: 24–25 September 2025
Where: AREA 42, Rue des Palais 46, 1030 Brussels, Belgium
More Info/ agenda: Inforegio – Macro-regional & Sea Basin Strategies Days 2025

On 26 September 2025, this event will be followed by the High-level Group meeting and Four-Trio Presidency meeting (invitation only).

Did you miss the Strategies Days 2024? Have a look here and find out what was discussed last year in the panels and the workshops.

• Do you have questions? Please do not hesitate to send an e-mail to REGIO-EU-STRATEGIES-DAYS@ec.europa.eu