EVENTS: Second Working Meeting Strengthens Transnational Dialogue on Innovation and Regulation in the Blue Economy
The second working meeting of the Innovablue initiative took place today, 26th of March 2025, bringing together partners and stakeholders from across the ADRION macro-region to continue shaping a collaborative path toward innovation-friendly regulatory frameworks in the Blue Economy.
These meetings mark the beginning of a transnational effort to remove regulatory barriers and unlock real-environment testing opportunities for marine and water-based technologies. The goal? Accelerate sustainable innovation and create space for experimentation through regulatory sandboxes, living labs, and strategic funding.
Following the momentum from our first session, today’s meeting focused on deepening our understanding of regulatory bottlenecks – and identifying actionable solutions.
Key topics included:
- Barriers to cross-border testing and technology deployment
- High compliance burdens faced by SMEs and innovators
- Gaps between regulation and fast-moving tech advancements
- The need for greater policy coordination and stakeholder alignment
Participants explored ways to address these issues through more flexible legal frameworks and harmonized standards across the region.
In the previous meeting, several high-impact technologies were highlighted as priorities for testing in real-world environments, including:
- Autonomous surface vessels
- Underwater communication and robotics
- Floating marinas and solar platforms
- AI-powered environmental monitoring
- Desalination systems
- Blue biotechnology
- Seabed mapping tools and underwater archaeology
- Fishing gear for detecting non-indigenous species
- High-performance diving equipment
These innovations hold great potential – but testing them requires regulatory space to experiment safely and legally.
To support this work, partners have been using a Challenge Mapping Tool organized into four domains:
- Mindset – institutional, cultural, and social barriers
- Regulatory – legal complexity and outdated procedures
- Data/Digital – interoperability, cybersecurity, and governance
- Infrastructure – physical and operational limitations
Each domain feeds into a shared action plan for regulatory reform.
A highlight of today’s session was a presentation by Francesca di Pascalis and Giulia Bologna from the Institute of Marine Sciences – National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR). They introduced the DANUBIUS-RI project — a pan-European research infrastructure designed to support studies of river-sea systems and promote real-world experimentation.
Their experience offered valuable lessons about the availability — and limitations — of existing infrastructure for innovation testing. While much of it is science-focused, there’s strong potential for adaptation. However, excellence is a must, especially for SMEs looking to access these platforms.
By the end of the meeting, the group reached:
- A refined scope for the upcoming Regulatory Framework Analysis
- A shared understanding of current regulatory barriers
- Clarity on which external models and frameworks (like Norway’s sandbox system) may serve as references
- Stronger connections between partners, enabling a network of innovation-ready institutions and stakeholders
Testing water-based technologies in the Blue Economy – especially across borders – is no easy feat. But through collaborative dialogue, structured planning, and shared vision, Innovablue is building the foundations for a smarter, more supportive innovation ecosystem.
Stay with us as we continue to break barriers, build bridges, and turn ideas into impact.