Call for proposals to support Maritime Spatial Planning in the Atlantic and Black Sea

The European Commission launched a new call for proposals with co-funding of up to €1.7 million to facilitate sea basin cooperation on Maritime Spatial Planning in the European Union. The call is funded under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

Maritime Spatial Planning requires strategic vision to coordinate the use of the sea for marine protection and human activities. It needs reliable and comparable data and good cooperation between EU Member States, and with their neighbouring countries.

The objective of this call is to develop innovative solutions to tackle specific challenges that EU Member States in the Atlantic and Black Sea might encounter when putting into effect, monitoring and revising their Maritime Spatial Plans. 

As many of these challenges are common to coastal Member States, there is a shared interest in finding innovative responses that can apply within a sea basin or across sea basins. 

This means that projects should bring together participants from different Member States located in the same sea basin, or from different sea basins. Proposals can focus on a part or sub-region of the Atlantic and Black Sea.

One or two projects are expected to be funded.

Until when to apply?

Applicants can submit their proposals until 15 April 2026 at 17:00 (CEST).

What is the timeline?

Evaluation of the proposals: April-May 2026 

Information on evaluation results: June 2026 

Signature of the Grant Agreements: September-Dec 2026

The dates above are indicative and can change in the coming months.

How to apply?

Applicants have to submit their proposal electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System.

Background

The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)’s support to Maritime Spatial Planning Projects covers the needs of EU Member States in the implementation, monitoring and revision of their maritime spatial plans. It also supports cross-border cooperation and combined efforts of countries at sea-basin level to achieve the objectives of the European Ocean Pact.

In general, EMFAF supports the implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy and of the Union's maritime policy along four priorities:

• Fostering sustainable fisheries and the conservation of marine biological resources;
• Contributing to food security in the Union through competitive and sustainable aquaculture and markets;
• Enabling the growth of a sustainable blue economy and fostering prosperous coastal communities;
• Strengthening international ocean governance and enabling safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed seas and oceans.

For the period 2021-2027, it has an overall budget of EUR 6.108 billion to promote a growth and job-based recovery in Europe. The budget is divided between shared (managed by Member States) and direct management (managed by the European Commission, agencies and international organisations).

The majority of the EMFAF actions in direct management delegated to CINEA are targeted at supporting policy development by the European Commission and implemented by way of procurement (purchase of services) and grants (contribution to specific actions).