What changed

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

– having regard to the Final Declaration of the Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference of 27 and 28 November 1995 and its work programme,

– having regard to the joint communication of 10 March 2023 on the update of the EU Maritime Security Strategy and its Action Plan ‘An enhanced EU Maritime Security Strategy for evolving maritime threats’ (JOIN(2023)0008),

– having regard to the joint communication of 21 February 2025 entitled ‘EU Action Plan on Cable Security’ (JOIN(2025)0009) and the findings by the Expert Group under Recommendation 2024/779 on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures,

– having regard to the communication of 4 March 2026 on the ‘EU Industrial Maritime Strategy’ (COM(2026)0111),

– having regard to the communication of 4 March 2026 on the ‘EU Ports Strategy’ (COM(2026)0112),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 16 October 2025 entitled ‘Pact for the Mediterranean: One Sea, One Pact, One Future’ (JOIN(2025)0026),

– having regard to the Pact for the Mediterranean Action Plan – Spring 2026,

– having regard to the MedFish4Ever Ministerial Declaration of 30 March 2017,

– having regard to the Food and Agriculture Organization report entitled ‘The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2025’,

– having regard to the report of the High-Level Advisory Group of October 2003 entitled ‘Dialogue Between Peoples and Cultures in the Euro-Mediterranean Area’,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2026),(A10-0239/2026),

A. whereas the Mediterranean is an area of vital and complementary strategic importance to the EU and is a shared political, economic and cultural space;space that is of fundamental importance for Europe’s prosperity, energy resilience, connectivity, competitiveness, social cohesion, stability and security; whereas the Euro-Mediterranean dimension is a shared responsibility of the EU as a whole;whole and requires concrete solidarity and coordinated action to address common challenges and seize common opportunities; whereas the EU is a member of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM);

B. whereas the credibility and effectiveness of the EU’s engagement with its southern partners have been undermined by the perception of an inconsistent application of its principles;

B. whereas the coherence, credibility and effectiveness of the EU’s engagement with its southern partners have been partially undermined by the perception of an inconsistent application of its principles, notably co-ownership, the rule of law, human rights, democratic governance, and respect for international law; whereas the EU’s engagement has at times been hindered by divergent perceptions of the challenges facing the region, the frequent lack of efficient strategic communication, including the EU not outlining the mutual benefits of this engagement on equal terms, and asymmetries in identifying both common and individual priorities; whereas credible engagement depends on a coherent, pragmatic and mutually respectful application of the EU’s principles, promoting partnerships based on shared interests and responsibilities, coherent external action, as well as close political dialogue with partner countries; whereas democracy, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are essential for prosperity, stability and peace in the Mediterranean space; whereas these principles should always be considered during decision-making on EU financial assistance;

C. whereas 30 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, the priorities of multilateralism, co-ownership, civil society support, and people-to-people ties remain essential reference points;

C. whereas 30 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, the objectives of creating a common area of peace, stability and shared prosperity, launching an Euro-Mediterranean free trade area, working to strengthen democracy and respect for human rights and developing an effective Euro-Mediterranean partnership for greater understanding and closeness between peoples remain to be fully fulfilled; whereas multilateralism, co-ownership, the involvement of civil society, and people-to-people ties, as well as promoting the emergence of a common area with the ultimate objective of peace, stability, prosperity and social cohesion, must remain essential reference points for cooperation and must constitute a prerequisite for any lasting and mutually beneficial partnership; whereas these principles must inform the implementation of the objectives of economic development, connectivity, stability, migration management, security and shared prosperity across the entire Mediterranean region; whereas they offer a principled model in opposition to that defended by other actors in the region, notably Russia;

D. whereas the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has undertaken a process of institutional reform and operational refocusing;

D. whereas the launch of the Barcelona Process represented a moment of genuine strategic vision, embedding Euro-Mediterranean relations within a broader ambition at a time when the EU was itself undergoing a profound process of deepening and enlargement, which should still inspire the EU’s current repositioning as a global actor;

E. whereas the social partners are key actors in the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean, notably trade unions and chambers of commerce;

E. whereas the rules-based multilateral order is facing unprecedented challenges, including increasing geopolitical antagonisms, unilateralism, violations of international law and declining trust in international institutions;

F. whereas the Pact must be anchored in a medium to long-term vision, aligned with the next multiannual financial framework;

F. whereas recent conflicts have further escalated tensions, impacting maritime security and international trade; whereas the growing instability in the Sahel, marked by terrorism, violent extremism, political fragility, humanitarian crises and expanding criminal networks, poses a direct security challenge to the wider Mediterranean region and Europe; whereas the current global and regional geopolitical context underscores the need for closer political relations and a reinforced strategic partnership between the EU and non-EU Mediterranean countries in order to strengthen regional stability, security, resilience and sustainable prosperity;

G. whereas His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has called on the international community to remove the causes of despair and warned against turning the Mediterranean into ‘a graveyard where even hope dies’;

G. whereas the EU’s external action needs to increase its attention to countries in the Southern Neighbourhood as effective partners in addressing common challenges; whereas a genuine partnership in the Mediterranean requires moving beyond traditional donor-recipient dynamics and ensuring co-design and shared responsibility among all actors;

H. whereas the Ecclesial Coordination Office for the Mediterranean (COMED) was created at the initiative of Pope Francis in the wake of the MED23 Mediterranean Encounters held in Marseille in September 2023, as a body dedicated to fostering communion, peace and fraternity across the shores of the Mediterranean basin;

H. whereas, on 16 October 2025, the Commission and the High Representative presented a Joint Communication entitled ‘The Pact for the Mediterranean: One Sea, One Pact and One Future’, which aims to relaunch EU relations with partners in the southern Mediterranean on the basis of shared responsibility and more structured and results-oriented cooperation, particularly in the areas of regional stability and security, economic development, energy, education, migration management and people-to-people cooperation, among others;

I. whereas the Pact should truly serve as an opportunity to fundamentally revitalise Euro-Mediterranean relations and help set a new tone and pace in the EU’s engagement with the region; whereas the Pact should pave the way for a new outlook on the region, aiming for a more inclusive, multilateral and horizontal approach based on partnership, trust and shared responsibility; whereas the Pact offers a unique opportunity to reaffirm the values of multilateral cooperation, dialogue and shared responsibility in addressing common challenges;

J. whereas the UfM, which is an intergovernmental organisation created in 2008 as a continuation of the Barcelona Process, and which acts as an important forum for dialogue and cooperation at political level and at the level of civil society organisations and relevant policy stakeholders, has undergone a process of institutional reform and operational refocusing; whereas the EU Member States should ensure that the UfM enjoys adequate financial and human resources to execute its mandate;

