On 31 July 2026, the National Information Event "Common Maritime Agenda: Institutional Achievements and Next Steps at the National Level" was held in Izmail, Odesa region, bringing together representatives of government, academia, higher education institutions, and international partners to discuss Ukraine's participation in European maritime research and innovation initiatives.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, acting as the National Coordinator of the EU Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (CMA), and hosted by the National Support Hub for the Common Maritime Agenda at Izmail State University of Humanities.

The Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea is a regional policy framework launched by the European Commission and officially endorsed on 21 May 2019 at the Ministerial Conference in Bucharest by the seven Black Sea countries: Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Russia. The Agenda provides a common framework for regional cooperation, promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy, healthy marine and coastal ecosystems, and increased investment, research, innovation, and maritime governance across the Black Sea region.

During the event, the Ministry of Education and Science presented the results of Ukraine's coordination of the Common Maritime Agenda implementation. Among the key achievements highlighted were the definition of national priorities in maritime policy, strengthened international cooperation on assessing the environmental impacts of the war on the Black Sea, support for the development of green ports and sustainable transport infrastructure, and expanded opportunities for attracting international research funding.

Participants also reviewed the practical outcomes of international cooperation. These include the organization of an international roundtable on the environmental consequences of the war for the Black Sea, enhanced cooperation with Baltic partners on humanitarian demining, the launch of three new collaborative projects with Black Sea countries, and the submission of five joint proposals under the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership.

The event also presented new opportunities for Ukraine arising from the European Ocean Pact and the forthcoming European Union Strategy for the Black Sea Region. Discussions focused on increasing the participation of Ukrainian researchers and higher education institutions in international research consortia, expanding access to European funding programmes, and strengthening international partnerships in marine research and innovation.

Another important topic was the development of cross-border cooperation in the Black Sea and Danube regions. Participants exchanged best practices in implementing international projects and learned about the activities of the Danube Institute of the Odesa Maritime Academy.

The meeting served as a platform for identifying concrete priorities for future cooperation among public authorities, research organisations, universities, and international partners, reinforcing Ukraine's integration into the European Research Area and advancing the implementation of the EU Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea.