The partnership should catalyse the transformation of Europe’s blue economy towards climate neutral status by 2050. By aligning national, regional and EU R&I priorities and bringing together science, industry, governance and society, it should deliver knowledge and solutions to make the blue economy sustainable. The partnership should increase scientific contributions, applicable in a legal/regulatory context, related to biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and restoration, climate mitigation and adaptation, and pollution, including eutrophication, noise, marine litter and hazardous substances, and should facilitate the use of scientific knowledge by regulators and policy-makers.  The partnership should promote technological, nature-based, social, economic and cultural innovation and experiment with new planning, governance, business and finance models.

The partnership should put the emphasis on the development of basin- or Europe-wide holistic, integrated, systemic and cross-sectoral approaches and foster co-creation processes involving all relevant stakeholders and actors, while remaining operationally manageable. It should contribute to improve the quality of life and long-term socio-economic prospects of coastal communities, including women, youth and the most vulnerable groups like indigenous people, in the context of major transitions and rising threats to climate, resources and health, including by increasing their resilience to crises.

• Membership and other modalities of participation from organisations and institutions in non-associated third countries is strongly encouraged, with key partners bordering the different EU sea basins. Financial support provided by the participants to third parties: €60,000.
• International cooperation is important.
• The partnership should cover the Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It is expected to include and be open to all relevant public marine/maritime funding organisations and ministries from EU Member States and associated countries as core members, in close cooperation with the private sector, including SMEs and foundations.
• Partners are expected to provide financial and/or in-kind contributions for the governance structure, the joint calls and other dedicated implementation actions and efforts for national coordination. The partnership is expected to mobilise EU, national and regional capacities to leverage investments, including from the private sector, increase up-scalability and market accessibility for the developed solutions and thus increase the return to investments.

The EU contribution will be implemented in annual instalments of around€ 20-30 million.