(ANSA) - VENICE, 19 FEB - The Adriatic Sea's protection and sustainability through innovation and technology are a fundamental challenge for the European Union and a competitive driver for individual states.

The countries involved can achieve the EU's ambitious objectives by strengthening the innovation ecosystems and engaging institutions, companies, and stakeholders. Here are some of the critical issues that emerged during the first day of the online round table of the "InnovaMare Blue technology - Developing innovative technologies for sustainability of Adriatic Sea" organized by Veneto's Unioncamere. The meeting was aimed at Italian and Croatian policy-makers and stakeholders to facilitate debate, transfer knowledge, and exchange practices in these strategic and specific fields.

Secretary-General of Veneto's Unioncamere, Roberto Crosta, said that "InnovaMare represents a strategic project funded by the EU through the ERDF, Interreg VA Italy-Croatia 2014-2020 Program and which will enhance and establish an integrated system of submarine robotics and sensors, marine litter and ecosystem of innovation to solve the problem of pollution of the Adriatic Sea. The goal is crucial and represents a future challenge not only for Italy and Europe but at a global level." (ANSA).