News

The European Commission will support 22 new sustainable blue projects under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. A total of €15.1 million will be distributed to 104 companies from 22 countries. Belgium is participating in two projects through the AlgaeDemo project and the AQUA-LIT project. With the Blue Bioeconomy call, the EC wants to promote the implementation of a sustainable blue economy throughout the EU and the Mediterranean Sea basin.

Two thirds of the seas and oceans are beyond national jurisdiction. At present, the protection of this high sea and the seabed is only regulated in a very general way by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982). The so-called "Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction" (BBNJ) process aims to change this and is based on UN-Resolution 72/249 of 24 December 2017 for the drafting of a legally binding convention on the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. To support this process, Belgium will hold a stakeholder consultation on the four key issues of this future convention on 14 February 2019.

An overview of funding opportunities for projects in the research and innovation domain in winter and spring 2019.

 

The Flanders Marine Institute is organising the next VLIZ Marine Science Day (VMSD) on 13 March 2019, which will again take place in the Staf Versluyscentrum, Bredene. The VMSD is an annual interdisciplinary network and information event for everyone concerned with marine and coastal sciences in Flanders/Belgium and the neighbouring regions. During this edition, the SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals will be the theme of the day.

On 7 December 2018, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) launches the Compendium for Coast and Sea (2018) at cultural centre the Grote Post in Ostend (9.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.). The launch event will be linked to the importance of marine research in Flanders and Belgium and its valorisation in innovative applications or sustainable marine policy. The evolution of marine research in the last 10 years and the needs for the future will also be discussed. In the afternoon you can join the open Scientific Guidance Committee VLIZ (2 PM -4 PM) where large ongoing and upcoming projects within VLIZ are discussed. Read below for details about the programme and registration.

Both on a national and European level, promising steps have recently been taken that offer long-term opportunities for research and development in the Belgian North Sea. Read below for a brief overview:

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is currently building the 'VLIZ Marine Robotics Centre', which will greatly increase the possibilities for marine research and innovation. In this context, VLIZ offers two permanent positions for enthusiastic candidates who want to contribute to this unique project.

Following on from the North Sea Vision 2050 process, the Think Tank North Sea is now ready to go. In recent months, the steering committee – chaired by RBINS and VLIZ – has been working on a set of rules and regulations, and the process has been carefully laid out. From now on, interested parties are able to provide relevant themes that can be addressed by the think tank. All burning topics for the North Sea can be delivered via the following template.

De Speurgids Ondernemen en Innoveren is een jaarlijkse publicatie van het departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie (EWI) van de Vlaamse overheid met als doel een inkijk te geven in de overheidskredieten voor het Vlaams economisch- en wetenschapsbeleid. Daaruit blijkt dat er in 2018 meer dan 2,858 miljard euro gereserveerd is voor economie, wetenschap en innovatie.