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19th EMODnet (Autumn 2023) Steering Committee Meeting - Meeting Minutes & Presentations

This article summarises the main discussions of the 19th EMODnet Steering Committee Meeting which took place as an in-person meeting (Brussels, Belgium) on 1 December 2023.

Date and time: 1 December 2023 (09:00-11:45) (all times in Central European Time, CET)

Location: Hotel Nhow Brussels, Rue Royale 250, 1210, Brussels, Belgium – Meeting room 1, floor 1

Meeting Chair: Jan-Bart Calewaert (Senior advisor to EMODnet)

Type of meeting: Hybrid (in person and on EMODnet webex)

 

Table 1. List of 19th EMODnet Steering Committee meeting actions

Action

                    By whom?

 Deadline

1

ACTION 1: EMODnet Secretariat to follow up with EC DG MARE about an internal EMODnet workshop for EC DG MARE staff

 

EMODnet Secretariat

29 February 2024

2

ACTION 2: EMODnet members of the Marine In Situ Coordination Group to liaise with full MIC Group with a view to co-developing an infographic on the European marine in situ ocean observation and data landscape

 

EMODnet Secretariat, EMODnet MIC members

30 September 2024

3

ACTION 3: EMODnet Coordinators and partners should strengthen their representation of EMODnet when participating in RTD projects e.g., Horizon Europe, EU Mission projects, and should inform their EMODnet partners of this to create a more structured approach to connecting EMODnet with European projects

EMODnet Coordinators, Secretariat

ongoing

4

ACTION 4:  EMODnet for Maritime Spatial Planning: Human Activities should add EC DG MARE in .cc when emailing EU Member States to request data, and continue dialogue with EC DG MARE on MSP activities, with a view to EMODnet Human activities presenting the latest update of EMODnet’s work on MSP at a future Technical Expert Group (TEG) for MSP in 2024

 

EMODnet Secretariat and Human Activities

30 June 2024, ongoing

5

ACTION 5: Organize a tele-meeting in January 2024 with the EMODnet Coordinators and Secretariat to discuss the EMODnet Vision to 2035

 

EMODnet Secretariat, EMODnet Coordinators

31 January 2024

6

ACTION 6: EMODnet Central Portal Team (VLIZ, Secretariat) to take forward suggestions made at the 19th EMODnet SC related to the open source map viewer and idea for technical newsletter/blog to the next TWG in Q1 2024

 

EMODnet Central Portal (VLIZ and Secretariat)

30 April 2024

7

ACTION 7: Add a short text to the EMDOnet Portal Partnership Data Providers webpage to make it clear that the Data Providers list mainly includes data aggregators, infrastructures and services, it does not include all of the many hundreds more in situ ocean observation, marine monitoring and data collection efforts that are the foundation of the EMODnet marine knowledge value chain.

 

EMODnet Secretariat

31 January 2024

8

ACTION 8: Organise a tele-meeting with DG MARE and CINEA to further plan the EMODnet webinar for EU Mission Ocean and Horizon Europe 

 

EMODnet Secretariat and Data Ingestion Coordinators

31 December 2023

9

ACTION 9: Review and revise the Terms of Reference of EMODnet Associated Partnership to reflect that any organization that becomes a full partner of EMODnet, it must renounce its Associated Partnership

 

EMODnet Secretariat

30 April 2024

10

ACTION 10: Register EMODnet for the Blue Invest platform and maintain dialogue with CINEA and DG MARE on opportunities for EMODnet to contribute to BlueInvest events and stakeholder dialogues

 

EMODnet Secretariat

31 March 2024, ongoing

11

ACTION 11: All EMODnet Coordinators to provide an update to the EMODnet Secretariat of the dialogue with Regional Sea Conventions before/at the next EMODnet SC meeting

 

EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators

30 April 2024

12

ACTION 12: EMODnet Coordinators to provide more inputs on their thematic/data ingestion contributions to the UN Ocean Decade to the EMODnet UN OD CIG co-Chairs Lennert Tyberhein (VLIZ) and Dick Schaap (MARIS) and the EMODnet Secretariat interactions before the UN Ocean Decade Conference

 

EMODnet Coordinators

31 March 2024, ongoing

13

ACTION 13: Contact EC DG MARE for EMODnet input to a joint workshop between EMODnet and the Blue Economy Observatory for European Maritime Day 2024

 

EMODnet Secretariat

8 December 2024

14

ACTION 14: Send out a poll to the EMODnet SC for the next (20th) SC meeting

 

EMODnet Secretariat,

31 January 2024

         

 

 

Meeting Minutes

Friday 1 December, 09:00-11:45 CET

09:00 EMODnet Closed Session*

*This session was for EMODnet SC only. Due to the recent EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree on 27-30 November 2023, the 19th SC was a shorter meeting held only in closed session, since thematic and data ingestion presentations and wider dialogues had taken place during the Conference and Jamboree.

Welcome and Opening Remarks (Chair, EMODnet Secretariat, and DG MARE)

  • General publications
  • 19 January 2024
EMODnetSC19_EMODnetSecretariatSlideDeck

 

Jan-Bart Calewaert (JBC, senior advisor to EMODnet) opened the 19th EMODnet Steering Committee (SC) meeting, welcoming all participants and recognizing the success of the EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree 2023 that had taken place the past four days as a physical event in Brussels. He encouraged using the Steering Committee meeting to reflect on ideas and follow-up actions from these events. Jan-Bart noted that this EMODnet SC was shorter than normal and with no thematic and data ingestion presentations, since these had already been given at the recent EMODnet events. Finally, JBC introduced a new member of the EMODnet Steering Committee, namely, Alessandra Cacciari (DG DEFIS), in charge of relations between EMODnet and Copernicus and officially replacing former SC member Fabienne Jacq.

Kate Larkin (KL, Head of EMODnet Secretariat) presented the housekeeping rules, practical arrangements and overall agenda of the meeting. She noted that Alessandro Pititto (COGEA – BIP Group, EMODnet Human Activities) and Fred Leclerq (VLIZ, EMODnet Central Portal) were connected online, and that colleagues from SHOM (Thierry Schmidt and Adeline Souf) were travelling and would most likely not be able to connect for the meeting).

EMODnet in the Marine Data Landscape Communication (DG MARE, ALL)

Zoi Konstantinou (ZK, European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, EC DG MARE) welcomed everyone on behalf of EC DG MARE, expressing gratitude for the successful execution of the Open Conference and Jamboree 2023, and for the commitment of all in the organization and delivery of the events. She explained that the EMODnet Conference was well received by EC DG MARE management, and as a result there is a request to organize an internal workshop in DG MARE to introduce EMODnet further to the members of the DG, to take place in early 2024.

She highlighted the recent publication on the EMODnet Portal of the ‘In situ marine data Landscape Communication’[1] that was developed by EMODnet, in collaboration with Copernicus Marine Service. The document focuses on collaboration points between the EMODnet and Copernicus Marine service and is intended to inform the wider public how the services work together as two backbone infrastructures supporting marine knowledge, including focused coordination activities on targeted ocean parameters derived from operational oceanographic platforms. JBC encouraged all Steering Committee members to share the document with their network. KL informed the SC that the joint communication would be promoted in the next EMODnet News Digest, and on the EC Maritime Forum. She added that a discussion was ongoing between EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service to produce a joint infographic on the wider in situ marine data landscape in Europe, to be developed also with EuroGOOS, SeaDataNet and others, in the context of the Marine In Situ Coordination Group which is co-Chaired by EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service.  

