On 17 April, the European Commission outlined to representatives from EU Member States and the Southern Mediterranean the first set of key initiatives, in the form of an Action Plan, to advance the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean. The Pact was developed through an extensive and inclusive consultation process with governments, civil society, youth, private sector, and researchers across the Mediterranean. This joint effort resulted in over 100 initiatives which will directly benefit citizens and businesses. This first edition of the Action Plan launches the first 21 co-designed, concrete and innovative actions for implementation this year.

The main initiatives under the Pact’s three pillars are:

• First pillar: People. Driving Force for Change, Connections, and Innovations: Eight actions among which is the Mediterranean University Initiative, aimed at deepening academic collaboration, research excellence, and innovation across the region; and a Youth Parliamentary Assembly, enabling young, elected European and Southern Mediterranean representatives to gather in a structured platform and contribute to regional policies.
• Second pillar: Stronger, More Sustainable, and Integrated Economies: Four actions among which is the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED) and its Investment Platform to fast-track renewable energy, electricity grid, and clean-tech projects, mobilising public and private funding, mitigating financial risks, and fostering industry partnerships. Other actions related to this pillar of the Pact include a ‘Tech Business Offer’ – and integrated approach combining public-private investment with policy support – to promote secure and trusted digital interconnection across the Mediterranean region. This will be accomplished by boosting regional connectivity via submarine cables, improving telecoms capacity, fostering regulatory cooperation, and enabling cybersecurity technical exchanges.
• Third pillar: Security, Preparedness, and Migration Management: Nine actions among which is a European Firefighting Hub, a regional centre to enhance disaster preparedness and response based in Cyprus, which for the first time will offer support also to southern Mediterranean countries, and a ‘MED-OP’, which will support operational efforts in combating serious and organised crime, in cooperation with Justice and Home Affairs agencies. Another action is ‘Secure borders’ to strengthen operational and institutional border management capacities and the governance of the security sector. On migration management, in particular, one of the actions will implement the ‘whole-of-route approach’, tackling migration issues where they start and fighting people smuggling to pave the way for legal pathways.

Amid an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, the EU remains committed to strengthening partnerships across the Mediterranean. The Action Plan is a flexible and dynamic document that will be regularly updated and adapted to the changing context through continuous consultations with stakeholders and partners, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness. The second version of the Action Plan is expected in autumn 2026. An interactive webpage will allow stakeholders to identify concrete projects and initiatives, explore them by country and sector, and follow their progress, ensuring transparency and engagement while showing the tangible impact of the Pact across the region.