EMFAF-2025-PIA-FLAGSHIP: Topic 1 Maritime regional cooperation fostering Smart Specialisation and Innovation in the Sustainable Blue Economy

The European Commission launched a new call for proposals funded under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). The EMFAF supports the Green Deal and a sustainable economy through actions in the field of the Union’s Maritime Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU international ocean governance agenda.  

This call is under Topic 1: Maritime regional cooperation fostering Smart Specialisation and Innovation in the Sustainable Blue Economy.  

Objectives: 

This topic aims to support and animate the Smart Specialisation (S3) thematic platform for sustainable blue economy. Projects will carry out activities to set up and strengthen strategic interregional partnerships that develop and implement highly innovative solutions addressing priorities in the EU sustainable blue economy. 

The targeted blue economy sectors are the following: fisheries, aquaculture, marine renewable energy, blue biotechnology, coastal and maritime tourism.  

The geographical scope of the activities cover the Black Sea, the Atlantic and the Western Mediterranean Sea Basins as well as the EU Outermost regions marine areas.  

Check the call document for full details.  

Eligible applicants: 

Applicants have to submit their proposal electronically via the Funding and Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System.  

Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be: 

• legal entities (public or private bodies)  
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.: - EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs);  
• non-EU countries that are part of the EU sea basin strategies targeted in this call for proposals are Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey; Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.  

Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register.  

Check the call document for full details on eligible applicants.  

Budget: 

The available budget for Topic 1 is EUR 3,8 million. The European Commission expects to fund one to two projects under this topic.   

Duration: 

Projects should normally range between 24 and 36 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.  

EMFAF-2025-PIA-FLAGSHIP Topic 1: Call for proposal   

Call document   

Online Manual: Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and submission to reporting on your on-going project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.   

Funding and Tenders Portal FAQ 

IT Helpdesk: Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.   

Non-IT related questions should be sent to the following email address: CINEA-EMFAF-CALLS@ec.europa.eu