EuroMeSCo is now opening calls for researchers to take part in the next edition of Joint Study Groups.

The EuroMeSCo Joint Study Groups 2026 will be made up of four Authors, including a Coordinator, who will jointly produce a Policy Study over a period of 6-7 months. Interested researchers may apply as Author or as Author and Coordinator to each Joint Study Group. In both cases, they will have to complete the online form and submit their application by Sunday 11 January 2026, 23:59 CET.

Here is a brief description of the rationale of this Joint Study Group:

Maritime Security

The Mediterranean Sea and its coastlines are increasingly becoming a strategic chessboard where states seek to exert influence through naval presence, port investments or strategic alliances, while non-state actors exploit vulnerabilities for smuggling, coercion or territorial influence. These ambitions are often driven by economic incentives, such as access to crucial trade corridors, interests in resources (especially offshore gas and energy deposits), and connectivity objectives, including control of maritime routes linking Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Digital connectivity further deepens this strategic competition. The Mediterranean seabed hosts dense networks of submarine communication cables and energy interconnectors that underpin global internet traffic, financial flows and digital services. Control over cable routes, landing stations, and associated coastal infrastructure is increasingly seen as a source of strategic leverage. At the same time, vulnerabilities to sabotage, espionage or accidental damage expose states and societies to significant risks, linking maritime security to cyber resilience and the broader integrity of digital infrastructure.

This environment has generated specific tensions in different points, with both domestic and regional implications. Maritime clashes between the Houthis and US naval forces have disrupted trade routes and raised security concerns throughout the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean. Similarly, long-standing disputes between Turkey and Greece in the Aegean Sea continue to shape naval posturing and diplomatic relations in the region. Additionally, the discovery of offshore gas fields near the eastern Mediterranean coast has intensified competition and created new geopolitical dynamics as states seek to secure their access to energy resources that could reshape their economic and strategic standing.

This Joint Study Group could elaborate on:

• How the growing militarization of maritime spaces, through naval deployments, surveillance systems, and strategic port acquisitions, reshapes regional security dynamics and increases the risk of miscalculation between state and non-state actors.
• How evolving maritime security challenges compel the maritime industry to adjust shipping routes, increase insurance premiums, and modify logistical patterns, ultimately altering economic flows across the Mediterranean and beyond.
• How instability at sea disrupts traditional commercial corridors, prompting states and private actors to seek alternative maritime pathways or diversify infrastructure to ensure the continuity of global supply chains.
• How the discovery and exploitation of offshore resources, particularly natural gas fields, intensify geopolitical competition and incentivize states to assert maritime claims more aggressively.
• How control over maritime chokepoints, ports, and underwater cables enhances political leverage and shapes regional alignments, reinforcing the Mediterranean’s role as a critical node of global connectivity.
• How localized confrontations at sea, whether linked to proxy conflicts, piracy, or territorial disputes, carry the potential to spill over into broader regional crises, affecting neighbouring states and disrupting international maritime stability.
• How the overlap of illicit trafficking, terrorism, geopolitical tensions, and environmental pressures creates an interconnected threat environment that demands coordinated responses and comprehensive maritime governance.
• How the protection, governance and possible weaponization of submarine cables, coastal data infrastructure and maritime digital services (including satellite links and port/logistics management systems) are becoming central to regional power competition and resilience.
• How cyber threats targeting maritime infrastructure – such as port management systems, vessel tracking and navigation, or cable landing facilities – blur the lines between physical and digital security, requiring integrated approaches that bring together maritime, cyber and critical infrastructure communities.

Proposals may focus on one or several specific contexts in the Mediterranean region, or adopt cross-cutting and comparative perspectives, and are welcome from a variety of disciplinary and methodological approaches.

See the EuroMeSCo Joint Study Groups 2026 Terms of Reference for more information.