BLUEMED "Final report on Start-up Actions" Deliverable D4.2 (Grant Agreement 727453)

This report describes the outcome of the BLUEMED CSA Start-Up Actions (SuAs) supported by the BLUEMED CSA under the project's Work Package 4. The respective SuAs activities have cumulated into a set of feasibility studies together with other outputs on the issues pertain to the respective subjects. Understandably they contribute to and are of importance to blue growth in the Mediterranean in general and to the BLUEMED Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) in particular. In the deliverable D4.1 'Intermediate report on Start-up Actions' available at www.bluemed-initiative.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BLUEMEDCSA_deliverable_4.1.pdf one can find a description of all the preparatory work carried out by BLUEMED CSA Consortium prior to the launch of the Call for SuAs in May 2018, the rationale for implementing bottom-up the BlueMed vision, setting up of a transparent and fair evaluation process & culminating in the selection of the four topranked proposals endorsed by the BLUEMED Steering Committee, and the interim progress made of the respective SuAs up till December 2019. The unexpected effects of the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted the final activities of the respective SuAs. The SuAs were expected to conclude their last meeting by May 2020 and submit their final feasibility study by August 2020. However, soon after the adverse impacts were identified contingency plans were drafted and implemented to safeguard the execution of the SuAs. In this regard, activities were recognised in a digital format and greater focus was put towards the production of dissemination material. This report focuses on the respective SUAs feasibility studies and other outputs.