Applications are now open for the Black Sea Project Awards 2026, organised within the framework of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (CMA) with the aim of increasing the visibility of innovative and successful projects contributing to a sustainable blue economy in the Black Sea region.
Projects from Türkiye are also eligible to apply for the Awards, which aim to highlight innovative, scalable solutions with tangible impact in the Black Sea region and to promote the dissemination of good practices across the region.
The Awards will be presented in three categories in line with the CMA priorities: healthy marine and coastal ecosystems; a competitive, innovative and sustainable blue economy for the Black Sea; and fostering investment in the Black Sea blue economy.
Projects selected and submitted for the Black Sea Project Awards must be implemented within the geographical area covered by the CMA (Bulgaria, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, and Ukraine). In addition, projects must have been initiated and/or completed within the 36 months prior to the announcement of the Awards.
Any type of project completed or currently being implemented within the geographical area covered by the CMA and funded at local, regional, national, or European level from public and/or private sources is eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by individuals or organisations acting as project leaders or partners within the relevant consortium, and eligible applicants include professionals, entrepreneurs, research institutions, maritime clusters, associations, and NGOs based in one of the aforementioned Black Sea countries.
Projects will be evaluated based on their relevance to the respective Award category and CMA priorities, innovation, social, environmental and economic impact, transnational cooperation, replicability within the Black Sea basin, and transferability to other regions.
Applications must be submitted in English and online by 15 August 2026 here. A total of three projects, one in each category, will be awarded, and the winning projects will be announced on 1 September 2026. The Award Ceremony will take place on 30 September 2026 in Burgas/Bulgaria, as part of the CMA Annual Stakeholder Conference, where the winning projects will have the opportunity to present their work and share it with stakeholders from across the Black Sea region.
For further information, please click here.