What is the Mission?
With a 2030 target, the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters" aims to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments. The Mission’s new approach will address the ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.
Cross-cutting enabling actions will support this objective, in particular broad public mobilisation and engagement and a digital ocean and water knowledge system, known as Digital Twin Ocean.
The Mission supports regional engagement and cooperation through area-based “lighthouses” in major sea/river basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea. Mission lighthouses are sites to pilot, demonstrate, develop and deploy the Mission activities across EU seas and river basins
Mission Charter
We are calling on Member States, regions and a wide range of stakeholders to endorse the Charter and pledge actions that will contribute to the successful implementation of the Mission and its lighthouses.
Please click below to endorse the Charter and pledge actions
Action pledges submitted so far: interactive map
Mission Portal
The EU Mission Ocean and Waters’ online Portal is a one-stop-shop for stakeholders involved and interested in implementing the Mission Ocean and Waters.
You can:
- keep track of the Mission's progress toward its objectives
- follow the actions and activities across Mission Lighthouses
- find financial and investment opportunities related to the Mission
- access the Mission library to learn about and share innovative solutions for ocean and water restoration
- engage with citizens and stakeholders through outreach, dissemination and Mission events.
Portfolio Analysis
The European Commission has published a new Portfolio Analysis Report identifying over 800 EU-funded projects, from 16 EU funding programmes, contributing to the objectives of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. The analysis has been performed with the assistance of 12 independent experts and the projects analysed belong to 16 EU funding programmes. The analysis has produced a Report and a Dashboard. The Dashboard allows users to interact with the data by visualising and filtering from general to more detailed information, according to specific interests.
For an easier use of the Dashboard, check the Quick Guide.
What are EU Missions?
EU Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest challenges. They have ambitious goals and will deliver tangible results by 2030.
They will deliver impact by putting research and innovation into a new role, combined with new forms of governance and collaboration, as well as by engaging citizens.
EU Missions are a novelty of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for the years 2021-2027.
More information
- mission-oriented policy for Horizon Europe
- Horizon Europe
- co-design session on oceans mission at Research and Innovation Days (video)
- EU Missions info days 2022
Contact
EU-MISSION-OCEAN-AND-WATERSec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EU-MISSION-OCEAN-AND-WATERS[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Mission Newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news on the Mission, as well as developments on Mission Charter Actions, the EU Blue Parks Community, and events by subscribing to our monthly newsletter
Documents
Official documents
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions:
EU Missions two years on: assessment of progress and way forward.

Reports and studies
Analysis of a portfolio of projects financed by sixteen EU programmes contributing to the objectives and enablers of the mission ocean and waters. This report presents the results of the analysis of a portfolio of 841 EU projects - completed or ongoing - relevant to the EU Mission “Restore our Oceans and Waters by 2030”.

Communication material
- Downloadfrançais(HTML)
Mission Board reports
- Downloadбългарски(854.87 KB - PDF)
- Downloadespañol(679.62 KB - PDF)
- Downloadčeština(952.03 KB - PDF)
- Downloaddansk(760.94 KB - PDF)
- DownloadDeutsch(862.86 KB - PDF)
- Downloadeesti(770 KB - PDF)
- Downloadελληνικά(810.86 KB - PDF)
- Downloadfrançais(876.91 KB - PDF)
- DownloadGaeilge(956.67 KB - PDF)
- Downloadhrvatski(865.35 KB - PDF)
- Downloaditaliano(650.63 KB - PDF)
- Downloadlatviešu(891.46 KB - PDF)
- Downloadlietuvių(919.56 KB - PDF)
- Downloadmagyar(836.41 KB - PDF)
- DownloadMalti(930.58 KB - PDF)
- DownloadNederlands(631.4 KB - PDF)
- Downloadpolski(853.28 KB - PDF)
- Downloadportuguês(757.25 KB - PDF)
- Downloadromână(943.77 KB - PDF)
- Downloadslovenčina(1013.98 KB - PDF)
- Downloadslovenščina(886.9 KB - PDF)
- Downloadsuomi(858.74 KB - PDF)
- Downloadsvenska(758.89 KB - PDF)
Latest
- News article
Blue Economy: launch of ‘EU Blue Champions’ scheme to support innovative projects helping to restore the ocean and waters
The European Commission, in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB), is launching the new pilot scheme ‘EU Blue Champions’. It will be supported by the BlueInvest platform.
- Press release
Horizon Europe: EU Missions on track to meet their 2030 ambition towards a greener and healthier continent
During their first two years, the EU Missions in Horizon Europe have supported the Commission's work on the European Green Deal, making Europe fit for the Digital Age, and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.
- Press release
Galway Statement anniversary: a decade of marine research cooperation along and across the Atlantic Ocean
The Galway Statement is a cooperation agreement to join forces on Atlantic Ocean research, increase the knowledge of the Atlantic Ocean and build a common path for sustainable management of this shared resource.
- Press release
EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters': €106 million for 18 new projects for protection, conservation, depollution and innovation
The projects gather over 370 beneficiaries from 36 countries, including SMEs, research institutions, local authorities, schools and businesses.
Events

- Conferences and summits
Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” Annual Forum: towards 2030
- Tuesday 5 March 2024, 09:00 - 18:00 (CET)
- Brussels, Belgium

- Training and workshops
1st EU Blue Parks Community workshop ‘Working together for the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and biodiversity’
- Wednesday 6 December 2023, 14:30 - 17:30 (CET)
- Online only

- Conferences and summits
Securing and restoring our waters at regional and local level - European Week of Regions and Cities
- Wednesday 11 October 2023, 17:30 - 18:30 (CEST)
- Brussels, Belgium
Related links
Other EU Missions
Adaptation to climate change
Support at least 150 European regions and communities towards climate resilience by 2030
EU Mission: Cancer
improving the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, cure and for those affected by cancer including their families, to live longer and better
Climate-neutral and smart cities
Deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 and ensure that these cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050
A Soil Deal for Europe
The main goal of the Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' is to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.