Joint Stakeholder Conference of the WestMED and Atlantic Sea Basin Strategies takes place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 16 September 2026

On 16 September 2026, the Joint Stakeholder Conference of the WestMED and Atlantic Sea Basin Strategies will take place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

This landmark event marks the first time that both initiatives come together in a single forum, representing a significant milestone in advancing inter-basin cooperation. It builds on the current convergence in governance between the WestMED and Atlantic strategies, aiming to boost synergies, streamline efforts, reinforce complementarities, and strengthen the collective contribution to EU and regional maritime and blue economy priorities.

By bringing together stakeholders from both sea basins, the conference will foster structured exchanges of experience, promote the transfer of good practices, stimulate cross-basin project partnerships, and contribute to reducing fragmentation across EU funding instruments. It will also enhance the visibility of achievements at European, regional, and international levels, further positioning both strategies as complementary and mutually reinforcing mechanisms within European ocean governance.

The conference will combine high-level plenary discussions and thematic sessions on shared priorities—such as blue skills, coastal resilience, sustainable tourism, and decarbonisation—with a dynamic, solution-oriented hackathon format aimed at transforming dialogue into concrete project ideas.

A series of back-to-back events will also take place the day before, focusing on funding opportunities, youth engagement, synergies, and project development.

The agenda and further information will be published shortly. We look forward to welcoming stakeholders from across both sea basins in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.