The EU’s Blue Economy sectors are deeply embedded in the EU’s economy and broader political framework, underpinning efforts to achieve regional cooperation, climate resilience, and economic competitiveness while enhancing the health and biodiversity of marine environments. The Blue Economy is pivotal to the EU’s strategy for economic recovery and resilience. It offers enormous opportunities for innovation, job creation, and sustainable economic diversification.
However, current geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and supply chain challenges, continue to pose risks to the EU Blue Economy realising its full potential. This conference will bring together policymakers from the EU, its Member States and local government, academics, NGOs and representatives from across the energy, marine, maritime shipping and technology sectors, to explore the latest policies, initiatives and innovations that ensure the EU Blue Economy can support a more sustainable and competitive Europe.
Elena Kountoura is Member of the European Parliament since 2019.
For the current mandate she is Vice President of Transport and Tourism Committee, TRAN, member of Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee – FEMM, and member of regional development Committee, REGI.
Previously, she had served as Minister of Tourism of Greece (2015 – 2019), and was recipient of several prestigious awards, including “Tourism Minister of the Year 2019” in ITB Berlin, and “Global Champion 2019” for Destination Stewardship, by the World Travel & Tourism Council, WTTC.
During her long-standing political career (2004 -2019) she was elected six times as Member of the Greek Parliament in the First District of Athens. She had also been appointed Secretary to the Standing Committee on Monitoring the Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, and Member of the Greek Parliamentary Assembly at the Council of Europe, PACE.
Bio to appear shortly
Bio to appear shortly
Member of the European Parliament, member of the Socialist Party and the Socialists and Democrats Group, where I am also one of the vice-presidents. I sit on the Environment and Public Health Committees as well as the Development and Industry, Research and Energy Committees as a substitute member. As Vice-President of the ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly and a member of the Parliament’s Intergroup on the Sea (SEARICA), my main concerns are the Union’s industrial, food and health sovereignty, and the ecological and energy bifurcation of our continent.
Nantes and the Atlantic
First and foremost, I’m from Nantes, in love with my city and the Atlantic coast. I live here. Nantes, the ocean, the Loire and Brittany are my anchor points and feed my imagination.
Energy and the sea
As a local councillor, I was lucky enough to support the birth of a new sector of the blue economy, marine renewable energy, in the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire. In my role as a consultant, I have continued to fight for the energy transition and renewable energies, which are one of the keys to our future. I’m still a campaigner for the sea, which I live with every day, and which represents a new horizon for our economy, as well as a major challenge for the climate and biodiversity.
European commitment
Defending the shipyards led me to become involved in the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions in 2011. Since 2015, I have been a member of the European Committee of the Regions, and rapporteur for numerous opinions on the blue economy, research, health and protecting populations from crises.
Bio to appear shortly.
Karmenu Vella graduated in Architecture and Civil Engineering from the University of Malta and later obtained a Master of Science in Tourism Management from the University of Sheffield. During his political career, he has been appointed Minister for Public Works, Minister for Industry, and Minister for Tourism twice. In 2014, he was appointed European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries. During his term in office, Mr. Vella addressed some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time and thus helped improve the well-being of our citizens and our planet. Under his leadership, the European Union adopted and implemented in full the Circular Economy Action Plan, adopted new rules to reduce single-use plastic products, updated the EU’s waste legislation, and stepped-up action to improve air quality across Europe and to make concrete progress in halting the decline of the EU’s biodiversity. During his mandate, Karmenu Vella also developed a leading international role for the European Union in the field of ocean governance, promoted the blue economy through increased investment, and worked to improve the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of fisheries in Europe and around the world.
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William Priestley is Director of Maritime Transport in the Irish civil service. He is responsible for policy, connectivity and corporate governance across the sector. As over 90% of goods arrive into Ireland by sea, the importance of this role has been brought into sharp focus by Covid-19, Brexit and the ongoing war in Ukraine. William’s background is in education and social policy and he has held leadership positions in some of the most marginalised areas in Europe and America. He has shared a vision of youth empowerment from the TED stage and served as an elected official in his local community.
Heino Nau coordinates the work on International Blue Economy in the European Commission. He closely cooperates with international organisations like the World Bank, the OECD, the European Investment Bank, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and other UN agencies. As part of his portfolio, he oversees work on European Cruise Tourism.
He previously coordinated the EU Arctic Policy in the European Commission and was an EU observer in the Arctic Council.
Prior to joining the European Commission, he worked for leading research organisations in Germany, France, the U.K., and the U.S. He authored and co-authored several books and published numerous articles in refereed journals.
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Bio to appear shortly.
Andreea Staicu is acting head of unit in the Tourism and Textiles unit in the Directorate-General Internal Market, Industries, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, at the European Commission. Andreea is a lawyer, specialised in EU law and policies.
Bio to appear shortly
Philippe Hermes, Esq. is a leading expert in #BlueSecurity, focusing on maritime security, ocean governance, international law and human rights. With a foundation as a naval staff officer, Philippe transitioned to a distinguished legal career in ship finance and the maritime industry. Today, he leverages his diverse expertise as an international security consultant, advising public organisations and private enterprises on security strategies, emerging technologies, and the integration of human rights considerations into business development and investment initiatives of #BlueEconomy and #BlueTech.