Discussing EMODnet and the wider landscape, Dick Schaap (DS, MARIS, EMODnet Data Ingestion Coordinator, Bathymetry and Chemistry Technical Coordinator) noted that EMODnet could make more use of the results of European RTD projects e.g., Blue-Cloud 2026 workflows and outputs. ZK responded that when EMODnet partners are participating in RTD projects should also represent EMODnet and make these links and synergies, also both in terms of use of EMODnet and submission of project data and outputs to EMODnet.

ACTION 1: EMODnet Secretariat to follow up with EC DG MARE about an internal EMODnet workshop for EC DG MARE staff (EMODnet Secretariat, 29 February 2024)

ACTION 2: EMODnet members of the Marine In Situ Coordination Group to liaise with full MIC Group with a view to co-developing an infographic on the European marine in situ ocean observation and data landscape (EMODnet Secretariat, EMODnet Physics, Chemistry, Data Ingestion, 30 September 2024).

ACTION 3: EMODnet Coordinators and partners should strengthen their representation of EMODnet when participating in RTD projects e.g., Horizon Europe, EU Mission projects, and should inform their EMODnet partners of this to create a more structured approach to connecting EMODnet with European  projects (EMODnet Coordinators, Secretariat, ongoing).

Update from DG DEFIS

Alessandra Cacciari (DG DEFIS) noted that new funding for the Copernicus Marine Service from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) had been approved which will contribute to funding the Copernicus coastal service. She noted that the U.K. will re-join the Copernicus Marine Service programme in 2024. She also highlighted that Copernicus will have 150 million Euro/year for new generation sentinel satellites.  

Finally, Alessandra invited DG MARE, as observers to the Copernicus Marine Service, to the Copernicus user forum in Brussels on 6 December 2023, and she invited the EMODnet Steering Committee to the Copernicus Data Service EU Arctic Policy event[2] which would be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 7 December 2023.

Operational updates from the Secretariat: List and status of actions from previous meeting (Spring 2023, 18th SC)

KL presented the status of actions from the previous (18th) SC meeting that took place on 28 May 2023.

Regarding the Action ‘Share with the SC the mapping of European projects from the Horizon programme and Mission Ocean’, it was indicated that this was shared with the EMODnet Coordinators as a googlesheet living document soon after the 18th SC. In addition, to deliver another action regarding raising awareness of EMODnet with EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters and Horizon Europe projects, the EMODnet Secretariat and Data Ingestion had proactively discussed and were planning an online workshop for 28 February 2024 that would demonstrate EMODnet’s potential for Mission Ocean and wider European Horizon Europe projects. This would be discussed later on in the agenda. For the Action ‘Discuss with DG MARE on EMODnet’s role in MSFD data flow, after internal EC discussion between MARE, ENV and EEA’, ZK clarified that DG MARE is having discussions with DG ENV, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) on the role of EMODnet within the MSFD framework, including and how to further establish its important role in managing and providing access to MSFD data.

Regarding the Action ‘Arrange a meeting between EMODnet Human Activities, SHOM, Secretariat and EC DG MARE to discuss EMODnet’s evolving role in Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) data’, Alessandro Pititto (AP, EMODnet Human Activities Coordinator, Cogea-Bip group) highlighted that EMODnet is moving forward with publishing National MSP Plans as geospatial layers. Out of the 20 EU Member States that have submitted National MSP Plans to the EC, only 10 are currently on EMODnet. This is a result of data accessibility since EMODnet can only create geospatial layers of a National MSP if the Member State has provided the data in open access and also as shape files / similar to enable the creation of geospatial layers. For instance, more than half of the Member States that have adopted their Marine Spatial Plan, still have not made the underlying data available or it is in a format that cannot be published in the EMODnet map viewer. He added that a recent workshop took place organized by EMODnet Human Activities for EC DG MARE, with the aim of explaining how MSP data available on EMODnet could be effectively utilized for EU Policy. One issue that was raised during the workshop was that some users seem to get confused by the way the MSP data are currently presented in the EMODnet map viewer, for instance displaying both allowed and disallowed MSP areas, and the visualisation could be optimised. He noted the matter would be further addressed during the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Data for MSP meetings, to which EMODnet Human Activities participates. It was noted that some Member States use wider EMODnet (marine environmental) data for the design of their MSP, while other Member States only use data collected by national authorities for regulatory monitoring. This is a missed opportunity and EMODnet could create more awareness about the benefits of using EMODnet pan-European integrated data to complement National data. 

