Topics                   The workshop programme is divided into five specialised and one plenary sessions covering the main priorities of operational oceanography. There are no parallel sessions planed in order participants to be able to attend all sessions. Each specialised session starts with reports on the state of the subject in the Black Sea region. Afterwards, the European and American experience will be revealed. At the end of the each session a critical assessment of the current state of knowledge in the topic area will be carried out which will lead to formulation of conclusions and recommendations. Plenary session is devoted to future challenges and initiatives that will be introduced by experienced speakers stressing on possible applications for the Black Sea region. The general plenary discussion will summarize conclusions of all specialized sessions and will put together general conclusions and recommendations. Main topics will be: 1. Regional cooperation promoting operational services 2. Observing systems 3. Forecasting for environmental security 4. Communication, coordination of data exchange and data policy 5. Black Sea integration in a sustained Pan-European system 6. Future challenges and initiatives