EU invests €116 million in 13 projects to restore oceans and waters, including the Danube and the Black Sea

On September 1, 2025, the European Commission announced funding for 13 new projects under the Horizon Europe programme, worth a total of €116 million. The projects aim to restore ecosystems of oceans, seas, and river basins.

They will be implemented across the Black Sea, the Danube, the Baltic and North Seas, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Arctic. The initiatives include actions for marine protected areas, safeguarding habitats for migratory fish, reducing the environmental impact of fisheries, and empowering local communities in aquatic ecosystem restoration.

Selected projects include:

• SEAMPHONI – applying advanced technologies for marine biodiversity monitoring;
• DanubeLifelines – restoring migratory routes for fish in the Danube;
• ECO-CATCH and MarineGuardian – developing new fishing technologies to reduce bycatch and protect marine habitats.

The Institute of Danube Research stresses that the involvement of the Danube and the Black Sea in these projects strengthens transboundary cooperation, creates opportunities for Ukrainian research institutions, and supports integration into the European Green Deal.