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The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) plans a new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) with the aim to tackle the key challenges in the water, marine and maritime fields.
The European Commission develped a Staff working document on an ex-ante analysis on the relevance of a new Knowledge and Innovation Community of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology on Water, Marine and Maritime Sectors and Ecosystems and confirmed its launch in 2026. The Staff working document is supported and accompanied by an independent study which overviews recent developments in scientific, technological and socio-economic trends in water, marine and maritime sectors and ecosystems.
The document confirms that despite efforts and progress, the key challenges identified in the EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda still persist. These challenges are:
- water scarcity, droughts, and floods
- marine and freshwater degradation
- transition to a sustainable blue economy
To address these key challenges, the community will take a holistic and collaborative approach. It will build an innovation ecosystem at European level by bringing together education institutions, research organisations and businesses with water, marine and maritime expertise.
Next steps
In 2025, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will publish a call for proposals for this new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on water, marine, and maritime sectors and ecosystems. The KIC will become active in 2026.
For more information on the these documents please refer to the source page of this announcement: https://education.ec.europa.eu/news/new-eit-knowledge-and-innovation-community-will-focus-on-water-marine-and-maritime-sectors-and-ecosystems