Study to Support Investment for Sustainable Development of Blue Economy

Project description:

Europe's maritime ("blue") economy already provides 5% of EU GDP and more than 5 million jobs. It has the potential to become an even more significant source of jobs and growth in the years to come. One of the key obstacles to innovation and job creation in Europe, including in the blue economy, is the lack of available financing at acceptable terms to innovative businesses. With this request for services, the European Commission seeks to increase its understanding of how to leverage more investment. In particular the study will generate recommendations on how this aim may be facilitated through the creation of an investment platform. The study aims at building a pipeline of investable projects that contribute to societal goals such as reduction of carbon emissions, increase of marine food production and other bio-economy products, efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, circular economy models, use of renewable resources or the sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage. The study will look into best practices, promising projects, market opportunities and threats and critical success factors to create a favourable investment environment. The final report will put forward recommendations regarding the potential for a dedicated investment platform, options for its governance structure (including incentive design, level of complexity and communication strategies, based on the most successful schemes) and make, in addition, policy recommendations related to implementation of future Cohesion Policy and the ESI Funds.

Objectives of the project:

The project is divided into 8 tasks with following reports provided in each task:

• Task 1: Contract management
• Task 2: Market assessment (Report on the market)
• Task 3: Finance assessment (Report on finance)
• Task 4: Enhancing a project pipeline database – Step 1 (Proposal for amendment of project pipeline format, First addition of data to project pipeline
• Task 5: Enhancing a project pipeline database – Step 2 (Second addition of data to project pipeline and explanatory note, Report on lessons learned in project implementation)
• Task 6: Enhancing a project pipeline database – Step 3 (Third addition of data to project pipeline and explanatory note)
• Task 7: Preparation of an investment dossier (Investment dossier template and explanatory note, Completed investment dossier templates)
• Task 8: Recommendations for an investment platform (Final report: Recommendations for an investment platform)

Project funding: EUROPEAN COMMISSION - Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)

Project leader: Metis GmbH

Project partners: CASE, Panteia B.V., ICF, Acacia Sustainable Business Advisors