EA Group to meet in Galway for seminar on coastal entrepreneurship

The European Alliance (EA) Group of the European Committee of the Regions will convene in Galway on 14 September for a seminar dedicated to strengthening entrepreneurship in coastal cities and regions while safeguarding their cultural and linguistic heritage. The meeting, hosted by Cllr Declan McDonnell, will take place at the Hardiman Hotel on Eyre Square and will bring together local and regional leaders from across the European Union (EU).

The seminar comes at a particularly meaningful moment, with Ireland currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Meeting in Galway will allow the EA Group to highlight the strategic importance of coastal territories and to engage directly with Irish partners on the challenges and opportunities facing Europe’s maritime regions.

Marie‑Antoinette Maupertuis, President of the EA Group and President of the Corsican Assembly, said she was looking forward to the discussions in Galway: “Coastal regions are engines of identity and innovation across Europe. Galway is a city that shows how culture, traditions and language can strengthen entrepreneurship rather than limit it. I look forward to joining colleagues there and to advancing our work on supporting coastal communities through strong, place‑based European policies.”

Delegations from Poland, Corsica, Romania, Flanders, the Netherlands, Lithuania and several Irish regions will attend the seminar, which will explore how coastal communities can grow their economies while preserving the heritage that defines them. The programme will open with contributions from President Maupertuis and Cllr McDonnell, followed by a video message from Commissioner Costas Kadis, responsible for Fisheries and Oceans. Minister Noel Grealish, T.D., will deliver the keynote address, reflecting on Ireland’s coastal economy and the opportunities emerging from sustainable maritime development.

Cllr McDonnell said he is honoured to welcome the EA Group to his home city: “Galway has built a strong international reputation while preserving its culture, traditions and language. It is the perfect backdrop for a conversation on how coastal communities can innovate without losing their identity. I am delighted that colleagues from across Europe will experience this during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.”

Throughout the afternoon, participants will exchange views on regional development, coastal innovation and cultural resilience. These discussions will contribute to the EA Group’s ongoing work on coastal policy, building on the recently launched EU Coastal Communities Strategy.

Cllr McDonnell also expressed his gratitude to the partners who helped make the meeting possible: “I am very grateful for all the support received — from the Committee of the Regions, Galway City Council, the Association of Irish Local Government, and the Northern & Western Regional Assembly. Their cooperation reflects the spirit of Ireland’s Presidency motto: Ní Neart go Cur le Chéile — Strength in Unity.”