Read the policy brief “Mediterranean 2030: How the EU can deliver its New Pact for the Mediterranean”
In 2024 the European Union took steps towards redefining its engagement with the Southern Neighbourhood, reflecting a broader recalibration of its foreign policy priorities in the Mediterranean region. For the first time, a European Commissioner dedicated to Mediterranean affairs, Dubravka Šuica, was appointed. The nomination was followed by the creation of the Directorate General for the Middle East and North Africa (DG MENA). In July 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, in her speech outlining the Commission priorities for the 2024-2029, the launch of a New Pact for the Mediterranean, which is expected to be formally adopted in November 2025, as stated during Commissioner Šuica’s confirmation hearing.
The Pact aims at establishing comprehensive partnerships between the EU and Southern Neighbourhood countries with a focus on “investment, economic stability, jobs, energy, transport, security, migration and other areas of mutual interest.” Under the new Pact for the Mediterranean, the Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation initiative aims at stimulating large scale public and private investments in renewable energy and green infrastructure.
To support the development of the Pact, DG MENA has led a series of consultations at bilateral and multilateral levels across the region, engaging both institutional and civil society stakeholders. Embedding civil society and expert voices at the core of this process enhances the legitimacy, transparency, and effectiveness of the Pact, while enhancing the legitimacy and local ownership of the EU’s foreign policy footprint in the region. Overall, a vibrant and engaged civic space, the respect and promotion for fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law are key preconditions for achieving the EU’s ambitious agenda in an increasingly competitive Mediterranean.
The Pact comes at a key time: not only is it 30 years on from the 1995 Barcelona Process and the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean, but also at a moment when the Mediterranean region is increasingly facing interlocking challenges related to climate change, economic and debt crises, political and social instability and conflicts. In this context, the EU’s ability to promote rule of law and civil society engagement – while safeguarding civic freedom and rights – will be essential to pave the way for sustainable development as well as thriving business and investment on both sides of the Mediterranean.
This brief highlights the need to frame Euro-Mediterranean cooperation through the lens of climate considerations, recognising the links between climate impacts, stability and development in the region. It calls on the EU to promote an integrated approach, where energy transition and economic cooperation go hand in hand with commitments to supporting civic space and protecting human rights. The recommendations and inputs have been developed by the Mediterranean Alliance of Think Tanks on Climate Change (MATTCCh) – led by ECCO, together with the Imal Initiative for Climate and Development and Sefia– and EuroMed Rights.
The report was presented at the European Parliament on 15 October 2025, during the press conference “MEPs & Civil Society Deliver on the New Pact for the Mediterranean.” The event brought together Members of the European Parliament and representatives from regional civil society networks to discuss how the forthcoming Pact can ensure a clean, competitive and rights-based future for the region. Speakers included MEPs Nikos Papandreou and Annalisa Corrado, Moataz Al Fajeri of EuroMed Rights and Filomena Annunziata of ECCO.