EIT Water & CLC South Event Marks a New Chapter for Croatia
02/02/2026
The EIT Water & CLC South Event, held at the University of Zadar, marked a historic milestone for Croatia’s role in European innovation related to water, marine resources and the blue economy. The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, academia, and the innovation and business sectors, highlighting Croatia’s leading position in this strategically important European initiative.
Members of the project team, Jelena Žaja and Sanja Shihabi, attended the event as a sign of support for colleagues from the blue economy sector. Through their participation, they engaged in valuable networking, established new professional connections, and identified potential opportunities for future cooperation.
During the event, Croatia was officially presented as a regional hub of the EIT Water Knowledge and Innovation Community, one of the European Union’s largest initiatives focused on the protection of marine and freshwater resources and the development of a sustainable blue economy. For the first time, Croatia has assumed the role of a regional coordination centre (CLC South) within the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), representing one of the most significant recognitions of the national science and innovation ecosystem.
The Adriatic-Ionian CLC South regional co-location centre is coordinated by the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) and the Digital Innovation Hub Innovamare (DIH Innovamare) and covers ten countries across the region. The total value of the EIT Water initiative amounts to EUR 150 million over six years, aiming to develop concrete solutions to challenges such as water scarcity, marine ecosystem degradation, climate change impacts and biodiversity loss.
High-level political and institutional support for the initiative was expressed during opening speeches by Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Karlo Ressler, Member of the European Parliament, representatives of the Croatian Government, the City of Zadar, Zadar County, and leading figures from the scientific and innovation communities. A dedicated panel discussion addressed cross-sectoral support for innovation in the fields of water and the blue economy.
EIT Water and Croatia’s coordinating role represent a turning point — a transition from participation to European leadership, providing direct access to knowledge, strategic partnerships and funding, while fostering innovation, research and sustainable economic development.
📸 A photo gallery from the event is available below.