ACTION 4:  EMODnet for Maritime Spatial Planning: Human Activities should add EC DG MARE in .cc when emailing EU Member States to request data, and continue dialogue with EC DG MARE on MSP activities, with a view to EMODnet Human activities presenting the latest update of EMODnet’s work on MSP at a future Technical Expert Group (TEG) for MSP in 2024 (EMODnet Secretariat and Human Activities, 30 June 2024 and ongoing).

For the Action ‘Update and share the updated EMODnet Use Case template with Coordinators’, KL explained that following feedback at the 18th SC and further dialogue with DG MARE, the EMODnet use case categories on the Central Portal and in the use case template had been updated to better reflect the main user case sectors. She noted that EMODnet Coordinators are already using the new template and she encouraged them to further engage with their network to develop more use cases for their thematics, also from diverse stakeholder sectors.

EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree Follow-Up Actions

JBC explained that this year’s conference showcased the diversity of EMODnet’s network, with a broad range of speakers from all sectors across the marine knowledge value chain. He opened the floor for feedback and reflections on the Open Conference. Regarding the Call to Action, he reiterated that the EMODnet service offer needs to be refined while consolidated, in terms of quality. He emphasized the point made in the Closing Session Panel that EMODnet is not looking for a revolution but for an evolution, where we continue improving, consolidating the services making them reliable and interoperable. The importance of data quality and semantic interoperability was re-emphasized by Alessandra Giorgetti (AG, OGS, EMODnet Chemistry Coordinator) as well as the importance of usability of the user interface. During the conference, stakeholders mentioned there is a need for better and dedicated communication with industry and end users, also developing more use cases to exemplify the value of EMODnet to users. ZK noted that she is in discussion with DG MARE to assess the future of the EC Marine Knowledge Expert Group (MKEG), with the potential to evolve this into a group of private sector / industry with even stronger links to EMODnet, to provide feedback on EMODnet related matters. She added that there is a need to involve the thematic and data ingestion coordinators more in the process of outreach to the industry sector. An idea was proposed that the EMODnet Portal could have more information on the EMODnet offer for various stakeholder sectors and profiles e.g., for the Blue Economy / industry and specific sectors e.g., offshore renewable energy.  ZK referred to a study[3] that is currently being conducted on the potential of EMODnet to support MSFD and MSP, noting that this may yield some interesting outputs that could be taken forward related to the EMODnet offer for EU policy. To save resources she therefore suggested waiting for the outcomes of this study before working on this action.

KL noted that the Conference closing session had called for EMODnet to develop more targeted communication and guidance to the user community, and it would be a good development to add further information on the EMODnet Portal to guide users to the most relevant data and data products and to give them concrete examples of uses. In addition, EMODnet was also looking tagging data products with user group or policy related terms, to further enrich the metadata and search function of the common metadata catalogue. Conor Delaney (CD, EMODnet Secretariat Technical coordinator) highlighted that the Central Portal Tech Team are collecting feedback on which tags are needed. He added it is important that EMODnet is a stable service and does not change every year for the users, but rather adds the tagging once the feasibility has been fully assessed and so there is no disruption to the service.

KL added that the Secretariat would further promote the EMODnet Call to Action to the key actors named in the Call to Action, ready for stakeholder consultation in 2024 for the EMODnet Vision to 2035. To kick-start this, a meeting would be organized with EMODnet Coordinators in early 2024 to initiate the EMODnet Vision to 2035 and to discuss the setting up a drafting group of EMODnet experts and potentially wider experts.

