From Europe’s Outermost Regions to the heart of Ocean science
Europe’s Outermost Regions are geographically distant from the European continent, but their position across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans gives them a unique strategic value for marine research and innovation.
Through REMORA – Small fishes in a big pond, CITEB in La Réunion, OKEANOS in the Azores and OOM in Madeira are working together to strengthen their role in the European Research Area and contribute more actively to Europe’s ocean research and innovation agenda.
Turning geographical distance into scientific opportunity
The three regions provide access to highly distinctive marine environments, ecosystems, infrastructures and long-term observations. Together, they form a network of complementary living laboratories across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, offering European researchers opportunities to study biodiversity, climate change, ocean dynamics, sustainable blue economy solutions and emerging marine technologies.
REMORA’s Joint Internationalisation Strategy identifies this complementarity as a major opportunity for European ocean science. The three centres can contribute unique and complementary assets, including biodiversity hotspots, ocean observation capabilities, marine technology testbeds, aquaculture and blue-economy expertise, and experience in marine governance.
Contributing to European priorities
REMORA seeks to connect these regional strengths with wider European research and innovation priorities. Its approach is particularly relevant to areas such as Mission Ocean, biodiversity conservation, ocean observation, the Digital Twin of the Ocean and the sustainable blue economy.
By strengthening connections with European research infrastructures, networks and leading institutions, REMORA aims to ensure that knowledge and capabilities developed in the Outermost Regions become more visible, accessible and useful to the wider European research community.
The project is therefore not only about increasing participation in Horizon Europe. It is about changing the way Europe sees and connects with its Outermost Regions: from peripheral research locations to strategically positioned contributors to global ocean science.
From strategy to collaboration
This ambition is already being translated into action through Horizon Europe capacity-building, scientific exchanges, networking fellowships, international partnerships, proposal development and strategic matchmaking.
The two REMORA international symposia, for example, brought together researchers, policymakers and European research and innovation actors to discuss how the Outermost Regions can play a stronger role in European ocean science and Horizon Europe. The 2026 symposium in Madeira further focused on translating these connections into concrete collaborations, proposals and long-term partnerships.
The project is also developing a longer-term Joint Internationalisation Strategy, structured around three priorities: talent circulation, stronger international connections and increased Horizon Europe participation.
A contribution beyond the REMORA consortium
The ambition goes beyond the three participating centres. By demonstrating how geographically remote marine research organisations can strengthen excellence, internationalisation and access to European funding, REMORA aims to provide a model that can inspire other Outermost and Widening Regions.
In this sense, REMORA’s contribution to European Ocean Research & Innovation is both scientific and systemic: bringing distinctive ocean knowledge and assets from the edges of Europe closer to the centre of European collaboration, while creating new pathways for research, innovation and sustainable development.
Geographically distant, scientifically vital: the Outermost Regions inspiring Europe’s ocean research & innovation.
