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Marking the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, the new pact aims to build a more stable, secure, and prosperous shared Mediterranean space
The European Union and its Southern Mediterranean partners have taken a historic step toward deeper regional cooperation with the formal launch of the Mediterranean Pact in Barcelona. The event, held in the city that lent its name to the landmark Barcelona Process three decades ago, gathered ministers from EU member states and Southern Mediterranean countries to reaffirm their commitment to shared progress, stability, and regional cohesion.
The Mediterranean Pact—unveiled at an inaugural ceremony co-chaired by High Representative and Vice-President Kaja Kallas and EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica—marks a renewed strategic framework designed to strengthen ties across the region. Its adoption underscores both the legacy of the 1995 Barcelona Process and the evolving challenges that call for collective action today.
The original Barcelona Process, launched 30 years ago, laid the foundation for closer cooperation in political dialogue, economic development, and social and cultural exchange between the EU and Mediterranean partners. It promoted initiatives to support stability, sustainable development, and mutual understanding in a region marked by its diversity and complexity. Over the years, the framework has helped channel investment, foster regional dialogue, and encourage reforms that benefit millions across the Mediterranean basin.
Against this historical backdrop, the new Mediterranean Pact is envisioned as a forward-looking instrument that reflects current geopolitical realities. Its central objective is to consolidate the Mediterranean as a shared, cooperative space defined by stability, security, and prosperity. By bringing together ministers and senior representatives from across Europe and the Southern Mediterranean, the Barcelona meeting demonstrated a collective commitment to revitalizing regional collaboration.
High Representative Kaja Kallas emphasized the symbolic and political importance of launching the pact in Barcelona, calling it “a decisive moment for our partnership and for the vision of a Mediterranean anchored in cooperation and mutual trust.” Her remarks highlighted the EU’s intention to approach Mediterranean challenges—whether economic, environmental, migratory, or security-related—through inclusive, sustained engagement with partner countries.
Commissioner Dubravka Šuica echoed this sentiment, underlining that the pact represents not just a political agreement but a renewed partnership model built on shared responsibility. She noted that the joint presence of ministers from both shores of the Mediterranean underlines the pact’s legitimacy and the region’s collective commitment to long-term cooperation. The event’s high-level attendance reflected the enhanced political will to strengthen ties and address common priorities together.
Following the Barcelona ceremony and subject to approval from partner countries, EU leaders are expected to formally endorse the Mediterranean Pact at the December European Council meeting. This step will provide the political momentum needed to translate the pact into concrete initiatives and coordinated action.
A key component of the pact is the preparation of a detailed action plan, scheduled for presentation in early 2026. The action plan will identify participating countries, specific stakeholders, and the operational outline for each initiative under the pact’s umbrella. This structured approach is intended to ensure that the pact delivers measurable results and remains aligned with the evolving needs of the region.
The initiatives are expected to centre on crucial areas such as sustainable economic development, green and digital transitions, mobility, governance cooperation, and efforts to foster peace and security. Although specific projects will be clarified in the forthcoming action plan, the underlying ambition is clear: to create a more integrated Mediterranean region capable of addressing global challenges through regional unity.
Moreover, the pact reflects the EU’s broader strategic vision of building resilient partnerships with neighboring regions. At a time when global tensions, energy transitions, and economic transformations demand coordinated solutions, strengthening Euro-Mediterranean cooperation is more important than ever. The Mediterranean Pact aims to position the region not only as a crossroads of cultures and trade, but also as a model of constructive regional diplomacy
As the pact moves toward formal endorsement and subsequent implementation, it signals a renewed commitment to the spirit of the Barcelona Process—adapted to the realities of the 21st century. With political backing from both EU member states and Southern Mediterranean partners, the pact has the potential to usher in a new phase of cooperation, offering a blueprint for shared progress and sustainable regional development.
The launch in Barcelona stands as a milestone that reaffirms the long-standing bonds linking the two shores of the Mediterranean—bonds rooted in geography, history, and shared aspirations for a stable, secure, and prosperous future.
Alessandro Fiorentino