K. whereas a wide range of social and economic partners are key actors in the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean, notably civil society organisations, human rights defenders, religious organisations, trade unions, business organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, chambers of commerce, universities, research institutes and think tanks;

L. whereas civil society, including human rights organisations, trade unions, independent media, universities, women-led and youth-led organisations, local community networks and environmental movements, plays a key role in fostering sustainable peace, democratic resilience and inclusive development across the region; whereas the Pact for the Mediterranean should pay particular attention to the contribution of women, women-led businesses and women-led private-sector organisations to sustainable economic growth, job creation and social innovation across the Mediterranean region; whereas youth unemployment rates in parts of the Mediterranean region remain critically high;

M. whereas civic space across much of the southern Mediterranean is shrinking, with documented constraints on freedom of association, expression and access to funding; whereas human rights defenders, journalists and civil society representatives face harassment, judicial pressure and administrative obstacles that fundamentally affect their capacity to engage safely and independently with EU-funded initiatives, with serious consequences for the rule of law and democratic accountability;

N. whereas local and regional authorities, particularly those in coastal Mediterranean regions, are frontline actors in the implementation of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and play a key role in delivering public policies on the ground; whereas these authorities are essential to ensure the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Pact and its Action Plans, and must be granted a formal role in the governance of the Pact, in line with the principles of multilevel governance and subsidiarity;

O. whereas the Pact must be a political priority for the EU, anchored in a strategic and medium to long-term vision, aligned with the next multiannual financial framework, and supported by appropriate implementation and sufficient financing; whereas the Pact should aim to promote security, stability, energy resilience, economic development, social cohesion and mutually beneficial partnerships throughout the Mediterranean region, including by enhancing and coordinating complementary national and European initiatives; whereas the Pact for the Mediterranean functions as an investment-driven framework and should ensure fair development, governance, and accountability safeguards; whereas the region is part of the mandate of the Commission’s dedicated Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA), and the specific geographical area of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA/Gulf) pillar in the Global Europe Instrument;

P. whereas His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has called on the international community to remove the causes of despair and warned against turning the Mediterranean into ‘a graveyard where even hope dies’, stressing the need to promote peace, stability, human dignity, and economic opportunities throughout the region; whereas migration cooperation is needed to reduce tensions related to migration in the region; whereas many countries in the Southern Neighbourhood are grappling with migratory pressure, including humanitarian assistance to displaced populations, as transit, host or destination countries;

Q. whereas the Ecclesial Coordination Office for the Mediterranean (COMED) was created at the initiative of Pope Francis in the wake of the MED23 Mediterranean Encounters held in Marseille in September 2023, as a body dedicated to fostering communion and dialogue, peace and fraternity, and mutual understanding across the shores of the Mediterranean basin, alongside other religious, cultural and civil society actors;

R. whereas peace and security are mutually reinforcing and constitute essential preconditions for the prosperity of the Common Mediterranean Space; whereas the Mediterranean is increasingly exposed to a wide range of security and hybrid challenges, including threats to maritime security and to the resilience of critical maritime and underwater infrastructure;

S. whereas the evolving strategic and economic importance of strategic sea lines of communications, as well as maritime and underwater infrastructure, combined with the complexity of emerging challenges, highlights the need for deeper cooperation among Member States and key industrial partners in support of resilience, preparedness and security;

T. whereas illicit financial flows continue to undermine sustainable development, public trust, institutional resilience and economic opportunities across parts of the Mediterranean region; whereas effective prevention, detection, investigation and recovery of stolen assets require stronger domestic institutions, greater transparency and enhanced international cooperation among Mediterranean partners;

U. whereas the Mediterranean region is among the areas most exposed to the effects of climate change, including water scarcity, desertification, biodiversity loss and extreme weather events, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations; whereas according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Mediterranean is a climate change hotspot, warming 20 % faster than the global average, which amplifies environmental risks; whereas the Mediterranean Sea hosts 7.5 % of the world’s marine fauna species and 18 % of its marine flora species; whereas the region is experiencing more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, water scarcity and extreme weather events, which threaten ecosystems, food security and livelihoods; whereas climate change strongly interacts with other environmental problems in the Mediterranean Basin resulting from urbanisation, land use change, overfishing, pollution, biodiversity loss and degradation of land and marine ecosystems; whereas the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan estimates that by 2050 water demand in the region will double or even triple;

V. whereas the deteriorating geopolitical context and escalating violence, extreme weather events, and high dependence on imports have led to a significant increase in food insecurity on the southern shore of the Mediterranean; whereas in some areas, more than half the population is affected by acute hunger, and the number of people at risk has increased from 135 million in 2019 to more than 345 million in 2025;

W. whereas the Mediterranean Sea handles 25 % of global maritime trade and 30 % of global oil traffic; whereas decarbonisation of ports and reuse of materials is key for the sustainability of activities in the region;

X. whereas closer Mediterranean cooperation in the field of climate and energy policies is necessary to address the region’s exposure to climate impacts, including water stress, extreme heat and ecosystem degradation, and the structural asymmetries that undermine implementation of those policies, as highlighted by the Palermo Declaration of the Mediterranean Alliance of Think Tanks on Climate Change; whereas the Mediterranean region holds vast untapped potential in renewable energy, which must be developed as a strategic pool for regional energy security, contributing to the green transition through renewable energy, network interconnections, storage infrastructure and energy efficiency; whereas in order to achieve the renewable energy commitments made at COP28, the Mediterranean region needs to double planned renewables deployment and strengthen grid interconnections, storage capacity and demand-side flexibility;

Y. whereas the favourable conditions in the region and declining production costs position North Africa as a potential producer of competitive green hydrogen; whereas this partnership will be beneficial for both parties in terms of energy security and industrial competitiveness through the modernisation of energy systems;

Z. whereas the Mediterranean region is home to 550 million people; whereas the United Nations estimates an increase to 635 million by 2050, of which the majority will live in countries on the southern and eastern shores; whereas the Mediterranean space is historically and contemporarily characterised by high human mobility within and between countries; whereas the two shores of the Mediterranean experience opposite and complementary demographic dynamics; whereas this significant human capital represents an added value that can contribute to addressing the common challenges and opportunities in the region for the benefit of societies on both shores;

AA. whereas continuous reports from international and civil society organisations highlight a pattern of systematic human rights violations and abuses committed by coast guards against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers seeking to cross the Mediterranean; whereas the EU, including through common security and defence policy (CSDP) missions, contributes to the capacity-building and training of such coast guards;

AB. whereas Mediterranean islands, whether regions or states, face structural disadvantages resulting from insularity and the lack of territorial continuity with significant implications for connectivity, economic cohesion and access to essential services;

AC. whereas UN agencies continue to contribute to regional stability in the Mediterranean space, inter alia by providing essential services; whereas, as one of their largest donors, the EU has a special responsibility to maintain reliable, adequate funding to all UN agencies and programmes;

