The European Commission has presented a first Action Plan setting out 21 initiatives to be launched this year under its Pact for the Mediterranean.
The Pact was developed through consultations with governments, civil society, youth, the private sector and researchers across the Mediterranean, and that the overall package contains more than 100 initiatives, the European Commission declared in a statement on Friday.
The actions are grouped under three pillars: people, the economy, and security and migration management.
Under the “people” pillar, the Action Plan includes a Mediterranean University Initiative to deepen academic collaboration, research and innovation, and plans for a Youth Parliamentary Assembly bringing together young elected representatives from Europe and the Southern Mediterranean.
Energy, digital links, security and migration measures
The “economy” pillar includes a Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative, known as T-MED, and an investment platform focused on renewable energy, electricity grids and clean-tech projects, the Commission said.
It also features a “Tech Business Offer” to promote digital interconnection across the Mediterranean, including work on submarine cables, telecoms capacity, regulatory cooperation and cybersecurity technical exchanges.
Under the “security, preparedness, and migration management” pillar, the Action Plan lists a European Firefighting Hub — a disaster preparedness and response centre based in Cyprus — which will, for the first time, also support Southern Mediterranean countries.
The plan also includes “MED-OP” to support efforts against serious and organised crime in cooperation with Justice and Home Affairs agencies, and an action called “Secure borders” to strengthen border management capacities and security sector governance.
On migration, one of the actions will apply a “whole-of-route approach”, tackling migration issues “where they start” and fighting people smuggling while also working on legal pathways.
A second version of the Action Plan is expected in autumn 2026, and an interactive webpage is planned to allow stakeholders to track projects by country and sector.
The Pact for the Mediterranean was developed by the European Commission and the European External Action Service and adopted in October 2025, ahead of an official launch with EU and Southern Mediterranean partners on 28 November 2025.