ACTION 5: Organize a tele-meeting in January 2024 with the EMODnet Coordinators and Secretariat to discuss the EMODnet Vision to 2035. (EMODnet Secretariat, EMODnet Coordinators, 31 January 2024)

Post-meeting note: A tele-meeting has been arranged for 24 January 2024

Updates from 14th Technical Working Group (TWG) - 10'

CD presented updates from the 14th EMODnet TWG that took place on 18 October 2023. Discussing the future evolution of the EMODnet map viewer features he noted that the TWG had discussed and approved of the establishment of an Open Source Map Viewer group in 2024. This would leverage the expertise across the network, engaging all EMODnet thematic Coordinators/TWG representatives in the development of new map viewer features, including features that thematics had already proposed but that were not yet implemented. This would need careful planning to ensure a sound approach. The process for this was under development by the EMODnet Central Portal (VLIZ and Secretariat), in collaboration with Bilbomatica who implemented the EMODnet Map viewer technical developments to date. Suggestions included the set-up of a GIT-hub Repository. The potential for a technical newsletter and/or blog starting in 2024 was also discussed. He noted that the CP Technical Team welcomed any suggestions, and noted that this proposal, together with other suggestions at the SC would be further discussed at the next (15th) Technical Working Group (TWG), planned for March 2024 (date to be decided).

ACTION 6: EMODnet Central Portal Team (VLIZ, Secretariat) to take forward suggestions made at the 19th EMODnet SC related to the open source map viewer and idea for technical newsletter/blog to the next TWG in Q1 2024 (EMODnet Central Portal Team, 30 April 2024)

EMODnet: Data Provision and Data Ingestion

KL thanked EMODnet Coordinators for their active contributions of thematic and data ingestion data providers. She explained that the individual lists had been collated and a full list of EMODnet Data Providers[4] (status October 2023) were now available on the EMODnet Portal, by thematic / data ingestion. She noted that the secretariat welcome feedback from the EMODnet SC on how to further recognize data providers going forward, noting also that the > 600 data providers include many data infrastructures, aggregators and services, and that these do not always count the many hundreds more data collectors i.e. ocean observation, marine monitoring and data collection efforts. This was seconded by AG and DS and there was suggested to add a disclaimer at the start of the EMODnet Portal Partnership webpage on EMODnet Data Providers.

ACTION 7: Add a short text to the EMODnet Portal Partnership Data Providers webpage to make it clear that the Data Providers list mainly includes data aggregators, infrastructures and services, it does not include all of the many hundreds more in situ ocean observation, marine monitoring and data collection efforts that are the foundation of the EMODnet marine knowledge value chain (EMODnet Secretariat, 31 January 2024)

EMODnet webinar for Mission Ocean and Horizon Europe, 28 February 2024

KL noted this was an action from the previous (18th EMODnet SC). The EMODnet Secretariat and Data Ingestion had initiated planning for this, selecting the date of 28 February 2024 as it was timely to raise awareness about EMODnet to EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters (Mission Ocean) and Horizon Europe projects in the days leading up to the European Ocean Week, 4-8 March 2024 which would include a Mission Ocean Forum, amongst other events. She explained the webinar was being planned and implemented in collaboration with DG MARE and CINEA and a tele-meeting would be organised to advance plans before the end of 2023. ZK added that it would be important to target in the first instance those projects that generate relevant marine (environmental and/or human activities) data. The concept involves engaging with Mission Ocean and Horizon Europe projects (preferably in their early stages), aiming to explore how they could effectively utilize EMODnet data, and importantly, how projects could receive guidance and support for optimal data management and sharing practices, to ensure data and metadata produced is ready for ingestion to EMODnet. It was noted that many projects already have their own data management pipeline utilizing existing national, regional and European repositories. The aim was not to change this, but rather to ensure that the Data Management Plans (DMP) of projects include a step to also submit data and outputs to EMODnet, as per of the EU funding specifications, and to guide projects who may not yet have a data pipeline to EMODnet established. 

