The UfM endorses a new cross-border cooperation programme with projects to foster fair, equitable and sustainable development
Barcelona, 18 December 2019. The Senior Officials of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) endorsed today the program ENI CBC Med, whose aim is to reinforce the impact of funded projects across the Mediterranean region through the creation of four thematic clusters of projects: environment and climate change, business and SMEs development, technological transfer and innovation and social inclusion and fight against poverty.
This meeting of Senior Officials was the last one of the year 2019 and the opportunity to push forward cooperation and synergies for 2020. The encounter was the chance to discuss a number of other issues, such as the Second UfM Ministerial meeting on blue economy to be held in Malta and the Second Ministerial Conference on Environment and Climate Change.
More information on the UfM-labelled project
ENI CBC Med is the largest Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) initiative implemented by the EU under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). The Programme brings together the coastal territories of 14 EU and partner countries in view of fostering fair, equitable and sustainable development on both sides of the EU’s external borders. Through calls for proposals, ENI CBC Med finances cooperation projects for a more competitive, innovative, inclusive and sustainable Mediterranean area.
The main objectives of the project are to support knowledge exchange and management among ENI CBC Med funded projects based on synergies with UfM main policy orientations and ongoing initiatives, as well as to promote key projects outputs and good practices with decision-makers at local, national and regional level in order to support evidence-based policy making. The expected beneficiaries of the project are: Public authorities (at national and regional level), universities/research bodies, private sector (mainly SMEs, start-ups, civil society organizations, including associations, foundations, citizens’ groups, etc.).
The creation of the thematic clusters will be based on a joint analysis of the results of the inter-programme consultation with all relevant Euro-Med programmes and initiatives, together with a summary report on most relevant actions of EU Programmes and initiatives currently underway in the Mediterranean and their synergies with ENI CBC MED projects and UfM initiatives. This process will lead to the thematic cluster strategy to strengthen synergies and complementarities among projects and participation in common actions.
The labelling of this project represents an important and concrete step ahead within the reinforced partnership among the UfM Secretariat and the ENI CBC MED Programme, pushing forward the common interest of both organizations for enhancing synergies and complementarities, with the shared objective of supporting regional integration and development.
