Brussels: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Thursday that the College of Commissioners has approved a new Mediterranean pact focused on achieving deeper integration across the region. "We should work on a deeper integration. We should simplify making business with each other, and we should create new ties between our industries, our universities, our institutions. This is why today we are making a clear offer to our neighbors. Let us create a common Mediterranean space with a goal of progressive integration," von der Leyen stated in a news release.
According to Anadolu Agency, the pact is structured around three main pillars: people, economy, and the intersection of security, preparedness, and migration. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica elaborated on the initiative during a joint news conference. Kallas highlighted over 100 projects designed to bolster local economies, create opportunities for youth, enhance regional connectivity, and improve security cooperation.
Suica outlined the first pillar's focus on empowering people through shared spaces for learning, culture, sports, and mobility, including the establishment of a Mediterranean University. The second pillar aims to modernize trade and investment relations, supporting startups and expanding cooperation in renewable energy, clean technologies, and the blue economy. Suica also detailed the third pillar's coverage of security, justice, and migration, which involves combating crime and terrorism, preventing radicalization, and managing migration with legal pathways, talent partnerships, and student visas.
The leaders emphasized their commitment to supporting Palestine, particularly through contributions to ceasefire plans and efforts in reconstruction, security, and governance. "We are real on Palestine," Suica affirmed, while Kallas noted the potential for contributions in reconstruction, security, and governance, stressing the complexities that remain for sustainable peace in Gaza.
Von der Leyen remarked on the recent end of the devastating war in Gaza as a turning point, not only for Gaza but also for the European Union and the Mediterranean region. She emphasized Europe's role in shaping a future of peace and prosperity and reiterated the commitment to being a partner in this endeavor. "This is our commitment to our shared Mediterranean home," von der Leyen concluded.