JBC suggested the proactive measure of sending out a survey prior to the workshop during the registration process.

KL explained that this would be done using an EU Survey for registration that would include other questions and fields of information to capture content that could be used for the webinar and in further work to help prioritise which projects require the most guidance.

ZK noted the goal is to avoid increasing the workload for both EMODnet and the participating projects. She added that there was a need to communicate to projects about their obligation to submit data to EMODnet.

ACTION 8: Organise a tele-meeting with DG MARE and CINEA to further plan the EMODnet webinar for EU Mission Ocean and Horizon Europe (EMODnet Secretariat, EMODnet Data Ingestion, 31 December 2023)

Post-meeting note: This tele-meeting took place on 18 December 2023. Targeted invitation and registration will be launched in early January 2024, in combination with public promotion on the EMODnet Portal, News Digest and EC Maritime Forum.

EMODnet Associated Partnership: Overview of Dialogues in 2023, Feedback on Engagement

KL provided an overview of the dialogues the EMODnet Secretariat had undertaken with organization as potential new Associated Partners (AP). As a result, the Secretariat had received three new AP applications, which had been remotely approved by the SC. The 3 new APs are Puertos del Estado, Marine Centre Wales of Bangor University and e-BO Enterprises. She noted this was already available on the Central Portal EMODnet AP webpage, and the news would feature in the EMODnet News Digests coming out in early December (Conference and Jamboree focus) and the December 2023 edition.

A question was raised about how to engage APs further, noting that some APs are very silent. It was also indicated that a few APs are subcontractors to EMODnet and there needs to be a clearer distinction between partnership and Associated Partnership. It was agreed that subcontractors of EMODnet could be APs. However, any organization that becomes a full partner of EMODnet should then be removed from the AP list. It was discussed that this is a positive evolution that some EMODnet APs have since become partners of EMODnet, showing the engagement and the value of these organisations to EMODnet. It was agreed the Secretariat will look at the AP Terms of Reference to update this in 2024, as needed.

ACTION 9: Review and revise the Terms of Reference of EMODnet Associated Partnership to reflect that any organization that becomes a full partner of EMODnet, it must renounce its Associated Partnership (EMODnet Secretariat, 30 April 2024)

Fabrice Pourceau (FP, CINEA) suggested that EMODnet connects more with the EC Blue Invest platform which includes many Blue Economy stakeholders. It would be an advantage for EMODnet to join the platform as stakeholder but also get acquainted with the material hosted on the knowledge centre of the platform, and for EMODnet partners to also consider registering for the BlueInvest day on 7 March 2024. He added that PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) could  be conducting a survey of the BlueInvest platform members (especially SMEs and investors) in regard to their needs for business data. CINEA could facilitate PWC providing a presentation to EMODnet, as further input to EMODnet for Business future planning.

ACTION 10: Register EMODnet for the Blue Invest platform and maintain dialogue with CINEA and DG MARE on opportunities for EMODnet to contribute to BlueInvest events and stakeholder dialogues. (EMODnet Secretariat, 31 March 2024, ongoing).

Post-meeting note: The EMODnet Secretariat registered EMODnet for the Blue Invest stakeholder platform in December 2023. Dialogue with CINEA and DG MARE will be continued with a view to EMODnet representation at the BlueInvest Day[5] on 7 March 2024.

Dialogue on Wider Partnerships

EU and Regional

KL presented updates on EU and Regional partnerships including with Copernicus Marine Service, the work on the Digital Twin Ocean, European Ocean Observing, EMODnet for EU policy, and engagement with the Regional Sea Conventions. She noted the joint EMODnet - Copernicus Marine Service communication had already been discussed at the SC and that Copernicus Marine Service had also been invited to actively participate in multiple sessions of the EMODnet Open Conference 2023. She also noted that all EMODnet Coordinators had been invited to the 8th coordination meeting of EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service in October 2023 and that the minutes and presentations were being published on the EC Maritime Forum[6]. ZK shared positive progress on Digital Twin Ocean, announcing an upcoming Digital Ocean Forum on 12-13 June 2024. CD reported that EMODnet’s work on centralization and in EDITO were presented at the INSPIRE Conference.

