The year 2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of EMSO becoming a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC).
Established by the European Commission in September 2016 following years of rigorous preparatory work, EMSO ERIC has spent the last decade anchoring Europe’s marine research capabilities. By providing uninterrupted, high-quality data from the ocean surface to the abyss, EMSO serves as an essential foundation for global environmental science and climate change research.
Today, EMSO stands as more than an infrastructure; it is a thriving ecosystem of researchers, engineers, and cutting-edge regional facilities dedicated to understanding our ocean’s future.
To celebrate this milestone, the core anniversary events will take place from 15 to 16 December 2026 in Rome, Italy, at the Barceló Roma.
Quick Links & Call for Abstracts
- Registration now open
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Read the Official Announcement of our upcoming celebration in Rome.
- Agenda
Programme Overview
Tuesday 15th December – 10 Years of EMSO Science: Observing the Changing Ocean
A full-day academic programme showcasing EMSO’s scientific excellence and observation milestones. The day will feature international keynote lectures, panel discussions, and thematic presentations.
The scientific tracks are structured around the four fundamental research priorities guiding our open-ocean and deep-sea monitoring efforts to understand global environmental changes:
- Ocean Dynamics: Open ocean temporal variability across spatial scales
- Natural Hazards: Spatio-temporal process variability and geohazards
- Marine Ecosystems: Assessing baseline and potential changes of open ocean benthic and pelagic ecosystems
- Climate Change: Geophysical events, climatic/anthropogenic changes, and deep carbon storage
The day will conclude with a dedicated poster session and a welcoming Ice Breaker happy hour.
For whom: Scientists, engineers, regional facility leads, and Service Group members.
Wednesday 16th December – Info Session and Official Ceremony
Wednesday seamlessly bridges the gap between technical value chains, governance, and high-level political synergy.
- Morning (Info Session): The morning opens with EMSO Info Session, focusing on the technology value chain from deep-sea observation to knowledge dissemination. Sessions will showcase how technology serves science under extreme conditions and present EMSO’s Catalogue of Services, including Physical Access (PA) for researchers and private companies, Virtual Access (VA) for data delivery to European and international data aggregators, and training frameworks via the EMSO Academy.
- Afternoon & Evening (Anniversary Ceremony): The peak of our celebration features the Official Anniversary Ceremony. Bringing together ministry delegates, European Commission representatives, and international partners, this high-level session highlights a decade of political commitment and impactful science.
The day will conclude with a celebratory social event
- For whom: Assembly of Member delegates, ministry representatives, industry partners, and scientific stakeholders.
Meet in Rome at Barceló Roma
The Event will take place in the Barceló Roma Hotel, Via Raffaello, Sardiello 22, 00165, Rome, Italy. You can book your room in this hotel. If you want to benefit of the event conditions (EUR 180.00 corresponding to 1 night; no advance payment, free cancellation until 14 November of 2026 at 18:00 hours (UTC +02:00)), make your reservation with booking code EMSO2026 by following the link below. The code is valid until November 14th, 2026. The hotel reservation site may offer better rates with different conditions, according to the time of your reservation.
Become a sponsor
Sponsoring the anniversary places your organisation in front of a focused audience of people who design, operate and fund ocean observation in Europe. Sponsors can present their technologies and services, demonstrate their commitment to marine research, innovation and the sustainable management of the marine environment, and connect with EMSO’s community at the start of its second decade.
Get in Touch
Have questions before registration opens? Reach out to the organizing team at events@emso-eu.org