The Pact for the Mediterranean

1. Considers it essential to revive the active role of the people and civil society in order to rebuild dialogue, stability and peace in the Mediterranean region; stresses that the Mediterranean cannot remain a hotspot of conflicts and wars, and calls for a new phase based on the protagonism of people, civil society, businesses and local administrators as drivers of a renewed pact for dialogue and cooperation;

1. Considers that, for the Euro-Mediterranean to be grounded in a more strategic vision promising common space for cooperation, economic and cultural exchange, fostering growth, innovation, stability and peace, it is essential to support the active role of the people, civil society, trade unions and businesses, while strengthening the EU’s cooperation with its southern partners, in order to rebuild and strengthen dialogue, stability and peace in the region, and counteract authoritarianism, repression and poverty; is confident that the Mediterranean can successfully move beyond conflicts, wars, fragmentation and inequalities, to become a shared space of cooperation, mutual trust and sustainable development; stresses, therefore, the importance of addressing the root causes of instability and conflict throughout the region; calls for a renewed partnership grounded in social justice and inclusive development, and based on genuine co-ownership and the meaningful involvement of citizens, civil society organisations, businesses, and regional and local administrators, ensuring the involvement of institutions at different levels of government;

2. Believes that the Pact for the Mediterranean is an opportunity to renew and strengthen Euro-Mediterranean relations byand bettingboost onmultilateralism; further believes that stability, security and shared prosperity can be achieved by placing people inat the facecentre ofin divisionsa andregion themarked lackby offragmentation ambitionand amongpolitical governments,divergence, by drawing concrete lessons from the shortcomings of previous cooperation frameworks, including insufficient funding, weak governance structures, and the shrinking space for civil society, and by building this renewed partnership on co-ownershipco-ownership, co-creation, mutual interest and shared responsibility as its central principle,operating withprinciple; itsstresses that the Pact’s success dependingwill depend on the genuine involvement of people, national, local and regional authorities, social partnerspartners, the private sector and civil society organisations;organisations in the design, implementation and evaluation of all its programmes; notes that the Pact is the result of an inclusive consultation process, ensuring alignment with the real needs and aspirations of the citizens on both shores of the Mediterranean;

3. Shares the goal of revitalising the Mediterranean as a common space for cooperation and economic and cultural exchange, fostering growth, stability and peace;

3. Supports the thematic areas of the Pact, which are structured around the following three pillars: (1) people (driving force for change, connections and innovation), (2) stronger, more sustainable and integrated economies, and (3) security, preparedness, and migration management;

4. Welcomes the appointment of the first ever European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, and the creation of a dedicated Directorate-General, which must now be followed by a coherent political focus and policy choices;

4. Underlines that, at a time when multilateralism is being weakened by growing geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts and attempts to undermine international law and international institutions, the Pact for the Mediterranean offers a timely opportunity to reaffirm the principles of cooperation, solidarity, mutual respect and shared responsibility; warns against allowing this opportunity to be missed and calls for the Pact to become a flagship initiative for a renewed and effective multilateralism in the Mediterranean region; emphasises, in this context, the need to strengthen regional and multilateral cooperation among Mediterranean countries in order to effectively address challenges related to sustainable development, digital infrastructure, clean-tech, energy, disaster resilience and security; recognises the complex situation in several southern Mediterranean partners, which constrains the possibilities for ambitious political dialogue;

5. Supports the measures identified as priorities in the Action Plan; believes that all of its stages should reflect a coherent strategic approach that goes beyond a mere list of actions;

5. Recalls the EU’s unique position and responsibility to drive ceasefire efforts and confidence-building through diplomatic and political engagement; stresses that improvements in living standards and access to vital services across the region are dependent on the achievement of durable political solutions;

6. Underlines that, for the Pact for the Mediterranean to be a success, the people of the Mediterranean region must ultimately enjoy its benefits; reiterates the need for a strong focus on democracy, the rule of law, human rights and transparency;

6. Shares the goal of revitalising the Mediterranean as a region of cooperation, of connectivity and of economic, scientific and cultural exchange, fostering growth, prosperity, stability, security, peace and promoting an active participation of minorities: a 360-degree approach that integrates people-to-people connection, economic development, social cohesion, energy, security and migration into a single strategic vision; recalls that the Barcelona Process recognised the social, human and cultural dimension as a structural pillar of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation; considers that the gap between this commitment and its actual implementation represents one of the shortcomings of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation to date, which the Pact must now address through commensurate effective implementation, political commitment and dedicated funding;

7. Recognises the crucial role of local and regional authorities, social partners, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector; believes that a strong implementation of the Pact’s objectives requires moving from mere consultation to true multilevel governance;

7. Stresses that the Pact should serve as a framework for stronger political, economic, energy and security cooperation, based on partnership, trust and shared interests, with the aim of building a more stable, prosperous and resilient Mediterranean region;

8. Recognises the contribution of Mediterranean regional hubs and cities in fostering dialogue, innovation and cooperation across the basin, including through existing Euro-Mediterranean networks and platforms;

9. Underlines that persistent violations of international law and unilateral actions in the Eastern Mediterranean undermine regional stability and the credibility of the Pact, and must not be ignored in the framework of EU external action; believes that the Pact for the Mediterranean can only achieve its economic, political, social and environmental objectives in the long term if peace and stability are guaranteed throughout the region; recalls, therefore, that security and peace are essential pillars and indispensable requirements for prosperity in the Common Mediterranean Space;

10. Underlines that respect for international law, and the inviolability of the sovereignty and sovereign rights of Member States in their maritime zones, including exclusive economic zones, in line with UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, should be at the core of the common rules on which our cooperation is based; calls, therefore, for the EU to make full use of its diplomatic influence and to provide the necessary technical assistance to support the peaceful resolution of ongoing and protracted conflicts in the Mediterranean region, in full compliance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter, recognising that conflict resolution, accountability and respect for international law are essential prerequisites for long-term peace, stability, real human security and sustainable prosperity in the region;

11. Welcomes the appointment of the first ever European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, and the creation of a dedicated Directorate-General, which is expected to demonstrate a coherent political focus and policy choices, strengthened by adequate financial and human resources, for the benefit of the people on both shores of the Mediterranean and in line with international law, democratic principles and the rule of law, promoting interdependent relations between Mediterranean states and civil society; calls for these new EU institutional positions and structures to contribute to a more coherent, effective, and results-oriented EU approach in the Mediterranean region; welcomes the proposal by the Commission to include the Mediterranean as a geographical region in the upcoming multiannual financial framework (MFF);

