Earlier this week, representatives from the iMERMAID project joined a high-level webinar hosted by the SEACURE project to discuss the future of nutrient pollution management and the practicalities of EU cascade funding.
The webinar, titled “SEACURE Open Call Webinar: Joint Session with the Path4Med Open Call & Lessons from iMERMAID and SpongeWorks,” brought together experts from several EU-funded projects and Associated Regions to share knowledge on the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe.”
The first half of the session focused on the live Open Calls from the SEACURE and Path4Med projects. Participants received detailed guidance on eligibility criteria and the scope of becoming an “Associated Region”—a vital mechanism for territorial authorities to receive funding and technical support to implement solutions against soil and water nutrient pollution.
Representing the iMERMAID project, experts joined colleagues from SpongeWorks and representatives from awarded Associated Regions—including the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar and the public Institute for Protection and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska.
The iMERMAID team shared concrete examples and “take-home lessons” from their own experience with cascade funding. By offering a project-level perspective on managing Open Calls, iMERMAID helped potential applicants understand how to bridge the gap between innovative research and territorial implementation.
For those who were unable to attend the live session, the full recording and resource materials are now available online.
