The Marine Board is considered by its member organisations to provide a valuable forum, as it amplifies and gives credibility to the voice of marine science in Europe: the total is greater than the sum of the parts. The Marine Board provides an integrated approach to marine sciences, incubating and facilitating different kinds of synergies in the European context. The Marine Board is seen as the reference point by the Commission on matters of identification of priorities for marine research in Europe, and is seen as a conduit to facilitate interaction with national programmes and agencies.

The Marine Board has set its goals: 

Short term:

• Ensure that Navigating the Future III, (Marine Board – ESF position paper n°8, November 2006), provides a significant input into the science content of FP7 and in strengthening the marine component of the European Research Area. Thus several meetings are scheduled for the first quarter of 2007 to present the main recommendations to:
  
• EU FP7 Programme Committees;
  
• National FP7 Support Office including National Delegates and National Contact Points;
  
• European Commission representatives (e.g. EU Task Force on the Future European Maritime Policy).
  
• Ensure that the Marine Board response to the Green Paper on the Future European Maritime Policy has a significant impact, and that marine science and technology be secured as a cross cutting issue in the European maritime policy.
• Publish the reports of the two following Working Groups: European Ocean Research Fleet - Towards a Common Strategy and Enhanced Use (Q1 of 2007); Impact of Climate Change on European Marine Ecosystems (Q1 of 2007).
• Organise a Marine Board Forum (Q4 of 2007) to engage over a one day event directly with the scientific community and others networks of agencies (EFARO, EuroGOOS, etc)
• Support MarinERA partners in launching a possible call in late 2007 with possible funding in 2008.
• Ensure successful relocation of the Marine Board Secretariat from its current location in Strasbourg (France) to the site of the Flanders Marine Institute in Ostend (Belgium).

Medium term:

• Support a possible extension of MarinERA partnership if MarinERA continues beyond its current life-cycle, possibly in FP7 (2008-2009).

Long term:

• The Marine Board will continue to contribute to the development of a European marine research policy, identifying future challenges and opportunities. It will provide a basis for sharing available resources to address priority issues which are beyond the capacities of individual Member States. The Marine Board will continue to focus its activities around these four main approaches: Forum, Strategy, Voice and Synergy for marine science and technology in Europe.

• The major benefit is that of sharing information and building alliances with others who have similar interests, and who want to see marine science in Europe develop further. The Marine Board is considered by its MOs to provide a valuable forum, as it amplifies and gives credibility to the voice of marine science in Europe: the total is greater than the sum of the parts. The Marine Board provides an integrated approach to marine sciences, incubating and facilitating different kinds of synergies in the European context. 

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