12. Supports the measures identified as priorities in the Action Plan; stresses that all stages of the Action Plan should reflect a coherent strategic approach that goes beyond a mere list of actions; emphasises that the actions should be based on clearly defined priorities, ensuring consistency between their definition, implementation and evaluation, and should deliver tangible and measurable results on the ground; stresses the importance of emphasising current initiatives to avoid fragmentation and the creation of parallel structures, and of ensuring coherence between people-to-people connections, energy, investment, connectivity, economic development, security, and migration management; expects the Action Plan to be regularly updated and adapted to the respective contexts and to be reported back to the European Parliament and its respective committees and delegations; urges the Commission to ensure that the Pact’s Action Plan considers current initiatives, including the Global Gateway and national initiatives, among others the Italian Mattei Plan for Africa, the Compact with Africa 2.0, or the Spain-Africa Strategy, in order to maximise effectiveness;

13. Underlines that, for the Pact for the Mediterranean to be a success, there must be a clear shift from the donor-receiver model to a co-creation model, so that the people of the Mediterranean region ultimately enjoy its benefits through improved opportunities for mobility and improved living standards and economic chances, particularly for women and young people, but also through greater stability and freedom; reiterates the need for a strong focus on energy cooperation, sustainable and inclusive economic development, quality employment, innovation, a green and digital transition, and combating foreign interference, while maintaining the universal principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, transparency, social justice and gender equality; highlights that the credibility of the Pact depends on the consistent application of EU principles, including respect for international law, democratic and accountable governance, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights; stresses that progress in all these areas should remain a benchmark for the implementation of the Pact;

14. Recalls, in line with the appeals made by H.H. Pope Leo XIV, that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental right and a precondition for genuine coexistence across the Mediterranean; calls for the Pact to include concrete commitments to protect all religious and other minorities, and to make the protection of places of worship and of cultural heritage an objective of cooperation;

15. Stresses that gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and combating all forms of violence against women and girls must be mainstreamed across all pillars of the Pact, including with respect to political participation, education, employment, mobility, climate resilience, digital transformation and peacebuilding;

16. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all pillars of the Pact are implemented in full conformity with the EU’s obligations under international human rights law and under Article 21 TEU; invites the Commission to consider human rights and environmental impact assessments in the project cycle of all initiatives funded under the Pact’s investment architecture;

17. Recognises the crucial role of local and regional authorities, social partners and trade unions, civil society, women and youth organisations, academia and the private sector, including euro-Mediterranean networks, in the development, implementation and ongoing assessment of the initiatives implemented through the Pact for the Mediterranean; believes that a strong implementation of the Pact’s objectives requires moving from mere consultation towards a structured and effective multilevel governance approach, including through territorial diplomacy in cooperation with partner countries and by strengthening cooperation with existing regional and local networks across the Mediterranean as key actors in facilitating territorial and decentralised cooperation;

18. Stresses the importance of multilevel governance and decentralised cooperation, recognising the key contribution of regional governments and Mediterranean cities in implementing the Pact’s objectives and fostering people-to-people dialogue; stresses the need to strengthen coordination and cooperation between all relevant actors and the different institutional levels, in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, in order to ensure the Pact’s effective implementation; supports the exploration of a Mediterranean macro-regional approach, as a complementary framework to the Pact, aimed at improving the coordination of policies and the alignment of current instruments, and at strengthening multilevel governance and territorial cooperation across the region;

19. Supports the establishment of a dedicated Technical Facility to strengthen the implementation of the Pact at local level, enabling local and regional authorities to transform strategic priorities into structured, financeable and impactful initiatives, through technical assistance, capacity-building and the development of a coherent pipeline of projects;

20. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all bilateral cooperation frameworks fully respect democratic principles and fundamental human rights as enshrined in Article 2 of the Association Agreements; calls for the promotion of the freedom of association, expression and assembly, including through systematic reference to the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, during high-level Euro-Mediterranean exchanges;

Institutional and political challenges

8.21. Believes that the European Parliament and its respective committees and delegations must play aan centralimportant role in overseeing the implementation of the Pact, particularlyincluding inby monitoring the coherence between the policy goalsobjectives, the measures proposed and the proposedresults measures;achieved, in close cooperation with the Member States and national parliaments, but also in exchanges with the implementing services of the Commission, national politicians and civil society organisations on the ground; calls for an enhanced role for parliamentary diplomacy with partners in the region;

9. Calls on the Commission to ensure that future Action Plan updates are preceded by structured dialogues with partner countries and Parliament;

22. Calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with regular progress reports on the implementation of the Pact, including measurable objectives, funding commitments and progress under each pillar, in order to improve transparency, strengthen democratic accountability and ensure the effective delivery of the Pact’s objectives;

10. Insists that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) be given a substantive and enhanced role in overseeing the implementation of the Pact;

23. Calls on the Commission to ensure that future Action Plan updates are preceded by structured dialogues with partner countries, EU Member States and the European Parliament and its respective bodies; calls further for these dialogues to incorporate an extensive and inclusive consultation process with governments, regional and local authorities, civil society, youth organisations, social partners, private-sector representatives, trade unions, chambers of commerce, business organisations, researchers and other stakeholders, in cooperation with the EU Delegations in the Southern Mediterranean countries, in order to strengthen strategic coherence and effective implementation of the objectives of the Pact and its Action Plan, and to increase engagement with and ownership of the Pact across all these groups;

11. Welcomes the proposed establishment of a Youth Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean; encourages the anchoring of this youth assembly within the framework of the PA-UfM;

24. Calls for the Pact’s implementation to be embedded in a wider framework of institutionalised dialogue and consultations with partners across the region; highlights the importance of new strategic multilateral partnership agreements in the roll-out of the Pact’s initiatives and in locking in mutual interests;

12. Underlines the importance of fostering South-South links and strengthening regional dialogue;

25. Proposes that trade unions be systematically invited into Pact governance, with defined rights including consultation before the approval of initiatives and a role in setting the agenda on labour issues;

13. Insists that adequate funding for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership must be secured in the next multiannual framework, and that the Pact’s level of ambition will ultimately be judged by the resources allocated to it;

26. Emphasises that the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean should take advantage of the numerous current instruments, agreements and cooperation frameworks, particularly within the UfM;

People

27. Supports the introduction of financial and guarantee instruments to unlock capital for climate-smart and inclusive projects in underfinanced sectors such as climate adaptation, education technology and rural development, with a view to reducing investor risk and catalysing public-private partnerships;

14. Warmly welcomes the Mediterranean University initiative, stresses that academic cooperation is most effective through physical presence and direct interaction, and considers that a network of twinning arrangements represents the most credible instrument to this end;

28. Underlines that the UfM represents the most appropriate institutional framework for genuine cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean partners, provided it is endowed with a strengthened political mandate, adequate and predictable financial resources, and a governance structure that ensures the equal and meaningful participation of local authorities, social partners and civil society, in the definition and implementation of shared priorities; recognises the great value of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) since 2003; suggests that the PA-UfM could be given a substantive and enhanced role in overseeing the implementation of the Pact;

