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On Thursday, the European Commission introduced a new “Mediterranean pact” designed to redefine ties with Southern Neighbourhood nations due to increasing global uncertainty.

The agreement involves multiple initiatives to be implemented across 10 Mediterranean nations, focusing on critical areas for the European Union.

The agreement’s document states, ‘We aim to enhance this relationship and attain greater integration within the Common Mediterranean Area.’

It adds, ‘The goal of the agreement is to initiate a transformation, which is essential to unlock the complete potential of our collaboration and to work together according to the principles of shared ownership, co-creation, and mutual accountability.’

The paper emphasizes trade integration, migration, and border control, along with the region’s increasing significance in the EU supply chain for agricultural products, fertilizers, and essential raw materials.

It also encompasses initiatives related to decarbonization, addressing climate change, renewable energy sources, water shortages, disaster readiness, private sector funding, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, as well as efforts to create a Mediterranean university and support education and cultural exchange.

The agreement involves Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and Syria.

Nevertheless, opportunities for participation in the deal’s initiatives remain available for Gulf collaborators, Mauritania, Senegal, Turkey, the Western Balkans, and entities from the Black Sea region.

A different approach?

At the press briefing, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, stated that this time, Brussels is adopting a new approach with its counterparts on the other side of the sea.

“We adopt a bottom-up strategy, engaging with individuals across various sectors of society, not just government officials. We emphasized that we are establishing partnerships among equals,” Šuica stated at the press conference.

This faced criticism from civil society representatives, who claimed the agreement involved a “restricted” consultation process.

Moataz El Fegiery, Vice-President of NGO EuroMed Rights, stated, “The release of the Pact came after a consultation process, which was limited since many of the victims of repression by the regimes in the area were not consulted.”

The strong emphasis on investment and trade, along with the lack of mention of democratic reforms, as seen, for instance, in the Barcelona Process, may promote state-to-state collaboration in executing the agreement.

The Barcelona Initiative was introduced in 1995 as a platform for collaboration between the European Union and nations located in the Mediterranean area.

Although there were multiple suggestions to incorporate the area during that period, no concrete political outcomes had been realized.

At Thursday’s press conference, the issue of how Brussels will rival major global powers with significant influence in Mediterranean nations, including China and Russia, was discussed. EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas stated that the EU “is making a positive contribution by advocating for equal partnerships.”

“We must be trustworthy and dependable to stay ahead in the competition,” Kallas stated.

Concerning Moscow’s impact in the area, Kallas mentioned that the EU is “addressing the matter of Russia,” encouraging allies to avoid bypassing sanctions.