As 2022 comes to an end, we would like to share with you the highlights that marked an exceptional year for the ENI CBC Med Programme.

In a context characterized by a return to normal conditions following two years strongly impacted by the restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many opportunities to meet and work with our community of 13 countries and more than 600 partners to advance cooperation in the Mediterranean and find together solutions to common challenges.

Emerging stronger and more united than ever from the crisis, the 80 funded projects have made significant progress in order to achieve the best possible results before their closure in 2023.

Although it is impossible to summarize here all the achievements in a few words, we want through this article to highlight the key role of cooperation, dialogue and joint projects as drivers for development in the Mediterranean.

• More than ever, the projects have supported people and organizations who need it the most, especially young people and women.Thanks to the support of the Programme, many entrepreneurs, students, fishermen, people at risk of exclusion, etc. have been able to carry out their projects, and above all realize their dreams. Please click on the images below to find out examples of impactful stories.

• Support to the sound implementation of funded projects was also at the core of the daily work of the Managing Authority, Joint Technical Secretariat and the two Branch Offices. In particular, a large training on communication issues was organised in April 2022, gathering over 400 participants. In addition, two training sessions on project closure took place respectively in Barcelona and Amman in November 2022. 

• Beyond the cooperation projects, the Programme has intensified its role as a platform for discussion on common Mediterranean challenges. In connection with the European Year of Youth 2022, many actions have been carried out to enable young people to share their ideas and expectations during meetings such as the European Week of the Regions and Cities, Europe Day or the Dialogue between young Europeans and the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius.

• The Programme also served as a forum for in-depth debates on key issues in the Mediterranean. Events on green transition, textile or agri-food sectors have enabled elected officials, experts, young people and project leaders to discuss and find solutions together.

• On the other hand, participation in major international events gained unprecedented momentum in 2022. For the first time, the Programme participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, namely COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, including the organization of three thematic events held in the framework of the first-ever Mediterranean Pavilion (promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean) which was a resounding success.

• Many were the other events as the participation in external events increased widely. To be highlighted the session organized by the Programme during the European Sustainable Energy Week 2022 at the headquarters of the European Commission, the European Cooperation Day in Aqaba (Jordan), and the participation in several meetings such as the one promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean with young people for a more sustainable, prosperous and integrated Mediterranean in 2030, the 20th anniversary of the Mediterranean Cooperation Center of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the inauguration of the first European Campus of Innovation or the United Nations Ocean Conference.

• Special attention was paid to the celebrations of Mediterranean Day (promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean) on November 29, 2022 in Valencia (Spain) with an event "Feel the Mediterranean" focusing on the wine culture and the launch of the photo exhibition “Faces and places of the Mediterranean”. 

• In addition to the events, the Programme promoted an information campaign on International Women's Day, thus reaffirming its unconditional commitment to Mediterranean women.

• Throughout 2022, a series of articles was published on the occasion of international days to highlight the contribution of the Programme and its projects to global challenges: International Day for Food Waste Awareness, World Youth Skills Day, International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, World Bee Day and World Cities Day.

• Synergies with other Mediterranean initiatives have also been strengthened in order to ensure the coherence of our actions and to multiply their impact, in particular with the Union for the Mediterranean, the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, the PRIMA Programme or the WEST MED initiative.
   
• 2022 also marked the arrival of a new Director General of the Managing Authority at the head of the Programme: Mr. Roberto Raimondi, appointed in October for a five-year term.

• It is under his leadership that the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, follow-up to ENI CBC MED, has just been officially approved by the European Commission. Indeed, on December 12, 2022, the European Commission adopted the decision on the new Programme, called Interreg VI-B NEXT Mediterranean Basin (NEXT MED) for a total amount of EU contribution amounting to €253 million. The first Interreg NEXT MED call for proposals will be launched in 2023! Interreg NEXT MED, whose Managing Authority remains based in Cagliari (Italy) with the essential support of two Branch Offices (located in Aqaba, Jordan and Valencia, Spain), aims to contribute to a smarter and more competitive, a greener and a more social Mediterranean, as well as to a better multilevel governance in the Mediterranean. The new programme also marks the arrival of two new countries within our community: Algeria and Turkey, to whom we welcome.

Looking forward to meeting you very soon to share with you new and engaging stories of cooperation, we wish you a serene and joyful end-of-year holidays!