15. Recalls that study visas represent a limited and manageable share of migration flows when embedded in structured cooperation with local authorities and universities;

29. Welcomes the MED9 initiative, the informal grouping of the nine southern EU Member States, and emphasises that these countries share a responsibility to contribute, through coordinated action, to an effective, united and forward-looking European response to the growing instabilities and challenges facing the EU, its neighbourhood and the wider world; highlights in particular the importance of addressing security, social cohesion, energy and migration challenges, rural depopulation, the opportunities and risks linked to the use of artificial intelligence, environmental protection and integrated water management, as well as advancing a comprehensive approach towards the EU’s neighbourhood;

16. Invites the Commission and the Member States to expand South-South and intra-Mediterranean mobility through a fast-track Euromed Visa programme and a reformed Erasmus+ programme;

30. Welcomes the proposed establishment of a Youth Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean, which will enable young, elected European and southern Mediterranean representatives to gather in a structured format and contribute to regional policies; encourages the anchoring of this youth assembly within the framework of the PA-UfM, with linkages to existing Mediterranean networks and councils, and regional and local youth ecosystems; stresses the importance of ensuring the participation of structured civil society representatives and young people in policy design, implementation and evaluation;

17. Proposes the establishment of a formal Civil Society Advisory Mechanism linked to the Pact’s governance structure;

31. Underlines the importance of fostering South-South links, on the basis of international law and with a view to ensuring stability and development, and of strengthening regional dialogue through cross-border academic, cultural, social and economic networks capable of building trust and long-term resilience across Mediterranean societies, including through enhanced cooperation with existing regional and local networks; underlines that fostering genuine South-South integration is essential to the economic credibility of the Pact, given the persistently low level of intra-regional trade among southern partners; recalls that the European Endowment for Democracy and the Anna Lindh Foundation are two flexible organisations close to civil society and governments, and are well-positioned to strengthen regional dialogue, including the South-South links; calls for the enhanced inclusion of the Mediterranean partners from the Western Balkans countries as partners in the fields of security, resilience, migration management, energy and connectivity; recognises that progress in the European integration of the Western Balkans constitutes a contribution not only to the EU’s enlargement policy, but also to the broader stability, prosperity and security of the Euro-Mediterranean area;

More sustainable and integrated economies

32. Emphasises the importance of translating the co-ownership principle featured in the Pact into action, inter alia by fostering multilateral dialogue and engagement among the EU and its partners as well as among the individual countries of the Southern Neighbourhood; believes that a new approach to Euro-Mediterranean cooperation rooted in shared responsibility and an equal footing is key to successfully shifting the overall rationale behind the EU’s engagement with the region and its standing in the eyes of its partners;

18. Supports the modernisation of trade relations and the boosting of investment flows through new forms of agreement, especially for sectors with high mutual benefits;

33. Highlights the added value of decentralised cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean area, notably through partnerships between regions, municipalities, universities and civil society organisations, as instruments for resilience, democratic participation and sustainable development;

19. Notes that the Mediterranean region holds vast untapped potential in solar, wind, and green hydrogen that must be developed as a strategic pool for regional energy security, contributing to the green transition through renewable energy, network interconnections, storage infrastructure, and energy efficiency;

34. Reiterates the importance of promoting human rights, the rule of law and democracy in the region as an essential investment for EU security, since democracies constitute safer international environments; insists on the importance of peacebuilding as a driver for stability in the region; considers that the post-conflict and peacebuilding situations must take place under the aegis of the UN, and be underpinned by access to both transitional and universal justice mechanisms, as well as seeking accountability, redress and contributions to reconstruction from the aggressor, in those cases where one can be identified; calls for greater emphasis within the Pact on conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts, including through strengthened diplomatic engagement;

20. Stresses the importance of the blue economy as a key driver of sustainable development and job creation in the Mediterranean;

35. Supports the development of a Mediterranean civic service to connect young people across the region with a diverse range of volunteering opportunities, fostering a deeper mutual understanding across the region;

21. Highlights the need for the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED) to shift cooperation from episodic engagement to a structured pipeline of projects;

36. Supports the strengthening of media organisations throughout the region to promote accountability, transparency and access to verified information;

Preparedness and migration management

37. Encourages the fight against disinformation and hate speech, enhancing fact-checking capacity and strengthening media literacy among the different generations;

22. Highlights the fact that the Pact represents an opportunity to advance towards a Euro-Mediterranean mobility space in a new and cross-cutting manner, supporting achievements in the areas of economic cooperation, start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, youth, students, and academic and scientific cooperation;

38. Stresses that the upcoming MFF 2028-2034 represents a crucial opportunity to give the Pact genuine financial substance; insists that adequate, predictable and long-term funding for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership must be secured in the next MFF, in line with the scale and complexity of the challenges facing the region and allowing for the need to respond to emergencies; stresses that the level of ambition of the Pact and the EU’s political credibility will be demonstrated by the resources allocated to it, and underlines that investment in cooperation, stability, sustainable development and people-to-people exchanges should be regarded as an investment generating long-term benefits for the region; underscores the centrality of the Global Europe pillar within the next MFF and the need to provide sufficient funding from its geographical pillars to the roll-out of the initiatives featured in the Action Plans; calls for the Mediterranean to remain a strategic priority within the EU’s external action and the future MFF, reflecting the region’s geopolitical, environmental and demographic importance for Europe;

23. Calls for a constructive approach to regular migration, with a sustained focus on talent and people development, in cooperation with the private sector;

39. Underlines further that this financial architecture should be aligned with the objectives of territorial cohesion, ensuring that funding is designed, implemented and evaluated in a way that supports balanced territorial development, reduces structural disparities and enables place-based investments across the Mediterranean; calls for the traditional geographical balance of the European Neighbourhood Policy to be protected;

24. Calls for a comprehensive response to address both immediate operational needs and long-term structural factors;

40. Insists that funding for the Pact be accompanied by clear objectives, measurable benchmarks and robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure effectiveness, transparency and accountability; stresses the importance of a Team Europe approach in mobilising and coordinating resources, including those from private-sector actors;

25. Emphasises that migration is a multidimensional phenomenon that must be addressed through a comprehensive, rights-based and human-centred approach;

41. Supports the development of dedicated technical support instruments that facilitate the mobilisation and effective use of financial resources for territorial projects under the Pact, including by strengthening project preparation, capacity-building and by enabling co-financing mechanisms;

26. Reiterates the value of human life in light of the thousands of people who have lost their life or are missing as a result of the activities of smuggling and human trafficking networks; proposes that the Commission undertake a search effort and launch an initiative to restore the ‘right to a name’ for the victims in the Mediterranean, as an act of dignity for all human beings and a warning for future generations;

