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The European Committee of the Regions welcomes the proposal for a new Pact for the Mediterranean

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  • External relations, Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy
  • Mediterranean third countries
CoR President bilateral with Commissioner Dubravka Šuica
© European Union / David Martín Díaz

The European Commission has officially adopted a Communication proposing a new Pact for the Mediterranean, marking a historic step forward in strengthening Euro-Mediterranean relations. The Committee of the Regions (CoR) and ARLEM — the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly bringing together local leaders from the three shores of the Mediterranean — warmly welcome this renewed commitment to deepening cooperation across the region.

The Mediterranean is a strategic priority for the European Union. The Pact, spearheaded by Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, reflects the EU’s ambition to co-create a space of peace, prosperity, and stability through genuine partnership.

As the political assembly representing subnational governments across the Euro-Mediterranean space, ARLEM strongly supports this new push. The CoR and ARLEM will continue their discussions with the European Commission to contribute to the implementation of the Pact, ensuring that the added value of local and regional authorities (LRAs) is fully recognized and integrated.

In just three weeks, ARLEM will adopt its flagship report on the Territorial Perspectives for the New Euro-Mediterranean Strategic Agenda at its 16th plenary session in Palermo. This report is the result of a unique co-rapporteurship bringing together an EU and a Mediterranean partner’s point of view and reflects the outcomes of a wide stakeholder consultation, including LRA associations from both EU and non-EU countries, as well as a study.

The CoR and ARLEM reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that local voices are heard and that territorial realities shape the future of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. The Pact for the Mediterranean is not only a policy framework — it is a call to action for all levels of governance to work together toward a shared future.

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