The European Commission is investing over €7.5 million to boost innovation and create jobs in the marine and maritime sectors. The money is available under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and divided in calls for proposal focusing on the key areas where the European Union can have the biggest impact: skills, creativity and technology. Innovation in sectors like aquaculture, biotechnology or ocean energy is vital for the blue economy to thrive, as recognised by the Commission’s Communication on Innovation in the Blue Economy. However, a number of bottlenecks are currently holding back this drive for innovation. They include a lack of highly skilled professionals, under-investment in knowledge and technology, and slow progress from research results to the commercial stage. Click here to read more.