On Thursday 5 March 2026, Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF) participated in the 4th Mission Ocean and Waters Forum, held at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels as part of the European Ocean Days.
The Annual Forum of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” aimed to take stock of the Mission’s progress and major achievements, while mobilising regions, local authorities, private actors and financial institutions around the deployment phase of innovative solutions. The event showcased how different funding streams and governance frameworks are supporting the scaling up of solutions to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems, boost coastal resilience, eliminate pollution and advance a climate-neutral and circular blue economy.
Within the session dedicated to “Success stories across the Mission – from pilots to replicable solutions”, VLPF contributed by presenting the Horizon Europe project SeaClear2.0, highlighting the pathway from research and demonstration to operational deployment.
SeaClear2.0, co-funded under the Horizon Europe Programme, supports the Mission’s objective to restore oceans and waters by 2030. The project develops advanced robotic systems capable of:
- Detecting litter on the seabed
- Collecting larger and heavier waste through innovative gripping tools
- Navigating complex environments such as ports and coastal areas
- Mapping and monitoring marine litter in a structured and interoperable way
VLPF shared the results achieved in recent real-environment demonstrations across Europe, including Hamburg, Marseille and Larnaca, where the system was tested under operational conditions.
Special attention was given to the upcoming Venice pilot (29 May 2026), which will take place at the historic Arsenal of Venice, in close synergy with the VI edition of the International Workshop on Marine Litter Monitoring, Removal and Blue Economy, held within the framework of the Venice Boat Show. The demonstration will showcase selected components of the SeaClear2.0 system in one of the world’s most unique and fragile lagoon environments.
Throughout the day, discussions focused not only on technological innovation, but also on governance, sea-basin coordination, funding boosters and alignment with future EU priorities
The Forum provided an important space to connect Mission projects with regional hubs, national authorities, financial institutions and private sector actors, reinforcing the scaling and deployment phase of Mission solutions.
In parallel, VLPF strengthened strategic links under the EMFAF flagship project MED-HUBs (Mediterranean Blue Economy Hubs for Maritime Innovation and Smart Specialisation), which promotes cooperation and innovation ecosystems across the Mediterranean.
The Brussels event represented an important opportunity for VLPF to:
- Share concrete technological achievements
- Engage with governance and finance actors supporting Mission deployment
- Strengthen Mediterranean cooperation
- Bridge Horizon Europe research with EMFAF flagship implementation
Through its participation, VLPF highlighted the unique role of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Venice and its lagoon as a real-world laboratory for innovation. By testing advanced solutions for marine litter prevention, monitoring and remediation in this fragile and globally recognised environment, VLPF helps develop blue circular economy models that can be replicated and transferred across the Mediterranean and beyond.