42. Stresses that the financial ambition of the Pact should include private investment, blended finance and the resources of European and partner development finance institutions, based on clear standards;

43. Calls on the Commission to assess whether the preconditions laid out in macro-financial assistance agreements and other financial instruments under the Pact are fulfilled by recipient countries; calls further for the monitoring processes to involve independent stakeholders and relevant UN human rights mechanisms;

44. Believes that every Pact-funded structural investment should include local hiring, upskilling and youth inclusion as core deliverables;

45. Highlights the growing geopolitical competition in the Mediterranean region and stresses that the Pact should contribute to strengthening the EU’s strategic presence, credibility and partnerships in the region; calls on the Commission to enhance and monitor the public perception of EU engagement in partner countries and to integrate these findings into its communication and policy approach; calls, in this regard, to increase cooperation and outreach with UN agencies working on the ground, particularly in conflict zones, as they have direct access to and enjoy the trust of local communities;

46. Underlines the importance of strategic communication to showcase the tangible benefits of the Pact and to raise awareness and to improve understanding of the EU’s role and actions in the Mediterranean; stresses the need to continuously tackle emerging challenges, including disinformation;

47. Invites the Council to mandate the Commission to develop an integrated EU macro-regional strategy for the Mediterranean, taking into account the current EUSAIR strategy, WESTMED, the Pact for the Mediterranean and its action plan, as well as the key role of the UfM and of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM);

People: driving force for change, connections and innovation

48. Warmly welcomes the Mediterranean University initiative, while recognising the contribution of existing Euro-Mediterranean university networks, academic consortia and higher education institutions that have, since the Barcelona Process, fostered regional cooperation and dialogue among universities from both shores of the Mediterranean; stresses that academic cooperation is most effective through physical presence and direct interaction, and considers that a network of twinning arrangements, joint and double-degree programmes, and academic partnerships represent the most credible instruments to this end; believes that such instruments can help strengthen education, innovation, skills development, and people-to-people contacts; underlines the importance of academic cooperation, research partnerships, and direct exchanges between institutions in the Mediterranean region; underlines further that inclusivity must be an operative criterion, as must parity in the participation of students and professors, with dedicated support for scholars at risk, scholarships, the equal participation of women, and access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; further welcomes the scaling up of technical and vocational education and training programmes in this regard; highlights that the education and transfer of know-how should lead to the people from the region contributing to generating prosperity on the ground; calls for promoting the participation of southern Mediterranean partners in the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, which seeks to enhance workers’ mobility;

49. Hopes that the Mediterranean University will foster scientific collaboration and competitiveness across the region; highlights that it will contribute to building mutual trust and long-term partnerships across the Mediterranean, strengthen innovation and support joint solutions to common regional challenges by building partnerships between research centres, universities, the private sector, policymakers and public institutions to improve knowledge and technology transfer; welcomes the proposal to establish a Mediterranean Science Diplomacy Centre;

50. Highlights the inestimable developments in Euro-mediterranean relations that could be achieved by enhancing research cooperation, including through widening the scope of Horizon Europe and facilitating access to its various programmes; underlines the importance of positioning the Mediterranean region as a centre of transnational education and research by fostering stronger cooperation among universities and academics from the whole region to achieve genuine academic integration, including by linking up with Higher-VET (European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning level 5) providers; points out that these providers possess state-of-the-art laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technologies, making them ideal centres for equipping students and workers with a robust baseline of skills, which can subsequently be enhanced and tailored through targeted traineeship and apprenticeship pathways, while also promoting labour market integration through partnerships with the private sector that support skills development and ensure employability;

51. Recognises the significant demographic and labour market imbalances across the Mediterranean region, particularly the high levels of youth unemployment, skills gaps and limited mobility opportunities faced by young people in several partner countries; welcomes the Pact’s key focus on investing in education, skills development, employability and youth mobility, with a view to improving labour markets and enhancing the competitiveness and social cohesion of the Mediterranean region;

52. Calls for the protection, preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of the Mediterranean region as a shared asset and an important element of regional identity; emphasises that cultural heritage sites, museums and cultural institutions can serve as spaces for dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation among diverse communities, thereby strengthening cultural resilience, social cohesion and intercultural exchange;

53. Believes that attracting qualified students and maintaining a fair, well-managed migration framework can reinforce one another; believes that the academic and professional training these students acquire abroad will also contribute to building human capital, strengthening institutions and advancing sustainable development in their countries of origin;

54. Recalls that study visas represent a limited and manageable share of migration flows when embedded in structured cooperation with local and regional authorities and universities; takes notes of the current high rejection rates;

55. Invites the Commission and the Member States to support South-South and intra-Mediterranean mobility through the facilitation of student mobility between educational institutions and universities, in line with the proposals in the Pact, and a strengthened Erasmus+ programme, including enhanced support for joint and double-degree programmes, academic exchanges and university partnerships; calls for the removal of unnecessary administrative barriers that continue to hinder student, researcher and staff mobility across the Mediterranean; believes this should be achieved through current and future cooperation programmes, while ensuring appropriate safeguards, reciprocity and effective cooperation with partner countries, in full compliance with European migration rules; stresses that regional authorities and universities must be recognised as key implementing partners of these mobility programmes, and calls on the Commission to involve them directly in the design of future Euro-Mediterranean mobility frameworks; calls for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and certifications between the northern and southern Mediterranean to be facilitated; emphasises the importance of ensuring equal access for young people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and participants from remote and marginalised regions;

56. Stresses that improving access to higher education in the Southern Neighbourhood remains the absolute priority and that the best means for the EU and Member States to support this end is to contribute to the creation of twinning arrangements, joint and double-degree programmes, and academic partnerships;

57. Proposes enhancing the consultation of civil society in the Pact’s governance co-programme, to co-design and co-implement the Pact’s initiatives, monitor and evaluate them, and ensure the effective and rights-based use of EU funds; suggests that this consultation process be transparent, ensure a balanced representation from both shores of the Mediterranean, and that it include human rights defenders, women’s rights organisations, environmental groups, youth-led organisations, trade unions, religious organisations, and grassroots community groups, among others, and that it explicitly exclude organisations acting as proxies for state interests;

58. Calls on the Commission to ensure the regular and structured involvement of civil society organisations, social partners, academia, local and regional authorities and the private sector in the implementation of the Pact within a multilevel governance framework, in order to improve its effectiveness, inclusiveness, social cohesion and capacity to respond to the needs of the peoples of the region;

