The first phase of the ECOMARINE project has been finalized. The consortium, following a common research protocol has undertaken extensive research tasks on identifying the specific needs on marine ecosystem monitoring in Malaysia and India. The results of the research phase are outlined in detail in the publication of the Marine ecosystem monitoring in Malaysia and India deliverable. Based on the aforementioned results, the EU partners under the guidance of Archipelagos and the University of Cyprus have developed a detailed Proposal on Equipment Purchase so that the institutions in the Partner Countries will be efficiently equipped according to their needs, towards setting up the four ECOMARINE Monitoring Labs. Moreover, the four Asian Universities with the support of the University of Oviedo, have developed an extensive report on the National and EU Legislation for the Protection of the Marine Environment.