Representatives of member-states of the European Union with land bordering the Atlantic Ocean will gather in Dublin this fall for a conference focused on promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
The third annual Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference, taking place 27 September, will include workshops, plenary sessions and networking for participants interested in the E.U.’s “blue economy.”
In conjunction with the conference, representatives of Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain, France and Portugal will meet as part of the support team for the Atlantic Action Plan, which aims to “revitalize the marine and maritime economy in the Atlantic Ocean area” of the E.U.” The group encourages cooperation and information-sharing regarding the promotion of maritime activities including fishing, aquaculture and marine biotech “while preserving the environmental and ecological stability of the Atlantic Ocean,” according to the group’s website.
Confirmed speakers of the event include:
- Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
- Alain Cadec, Member of the European Parliament
- Michael Creed, Government of Ireland - Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The agenda of the event includes the following sessions:
- An introductory plenary session including a short Atlantic Project Award Ceremony at which the "Atlantic Project Awards" will be delivered.
- Parallel thematic workshops on priority 1 of the Atlantic Action Plan that will be selected through the open call that is currently running on the project’s website.
- A closing plenary session including a presentation of the workshop outcomes.
- As side networking and matchmaking activities, 40 exhibition stands will be operating during the conference, as well as, a designated matchmaking area for appointments between participants.
The conference and meeting of the support team are products of the Integrated Maritime Policy for the E.U., which aims to “coordinate all E.U. policies with a maritime dimension to ensure environmental sustainability and the quality of living conditions in coastal regions while promoting the growth potential of maritime industries,” according to a press release.