59. Calls for strengthened support for independent journalism, media pluralism and press freedom across the Mediterranean region, recognising that free and independent media are essential for democratic accountability, transparency and informed public participation; stresses the need to support journalists and media workers at risk, as well as their families, including emergency assistance, legal support, capacity-building and cross-border cooperation programmes; calls for initiatives to better counter transnational repression, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), disinformation and strategic lawsuits against public participation; underlines the importance of promoting media literacy, access to reliable information and cross-border journalistic cooperation in order to strengthen democratic resilience and counter disinformation;

60. Recalls the importance of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in all pillars of the Pact; calls for support for women human rights defenders and women-led civil society organisations;

61. Highlights the importance of the Mediterranean’s culture and cultural heritage as instruments of dialogue, mutual understanding, local development and cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean; recalls the enormous significance of the Mediterranean as a shared cultural space and highlights the importance of creating Mediterranean cultural pathways; underlines the importance of measures aimed at nurturing the shared cultural and religious heritage of this region and preserving it for future generations; calls, in that context for the enhancement of intercultural dialogue initiatives and cultural exchanges, such as the Day of the Mediterranean and the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue, in order to counter polarising narratives that threaten the foundational pillars of Euro-Mediterranean relations; stresses that more resources should be directed towards fostering cultural cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean, including inter-faith dialogue; welcomes the establishment of a dedicated mechanism to protect and promote the Mediterranean’s cultural heritage by pooling public and private resources, also with a view to fostering tourism and generating new economic opportunities; underlines, in this context, the value of the Council of Europe’s European Cultural Routes that cross or include countries in the southern neighbourhood and calls for their preservation and promotion to be strengthened; also welcomes initiatives to revitalise the cultural heritage of the region through the ‘Common Past, Shared Future’ initiative as a platform for cultural heritage cooperation and rehabilitation projects; encourages investments supporting the promotion of the arts, including through cross-cultural projects and initiatives; emphasises the need to adopt better measures for the conservation of archaeological sites across the Mediterranean basin;

62. Stresses the value of the integration of private sector organisations, in the Euro-Med initiative for culture, sport and tourism, in order to maximise its impact on skills development, youth employment, sustainable tourism, cultural heritage and local economic development; calls on the Commission to ensure that this initiative is implemented in cooperation with representative organisations from these sectors, with particular attention to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), local businesses, civil society organisations and women-led enterprises;

63. Proposes the establishment of a structured exchange programme for young entrepreneurs from the Mediterranean countries, focusing on the key challenges and opportunities of digital transformation and emerging technologies, in order to foster a space for co-creation, collaboration, and joint initiatives between young innovators and digital leaders from both shores; recalls that countries on both shores could benefit from such cooperation in areas as e-governance and digital public services, cybersecurity and fighting information manipulation, entrepreneurship and digital business models, AI governance and innovation ecosystems, digital rights and data protection frameworks;

64. Calls on the Commission to define country-level human rights and governance risk profiles for all Pact partner countries and drawing on independent civil society monitoring; insists that these profiles be updated annually and published in full; calls on the Commission to ensure that major infrastructure financing under the Pact be conditioned on strengthened parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms and anti-corruption frameworks in partner countries, and on the publication of contracts, guarantees and beneficiary structures for all EU-supported projects;

65. Requires that all beneficiaries of EU guarantees under the Pact’s investment architecture, including through the Early-Stage Investment Mechanism, have in place due diligence policies aligned with EU legislation and with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; calls for periodic independent public reporting to Parliament on the human rights, social and environmental impact of Pact-supported investments on a project-by-project basis;

Stonger, more sustainable and integrated economies

66. Supports the modernisation of trade relations and the boosting of investment flows through new pragmatic and mutually beneficial forms of agreement, in particular public private partnerships, while supporting startups and sSMEs in those areas, especially for sectors with significant potential for sustainable growth and high mutual benefits, including agri-food, renewable energy, infrastructure, industry, services, digital technologies and healthcare, with a strong focus on sustainable local value creation and balanced territorial development; stresses that trade relations must ensure compliance with the principle of reciprocity between partner countries in terms of production, environmental and social standards; notes that many of the association agreements concluded by the EU with Mediterranean countries date back to the early 2000s and were not designed to enhance the development of bilateral trade relations in the current global economic context, such as provisions on e-commerce, cooperation on sustainability – particularly environmental sustainability – or provisions that allow for industrial cooperation on strategic issues, including critical minerals and the green and digital transitions; believes that modernising these agreements would require Mediterranean countries to align more closely to the EU’s standards, including on respect for workers’ rights and climate action;

67. Stresses that the Pact should contribute to strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships between Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa through investment, infrastructure connectivity, skills development, energy cooperation and local value creation, with a view to fostering long-term stability, prosperity and resilience across the wider region; calls for the Pact to strengthen the economic security of the EU and its Mediterranean partners by reducing excessive strategic dependencies, particularly in the fields of energy, critical raw materials, maritime logistics, digital connectivity and critical supply chains;

68. Notes that in 2025, despite the EU accounting for 42 % of the southern Mediterranean’s total trade, the region represented only 4.8 % of EU trade, reflecting a potential for a stronger economic relationship; calls therefore for deeper trade and investment cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean partners, including through the modernisation of bilateral trade relations, the reduction of non-tariff barriers, greater regulatory convergence and more efficient customs procedures; stresses that closer economic integration is essential for attracting foreign direct investment, strengthening resilient supply chains, supporting innovation and digitalisation, and fostering sustainable and inclusive growth throughout the Mediterranean region;

69. Believes that investing in local markets and economies is a prerequisite for the sustainable development of the region as whole; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with partner countries and representative business organisations, to identify and overcome regulatory and administrative barriers to cross-border investment, trade, entrepreneurship, and participation in regional value chains, with a particular focus on SMEs and start ups; supports the harmonisation of the existing national, European and international financial facilities within a European framework, with the aim of boosting bilateral investment flows in mutual strategic sectors; notes that Europe could make use of concrete cooperation strategies and pool current public financial resources (such as those of national, European, and international development finance institutions) to stimulate private investment; believes that this would lead to the growth of value chains of strategic interest to the EU involving southern Mediterranean countries, while helping European industry to diversify both its export markets and its sources of supply; stresses the importance of strengthening institutional capacity to prevent, detect and investigate financial crime, including through enhanced cooperation between anti-corruption bodies, financial intelligence units, judicial authorities and law-enforcement agencies;

70. Calls for potential synergies to be explored and any redundancies between the initiatives under the Pact and those featured in the EU’s Global Gateway strategy to be avoided; calls for a thorough assessment of the complementarities among the various initiatives and the rationalisation of current resources; highlights the importance of clear communication between the different stakeholders and coordination between institutional and private sector entities; welcomes the contribution of the Global Gateway strategy to strengthening connectivity and investment in the Mediterranean; calls for priority investments in connectivity, infrastructure, transport, energy, digital networks, people-to-people contacts, education and innovation in order to enhance regional integration, competitiveness, economic development, social cohesion and resilience;