Regarding the Secretariat’s work on the Regional Sea Conventions (RSCs), KL gave an overview of a study done by the Secretariat in the context of Task 5.1 of the EMODnet Secretariat workplan related to supporting EC DG MARE in its EC Ocean Observing initiative and strengthening links between EMODnet and the Ocean Observation community and data pipeline. In agreement with DG MARE the 2023 study had focused on the regional coordination of ocean observation and marine monitoring and regional data flow to EMODnet. This had included bilateral meetings with the four Regional Sea Conventions related to European seas, and ICES. The work had been conducted by the EMODnet Secretariat, in collaboration with the European Marine Board. She noted the outcome of this study would be a report, which the Secretariat agreed to circulate to the Coordinators. It was recognized that all thematics and data ingestion also have direct interactions with RSCs and events e.g., EMODnet Biology – RSC meeting in April 2024 and an ongoing survey, and that further sharing of information across thematics, data ingestion and the Secretariat could help provide an overview of these dialogues, provide the opportunity to coordinate - where relevant - and to reduce stakeholder fatigue. This should be further discussed at the next SC meeting. It was noted that from summer 2023 and ongoing, JPI Oceans is conducting a survey with National representatives of ocean observation funding (e.g., Ministries) to assess the levels of coordination in European Member States. The first countries being consulted are Belgium and Greece, with further nations planned in 2024.

ACTION 11: All EMODnet Coordinators to provide an update to the EMODnet Secretariat of the dialogue with Regional Sea Conventions before/at the next EMODnet SC meeting (EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators, 30 April 2024)

DG MARE provided updates and insights on the European Ocean Observing initiative, expressing a commitment from DG MARE to advance the ocean observing prototype planning tool. They noted there are ongoing discussions to explore interoperability, specific needs, and the data collection process beyond the digital platform.

Global

Vicente Fernandez (VF, EMODnet Secretariat) presented updates on EMODnet's role as a Decade Implementing Partner (DIP) and its involvement in the EMODnet for UN Ocean Decade Coordination and Implementation Group. The EMODnet Coordinators were encouraged to continue sharing their contributions and links to the UN Ocean Decade with the Secretariat and the EMODnet UN OD CIG, to enhance the mapping of EMODnet activities The Secretariat highlighted its confirmed participation in the UN Ocean Decade Conference 2024 (April 2024, Barcelona, Spain), which included a poster submission underscoring EMODnet's active engagement in global ocean initiatives, and submissions for side events including a joint event with Copernicus Marine Service and EUMETSAT on marine data training, other side events related to EDITO-Infra, and others, and a physical booth for Copernicus Marine Service, the UN Ocean decade Collaborative Centre on Ocean Prediction and EMODnet. It was noted these submissions had not yet been confirmed.

ACTION 12: EMODnet Coordinators to provide more inputs on their thematic/data ingestion contributions to the UN Ocean Decade to the EMODnet UN OD CIG co-Chairs Lennert Tyberhein (VLIZ) and Dick Schaap (MARIS) and the EMODnet Secretariat interactions before the UN Ocean Decade Conference (ALL EMODnet Coordinators, 31 March 2024, ongoing)

External Events

ZK announced the publication of the call for workshops (deadline: 8th December) for the next European Maritime Day (EMD) in May 2024, and emphasized that in addition there would be a joint workshop between EMODnet and the Blue Economy Observatory, organized by DG MARE, with EMODnet input. Considering the limited workshop spots, Zoi suggested exploring partnerships with organizations already associated with EMODnet. KL indicated that the Secretariat would primarily focus on supporting DG MARE with any input required for the EMODnet-Blue Economy Observatory related workshop. She encouraged EMODnet Coordinators to consider submitting other workshop proposals, and also link these to EMDOnet.

