Designing Communication on Maritime Spatial Planning and the Sustainable Blue Economy Across EU and Non-EU Mediterranean Shores

The European Union’s Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Directive (2014/89/EU) establishes MSP as both a governance framework and a mandate for transboundary cooperation, including collaboration with non-EU neighbours. In the Mediterranean, where ecological interdependence intersects with cultural and political diversity, effective communication of MSP and the European Green Deal (EGD) is essential to foster a sustainable blue economy. The MEDIGREEN project developed a communication strategy integrating design-based and science-communication approaches to engage non-EU Mediterranean partners under the Barcelona Convention. This strategy builds on results from previous EMFAF-funded projects: MSP-GREEN, which systematised communication pathways for the maritime EGD across EU sea basins, and MSP-MED, which emphasised the role of cultural assets and heritage in communicating MSP processes. Together with the European Commission’s Communicating MSP guidelines, these initiatives informed the conceptual framework underpinning MEDIGREEN. The methodology combined: (i) a literature review on design for policy and science communication, emphasising co-design, participatory narratives grounded in local cultures and knowledge, and visual storytelling; (ii) a comparative analysis of communication frameworks in MSP and EGD; and (iii) a focus group with non-EU Mediterranean MSP experts to contextualise messages. Results structured communication design across four dimensions: formats (social media, flashcards, factsheets, short videos); languages (Arabic, French, English); topics (blue economy opportunities and investments, with sectoral perspectives on aquaculture, fisheries, offshore renewables, and nature protection); and visual narratives (geometric elements inspired by Mediterranean heritage combined with inclusive representations of maritime livelihoods). By integrating design research and science communication with the cultural and political specificities of the Mediterranean, this study demonstrates how communication can enhance EGD visibility, strengthen stakeholder trust across borders, and support cross-border cooperation.