The session would like to overview recent understanding, by observations and modelling, of the Southern European Sea general circulation, the ecosystem and biogeochemical fluxes. Multiple time scales and interactions for the hydrodynamics is a theme of particular interest as well as response to atmospheric forcing, process coupling at different trophic levels with the physical environment. Issues related to the long and shorter term circulation and biogeochemical fluxes dynamics, ocean forecasting, assessment of the climate trends and the state of the ecosystem are also a focus of the session.