ACTION 13: Contact EC DG MARE for EMODnet input to a joint workshop between EMODnet and the Blue Economy Observatory for European Maritime Day 2024 (EMODnet Secretariat, 8 December 2024).

Post-meeting note: The EMODnet Secretariat and DG MARE completed input to the joint EMD 2024 workshop on 7 December, ready for the deadline.

EMODnet’s contribution to a UN Global Compact report on Offshore Renewable Energy and Maritime Spatial Planning that would be presented at COP28 on 4 December was highlighted.

Next SC

Logistics for the next SC were discussed, with plans for an online meeting in Spring 2024 (nominally March – April 2024, to be confirmed). The Secretariat would follow up by early 2024 with a poll to find suitable dates. The Autumn 2024 SC was proposed to be in person, and there was a call for any SC member who would like to consider hosting to get in touch with the EMODnet Secretariat

ACTION 14: Send out a poll to the EMODnet SC for the next (20th) SC meeting (EMODnet Secretariat, 31 January 2024)

The meeting was closed.

 

Annex I: List of participants

Table 2. List of participants

*online

Apologies from: Thierry Schmitt, SHOM/EMODnet Bathymetry Coordinator and Adeline Souf, SHOM who could not attend the meeting due to work travel.

Entity

Name

Affiliation

EMODnet

EMODnet Secretariat

Kate Larkin

EMODnet Secretariat

Conor Delaney

EMODnet Secretariat

Tim Collart

EMODnet Secretariat

Angelika Karampourouni

EMODnet Secretariat

Megan Tijssens

EMODnet Secretariat

Matteo Mikos

EMODnet Secretariat

EMODnet SC Chair

Jan-Bart Calewaert

EMODnet senior advisor / Lead manager UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Office

EMODnet Physics

Patrick Gorringe

SMHI, Sweden

Antonio Novellino

ETT, Italy

EMODnet Geology

Henry Vallius

GTK, Finland

Anu Kaskela

GTK, Finland

EMODnet Biology/CP

Joana Beja

VLIZ, Belgium

Fred Leclerq*

VLIZ, Belgium

Bart Vanhoorne

VLIZ, Belgium

EMODnet Ingestion

Sissy Iona

HCMR, Greece

EMODnet Bathy/Chem/Ingestion

Dick Schaap

MARIS, The Netherlands

EMODnet Chemistry

Alessandra Giorgetti

OGS, Italy

EMODnet Human Activities

Alessandro Pititto*

COGEA, BIP Group, Italy

 EMODnet Seabed Habitats

Ville Karvinen

 SYKE, Finland

European Commission

DG MARE

Remy Denos

DG MARE A1

DG MARE

Zoi Konstantinou

DG MARE A1

DG MARE

Grigore Rischitor

DG MARE A1

CINEA

Juan-Carlos Fernandez

CINEA

CINEA

Fabrice Pourceau

CINEA

DG DEFIS

Alessandra [dot] CACCIARIatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Alessandra Cacciari)

DG DEFIS

 

 

[1] https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/sites/emodnet.eu/files/public/PDF/EUInSituMarine_EMODnet_CMEMS_FINAL.pdf

[2] https://marine.copernicus.eu/events/copernicus-data-service-eu-arctic-policy-event-european-parliament

[3] CINEA/EMFAF/2022/3.5.1/Lot2/02/SC04/SI2.892803, Evaluation of EMODnet’s potential to support policy making in relation to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the EU MSP Directive.

[4] https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/data-providers-list

[5] https://blueinvest-community.converve.io/register_now.html

[6] https://maritime-forum.ec.europa.eu/emodnet-copernicus-marine-service-8…