News

Barcelona, 9 July 2026. The UfM announced the winners of the second UfM Student Competition, Exploring Mediterranean Urban Solutions to Climate Change and Resilience, during a ceremony held at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the UfM meeting International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning: Exploring Mediterranean Urban Solutions, held on 8 and 9 July. Together, the competition and the meeting highlighted the role of student innovation, architectural education and regional cooperation in responding to the climate challenges facing Mediterranean cities. The competition attracted 163 pre-registrations from 57 universities… read more

15 July 2026, Barcelona – The Union for the Mediterranean and the MEDPorts Association have launched the first “Mediterranean Most Resilient Port of the Year” Award, a new annual initiative recognising ports that demonstrate leadership, innovation and preparedness in responding to disruptions affecting maritime transport and logistics. Mediterranean ports operate in an increasingly complex environment shaped by climate change, geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, cyber risks, energy disruptions and rapidly evolving technologies. The award aims to place resilience at the centre of port planning and investment, while showcasing practical approaches that can strengthen operational continuity, regional connectivity and supply-chain reliability. Applications… read more

29 April 2026, Online. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Platform on Transport Connectivity and its Working Groups on Land, Air, and Maritime Transport convened online on 29 April 2026 to advance the implementation of the Regional Transport Action Plan (RTAP) 2021–2027. The meetings, co-chaired by the European Commission’s DG MOVE and the Jordanian Ministry of Transport, gathered National Coordinators, Focal Points, and representatives from regional and international partner organisations. Discussions marked a shift from the RTAP mid-term review to a more delivery focused phase for 2026–2027. Participants agreed that the final implementation stage of the RTAP requires a stronger… read more

Barcelona, 26 February 2026. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has announced the winners of the “UfM Student Competition on Urban Design 2025: Exploring Mediterranean Urban Solutions to Climate Change and Resilience”, launched with the financial support of the Minitre of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands under the UfM Network of Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning to recognise youth-led projects advancing environmental and climate action through urban design. Following the review of around 80 proposals submitted by students from 37 universities across 12 UfM countries, an international jury awarded First, Second and Third Prizes, as well as five Mentions. The jury… read more

29 January 2026, Córdoba. The Mediterranean basin is among the world’s fastest-urbanising regions, with 60% of its population already living in cities. As urban populations continue to grow, the region faces significant environmental, social and economic challenges. Rapid—and often unplanned—urban expansion has contributed to the degradation of historic city centres, putting cultural heritage, urban landscapes and the region’s distinctive identity at risk. To enable cities to serve as drivers of sustainability, innovation, social inclusion and wellbeing, sound project ideas are essential—along with the capacity to turn them into implementable initiatives. This transformation requires adequate financing. Projects must therefore be bankable…. read more

15 January 2026. As established by RTAP Action 28, the UfM Regional Platform on Transport Connectivity delivered a mid-term review of the plan. The review provides an overview of progress achieved to date, as reported by participating countries, as well as the main challenges encountered. Beyond assessing implementation so far, the review sets the direction for the final phase of the RTAP up to 2027, outlining recommendations for priority areas of cooperation in the coming years. These recommendations reflect both the priorities expressed by UfM Member States and the level of progress already achieved. Overall, the mid-term review points to a… read more

Barcelona, 10 December 2025. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the MEDPorts Association today launched the Study on Governance Models of Mediterranean Ports at the Port of Barcelona, presenting the first comprehensive comparative overview of how ports across 16 Mediterranean countries are governed and organised. The study compiles and systematises data on port ownership structures, regulatory frameworks and operational responsibilities. It maps governance structures in Albania, Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Jordan, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain and Tunisia, providing an evidence base to support regional cooperation, policy alignment and knowledge sharing. The study, developed by… read more

Barcelona, 18 July 2025 – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) backed a project developed within its Academic Advisory Group of Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning that has secured €769,000 in Erasmus+ funding under the highly competitive 2025 Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) call, which had a success rate of just 6%. The selected initiative, GET-MED – Grounded Ecological Transition for the Mediterranean, brings together a diverse network of universities from Barcelona, Cagliari, Lisbon, Cairo, Al Alamein, Rabat, Fez, Tirana, and Podgorica, forming a unique alliance of ten institutions across the Euro-Mediterranean region. Anchored in the UfM’s longstanding… read more

26 June 2025, online. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) convened the Regional Platform on Transport Connectivity and its thematic Working Groups on Land, Air, and Maritime Transport and Logistics in an online session on 26 June 2025. The meeting brought together national transport coordinators and focal points from UfM Member States, along with representatives from key regional and international organisations, to assess and advance the implementation of the Regional Transport Action Plan for the Mediterranean (RTAP) 2021–2027. Co-chaired by the UfM Co-Presidency – comprising the European Commission’s DG MOVE and the Jordanian Ministry of Transport, the event follows up on… read more

21 May 2025, Leipzig, Germany – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in collaboration with the International Road Federation (IRF) and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), and with the financial support of Sweden (Sida), organised the Official Side Event titled “Effective Qualifications-Based and Gender-Responsive Procurement as a Tool to Enhance the Resilience of Transport Systems” on 21 May 2025 during the ITF 2025 Summit held in Leipzig, Germany. Transport systems in many LMICs remain under development, making the current decade crucial for avoiding inefficient investments and costly retrofitting in the future. Natural hazards cause an estimated USD 15… read more