This year in May our founding member Lisbon was the venue for the European Maritime Day. A delegation from Brest Metropole, representing our Ocean Commission was present during the event on behalf of the Atlantic Cities.
We are now working to prepare the next edition, also in our Irish founding member, Cork. First of all, Atlantic Cities members will gather there so as to held the General Assembly in the year that marks our 20th anniversary.
Moreover, Atlantic Cities applied to the European Commission in order to hold a workshop about Sea Basin Cooperation; as Atlantic Cities was the first transnational organisation to propose a macro-region for the Atlantic Arc. This workshop intends to show how the different EU policies can influence the development of the Atlantic ports and their hinterlands as a whole. Atlantic Cities are currently the living labs of the blue economy: fisheries, ICT’s, research, ocean literacy, climate change strategies… They are smart blue cities, serving as a lever of EU growth. However, the lack of an efficient connection between them and with their hinterland curbs the development of a true transnational economy. Moreover, the new EU programmes should not overlook the Atlantic opportunity and ensure an adapted alignment.
Finally, the Atlantic Cities are considering applying also for a stand in the European Maritime Day exhibition.