Dear President, Salvador Illa,  

Dear Secretary of State for EU Affairs, Fernando Sampedro,  

Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Kamel Nasser,

President of IE Med, Senen Florensa, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,  

It is an honour to be here today for my first visit to Barcelona as Commissioner for the Mediterranean, opening the MEDCat Conference on the 30^th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process.  

I fondly recall my visit in 2004 as Mayor of Dubrovnik for the 10^th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process.

I thank the Catalan government and the European Institute for the Mediterranean (IE Med) for co-organising this event.

Catalonia, especially Barcelona, hosts many organizations dedicated to Mediterranean affairs.

This year, 2025, is pivotal for Euro-Mediterranean relations.   

We face geo-strategic and economic uncertainties, worsened by ongoing conflicts in our vicinity.

However, uncertainty also brings opportunities.  

In a changing world with security threats, the erosion of multilateral order, and fading alliances, we can enhance resilience by strengthening ties with our closest partners. This is the strategic approach of the European Union.

In this Commission, we view our work through the lens of competitiveness and security, aiming to be players, not just payers.

The EU represents 16% of global GDP while contributing over 42% of the global aid budget. 

To enhance our role, we are emphasizing engagement with the southern Mediterranean, recognizing the benefits of stronger cooperation with North Africa, the Middle East, and Gulf countries.

Our shared vision is to create an area of “sustainable prosperity and stability” as outlined in the Barcelona and Paris Declarations establishing the Union for the Mediterranean.  

A key element of our cooperation is the New Pact for the Mediterranean, which I will present in October.  

This Pact aims to realize the vision of the Barcelona Declaration, ensuring a shared space of peace, prosperity, and stability across common interests.  

It will benefit from broad consultations with stakeholders from both EU Member States and Southern Neighbourhood partner countries.

I appreciate the contributions from Spain, Catalonia, civil society organizations, academia, think tanks, and international and regional organizations, including the Union for the Mediterranean.

Our approach is pragmatic and practical, focusing on concrete initiatives and tangible results that benefit people. 

We will prioritize three main areas: 

• First, we place people at the centre, investing in higher education, professional training, jobs, and promoting cultural exchange, sports, and sustainable tourism. We aim to establish a Mediterranean University Network and ultimately a joint Mediterranean University to foster skill development across the region.

Young people are vital drivers of change and development, which is why the Pact seeks to empower them on both shores.

Research is also crucial, exemplified by PRIMA, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area, hosted in Barcelona and co-financed by the EU.

• Secondly, we aim to unlock the full potential of our economies, mobilizing capital and fostering partnerships. I count on the business community and Chambers of Commerce present today to expand our actions.

We are developing a targeted approach to engage the private sector in the region, bringing together project promoters and private sector actors to create a sustainable pipeline of investable projects.

National investment platforms, such as the one launched by the EU and Egypt on June 15 this year, will match investment opportunities with appropriate financing, including EU financial support.

An example is the upcoming Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED), aiming to create investments and quality jobs in the renewable energies and clean-tech sector.

North Africa has enormous renewable energy potential, accessible and ripe for investment from energy companies on both shores. Spanish companies have a strong track record in the region, and our job is to eliminate existing regulatory, financial, and infrastructural barriers, enhancing energy security and competitiveness for the EU and our partners.

Let me also highlight connectivity initiatives like Catalonia’s ports infrastructure and logistical corridors, including the Mediterranean Corridor and Trans-Maghreb Corridor, advancing digitalization and electrification in maritime transport.

• Finally, we are strengthening cooperation on migration management and security—addressing disaster preparedness and combatting migrant smuggling.

We aim to combat terrorism and organized crime while preventing radicalization and creating legal pathways for labor migration and Talent Partnerships with our Southern Neighbours without causing brain drain.

Addressing labor shortages is essential, as it presents a real challenge for the EU. Demography plays a significant role in enhancing competitiveness, with North Africa’s youthful population offering opportunities for development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

To create a vibrant Mediterranean space of exchange, sustainable prosperity, and stability, we need the involvement of all actors in the region. The Union for the Mediterranean can play a pivotal role in guiding political and policy dialogue across the region.

We must seize the momentum of both the New Pact and the New Union for the Mediterranean Strategy to create effective synergies and implement actions within the New Pact.

The Catalan government is actively mobilizing regional networks like ARLEM (Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly) to turn our shared vision into reality.

Examples like Regenera4MED, promoting regenerative tourism in the Mediterranean, and pioneering studies on climate change and biodiversity across the region showcase Catalonias leadership.

Todays conference is crucial for reinvigorating the Barcelona Process. We are on track to meet ambitious goals and transform challenges into opportunities.

Let us all contribute to a prosperous Mediterranean region with mutual benefits for all. 

Thank you.