Eda Bayar is an environmental engineer with a specialization in marine environment policies with more than 10 years of experience. Her expertise contributes to the sustainable development of Europe’s blue economy. Since August 2022, she has served as a national expert at the European Environment Agency (EEA), where she leads a key project aimed at understanding the environmental impacts, trade-offs, and co-existence practices associated with offshore wind energy. This initiative seeks to promote a sustainable balance between the expansion of renewable energy production and the protection of marine ecosystems.
Stewart has spent the last ten years dedicated to mainstreaming resilience and precovery across sectors and themes, with a passion for the ocean, water systems and breaking down silos between funders, practitioners, and policy makers, especially for urban, island, Indigenous and coastal contexts. Stewart was Global Director, Policy and Investments and co-founder at the Resilient Cities Network, the evolved, city-led network of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) program, creating the RCIFunds, co-founding/facilitating R21 and co-founding the Racial Equity through Resilience Community of Practice. During the 100RC period he served in variety of roles in Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as the co-creator of the Urban Ocean Program. Stewart led the team that developed the 100RC challenge starting in April 2013, through Context Partners, where he was partner and managing director.
He is a certified associate in the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) and served as advisory board member for the Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW). Stewart has formal degrees, certification and training in international business, foreign languages, corporate social responsibility, conservation, and environmental science.
Stewart is also the founder of Precovery Labs, where creativity and community drive impact and awareness for clients like RISE- Coastal Resilience Innovations, Ocean Conservancy, Opportunity Finance Network, NDN Fund/Collective, and Conservatoire d’Littoral, among others. Through Precovery Labs, he is also an active professional documentary and fine art photographer, visualizing stories of change and impact.
Agnė Lukoševičienė is a dedicated environmentalist and the Environmental and Permitting Projects Manager at Ignitis Renewables, where she is working on Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm project, Curonian Nord. Committed to sustainability, Agnė ensures the project is not only a source of renewable energy but also positive force for marine ecosystems and environmental balance. With nearly a decade of experience in marine and environmental management, including significant expertise in marine conservation gained at Lithuania’s Ministry of Environment while implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Agnė brings a comprehensive understanding of marine conservation and policy implementation. Her expertise equips her to tackle the unique environmental challenges of offshore renewable energy with a holistic and forward-thinking approach.
Bio to appear shortly.
To discuss speaking opportunities at the event, please contact:
Tom Chinnock at tom.chinnock@techforclimateaction.com
István Ujhelyi, Former, MEP, President, Capital European Affairs, and United Nations Tourism Ambassador to the EU (confirmed)
Keynote speakers to be announced
The maritime transport sector, including shipping, shipbuilding and maritime technology, is a big contributor to the EU’s agenda of jobs, growth and competitiveness and the backbone to the EU’s trade and supply chains. Technological advancements and digitalisation are helping to improve efficiencies and security in the supply chain. Also, green technologies and alternative fuels are helping to reduce the environmental impact of maritime transport while providing opportunities for the maritime manufacturing value chain. This session will consider the overall role of the maritime transport sector in supporting EU competitiveness. Participants will also explore the different initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of the sector and the work that still needs to be done.
European ports play an essential role in the EU’s economy, from driving economic growth and employment, facilitating trade, ensuring energy security, and driving regional development. European ports are also at the forefront of implementing environmental and sustainable practices. This session will explore the multifaceted role of ports in Europe’s economy and how they contribute to the EU’s competitiveness and future development in an evolving global context.
Marine renewable energy is the cornerstone of Europe’s strategy to enhance its competitiveness on the global stage. By driving technological innovation, ensuring energy security, creating jobs, and fostering sustainable economic growth, marine renewable energy not only supports Europe’s economic ambitions but also contributes to wider environmental and social goals. This session will explore the impact of different technologies and marine renewable energy sources on the EU’s economic and environmental goals. Participants will consider the crucial role of policymakers at EU, Member State and local level in advancing marine renewable energy, including regulatory frameworks, strategic funding initiatives and cooperation & partnerships.
Keynote Speech – View from the European Commission
Keynote Speech
Coastal tourism is one of the most popular and economically significant forms of tourism for the EU, particularly for southern Member States, and ensuring its sustainability is essential for achieving broader climate, economic and environmental objectives. This session will consider the role of the coastal tourism sector and its sub-sectors in supporting the EU meet its wider economic and environmental objectives. Participants will discuss the key trends and drivers supporting the sustainability of the sector, and ways to establish a fully sustainable sector.
The fisheries and aquaculture sectors can play a hugely important role in terms of EU competitiveness and sustainability. Both sectors align well with the EU’s broader objectives, contributing to food security, job creation and enhanced environmental sustainability. However, for these sectors to realise their potential of fully supporting EU goals, additional work needs to be done. This session will explore the measures being taken, including promoting cleaner energy sources and reducing the impact on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Participants will consider the latest policy developments and the role of all stakeholders to ensure a more sustainable aquaculture and fisheries sector.
To discuss speaking opportunities at the event, please contact:
Tom Chinnock at tom.chinnock@techforclimateaction.com
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The European Blue Economy conference featured over 150 delegates and a notably diverse forum of speakers. The conference successfully explored concepts, ideas, challenges and opportunities on the role that technology and innovation can play in supporting a sustainable blue economy in Europe.
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