The BANOS CSA addresses the call topic ‘Towards a Baltic and North Sea research and innovation programme’. The overarching objective of the project is to create the necessary conditions for durable coordination of research and innovation efforts in the Baltic Sea and North Sea region by preparing a framework for launching a joint Baltic Sea and North Sea research and innovation programme. The outcome of BANOS CSA will ensure that the future joint programme achieves high level of scientific, administrative and financial integration, and generates strong EU added value and impact. The BANOS CSA consortium is coordinated by BONUS EEIG – the dedicated implementing structure of BONUS - the ongoing TFEU Art. 185 initiative – and it represents the leading research and innovation funders of the EU member states and associated states surrounding the Baltic Sea and the North Sea: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and United Kingdom (four of these are represented as 3rd parties linked to the coordinator). These states have already expressed their political and financial commitment to create a joint, transnational research and innovation programme supporting sustainable blue growth within and around two interconnected Northern European sea basins. Three work packages of BANOS CSA build the three main pillars of the future programme: its strategic research and innovation agenda (WP1), mechanisms and instruments of its implementation (WP2) and solid communications, dissemination and engagement strategies and platforms (WP3). An array of mutually interlinked tasks that will enable new research and innovation programme to deliver powerful positive impact are included in the fourth work package (WP4). Finally, the governance and management package (WP5) is designed to flawlessly run the proposed action overcoming challenges posed by complexity of its work plan and diversity within the consortium.