High level panel discussion focused on working together with Member States, regional networks and key stakeholders dedicated to the new EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters: a lighthouse for the Danube river was organised during the European Research and Innovation Days 2022 on 29th September 2022. The workshop was moderated by Kestutis Sadauskas Deputy Director general DG MARE
The discussion was opened by Sebastian-loan Burduja the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization of Rumania, who mentioned numerous projects that have been developed in the Danube delta and expressed support for the Mission implementation.
Barna Kovács, Ph.D. BIOEAST Secretary General continued with a presentation of the political initiative of 11 Central and Easter EU countries in the BIOEAST macro region. Dr. Kovács highlighted the unique role of the Water Mission in tackling the research and development focused on fresh water for the first time. Fresh water is a vital element influencing the economies and social structure of the BIOEAST countries, therefore the Ministry of Agriculture Czech Republic initiated the macro regional Thematic Working Group Fresh Water Based Bioeconomy as a platform enabling policy makers and experts to tackle the issues together. Barna Kovacs noted that the Mission is going above each and individual project and encouraging long term strategy and action plans that need to be developed together by the policy makers and experts.
Adrian Stănică Director General of Romanian National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology – GeoEcoMar and Igor Liska Technical Expert of International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River presented projects that were developed in the Danube river basin. Teresa Geidel Researcher of Fresh Thoughts Consulting GmbH outlined future activities of the Mission that can support the common effort in the restoration of the Danube delta, in particular to create a “one-stop-shop” for funding. John Bell summarised the discussion highlighting the need for cooperation among a wide spectrum of stakeholders, who should express the needs and these cooperation action could be supported. The EU Mission disposes of funding but the engagement of stakeholders and clear and concrete action that can bring evidence based solutions is of crucial importance