On 26 November, ahead of the 10th UfM Regional Forum and as part of the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, the Euro-Mediterranean Civil Society Conference brought together around 100 regional and institutional representatives in Barcelona. The conference reaffirmed the key role of civil society in shaping the future of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, aligned with the UfM’s Future Vision and the priorities of the newly launched Pact for the Mediterranean.
Discussions highlighted the need to move from consultation to co-creation, exploring governance models that strengthen participation, accountability, and structured inclusion. Participants addressed political, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers and proposed practical steps such as enhanced information-sharing and more systematic dialogue with civil society organisations.
A second major theme focused on inter-institutional cooperation, emphasising clearer mandates, reduced duplication, and stronger alignment between EU programmes, UfM strategies, and regional civil society networks.
Three thematic working groups worked on priority areas:
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Inclusive economic development
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Climate action
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People-to-people cooperation
These groups produced concrete recommendations to feed into future Euro-Mediterranean agendas.
The conference concluded with the launch of a long-term EuroMed Civil Society Engagement Process, which will help channel civil society input into UfM monitoring, the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean, and related EU programming.
The Organisation for European Programmes & Cultural Relations (OEPPS) was proud to participate and contribute to strengthening the voice and impact of civil society across the Mediterranean.
The event was organised by the Union for the Mediterranean, IEMed, and the Generalitat de Catalunya, with the support of the European Commission, as the third side event of the 10th UfM Regional Forum.
Official conclusions can be found here