71. Encourages firms and companies from Member States and the EU’s Southern Partners to establish joint ventures in sectors of high mutual interest, including energy, tech and health; underscores the considerable value of closer cooperation and coordination among SMEs and the need to create more institutionalised and structured platforms to foster the exchange of best practices, the transfer of know-how and joint initiatives; highlights the role chambers of commerce can play in facilitating these exchanges and promoting shared growth;

72. Stresses that economic cooperation initiatives and investment partnerships under the Pact should aim at creating quality jobs, strengthening social inclusion and reducing inequalities within and between countries; stresses, furthermore, that they should be accompanied by safeguards for labour rights, social protection, and occupational health and safety standards, in line with International Labour Organization principles and relevant EU legislation; calls on the Commission to ensure that mobility initiatives under the Pact are systematically linked to labour market needs and sectoral partnerships;

73. Considers that the ongoing digital transformation offers unprecedented opportunities to build and develop commercial and cultural opportunities in the Mediterranean; believes that the growth of specialised and general digital skills is essential to encourage the growth of economic integration in the region; further believes that the modernisation and development of digital infrastructure, such as fixed and mobile networks, and interoperable digital platforms, particularly for customs, in the entire Mediterranean are a necessary precondition to create opportunities for frictionless trade, as well as greater integration and faster economic growth through digitalisation; believes it necessary to identify common standards for digital infrastructure and interoperable digital platforms in order to promote trade throughout the Mediterranean region, particularly in the customs sector;

74. Considers that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, through its maritime leg linking the eastern Mediterranean to southern European ports, can reinforce the modernisation of trade relations and diversification of investment flows;

75. Calls for the enhancement of cultural heritage as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive local development, supporting job creation while safeguarding community identities and fostering social cohesion;

76. Notes that the Mediterranean region holds vast untapped potential in renewable energy that must be developed as a strategic pool for the mutual financial benefit and energy security of the Pact members and the EU, recognising the contribution of agriculture to the development of the bioeconomy and bioenergy; stresses that the development of renewable energy should be accompanied by enhanced electricity interconnections, regulatory convergence, energy efficiency measures and regional power market integration, recognising that interconnected energy systems can strengthen security, resilience and economic cooperation across the Mediterranean; reiterates that these efforts should strengthen partnerships and not create new, asymmetrical dependencies;

77. Emphasises the importance of strengthened cooperation and knowledge exchange between both shores of the Mediterranean, recognising the expertise and experience developed in Southern Partner countries, and promoting joint projects, mutual learning and coordinated approaches;

78. Calls on the Commission, in its implementation of the Pact, to deepen coordination and policy alignment in the field of sustainability, climate adaptation and resilience, particularly on water resilience, food systems and biodiversity, and urban resilience, as a means to ensure greater regional stability; calls on the Commission to develop targeted actions in this policy area;

79. Stresses the strategic importance of Mediterranean energy infrastructure for regional stability and European energy security; further stresses the need to support energy interconnection between Mediterranean countries with a view to ensuring the Mediterranean region’s sustainable energy autonomy, in particular in the current context of energy diversification and reduced dependence on Russia; in that context, supports the Great Sea Interconnector electricity interconnection project; calls on the Pact for the Mediterranean to promote coordinated cross-border infrastructure and grid planning, strengthen crisis preparedness and energy solidarity mechanisms, and support the development of secure and resilient supply chains for clean energy technologies; calls also for increased investment in energy interconnectors, and cross-border electricity networks that reduce strategic dependencies on hostile actors; underlines the role of the Mediterranean region in diversifying energy sources and supply routes, reducing strategic dependencies and enhancing the resilience and competitiveness of the EU’s energy market;

80. Calls for investment in new areas of cooperation along the Europe-Africa axis by strengthening the integration of the Mediterranean energy market with the European one, including through partnerships with local operators, while also supporting the sustainable development of the countries involved through the application of innovative technologies and the exchange of expertise and industrial capabilities; highlights the strategic role of the Central Mediterranean, including islands and border regions, as a key platform for energy connectivity, maritime security, port infrastructure, transport corridors and cooperation with North African partners; stresses that these territories should be regarded as strategic gateways linking Europe, Africa and the wider Mediterranean region;

81. Recognises the strategic importance of critical raw materials for the development of sustainable energy, digital technologies and an autonomous European defence capability; supports efforts to develop mutually beneficial partnerships and enhance the Mediterranean region’s strategic role as a hub for the critical raw materials essential to the energy transition by fostering secure, resilient, diversified, sustainable value chains, local value creation, skills development and responsible extraction and processing with local and international partners;

82. Highlights the need to create the conditions for further investments in energy security, in particular in the light of regional tensions and disruptions; underlines the crucial role that existing and new pipelines, and liquified natural gas infrastructure linking the Western, Central and Eastern Mediterranean will play in absorbing the EU’s energy demand and speeding up its diversification efforts; stresses that energy interconnectedness should be seen as a means to boost security and flexibility; stresses that renewable energy should spur new local value chains and create new industrial, manufacturing and export opportunities, especially for countries currently reliant on fossil fuel exports, hence also contributing to economic diversification and economic resilience; encourages the EU to pursue these efforts in a holistic manner, adopting a region-wide, pan-Mediterranean approach; recalls that according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), North Africa is projected to become a net exporter of electricity by 2050; highlights that, to this end, the EU and North Africa have planned to build six interconnectors with a combined capacity of 7.3 gigawatts;

83. Emphasises the potential for offshore renewable energy generation in the Mediterranean Sea, given its geographical proximity to the European continent, its extensive coastlines and the combination of wind and solar resources; underlines that according to official EU data, North Africa’s renewable capacity potential amounts to 2 300 gigawatts, and that less than 1 % of this potential is currently used for power generation; highlights that electricity generation costs are up to 40 % lower in the region; highlights IRENA’s MED-Optimised Scenario for developing electricity interconnections between Northern Africa and the European continent to provide affordable and clean energy;

84. Acknowledges, however, that energy systems across the southern Mediterranean continue to rely predominantly on fossil fuels, leaving these countries vulnerable to volatile energy prices and geopolitical instability; highlights the strategic role of natural gas and low-carbon liquid fuels in the transition toward a sustainable Mediterranean for the future, leveraging the transformation of existing refining, storage and distribution infrastructure contributing simultaneously to decarbonisation, energy security, industrial competitiveness and economic integration across the region; invites the creation of articulated roadmaps and measurable decarbonisation targets as part of the Pact for the Mediterranean;

85. Recalls the EU’s commitment to complying with the Paris Agreement commitments and to working towards a zero-carbon economy; stresses the importance of stepping up joint efforts to promote the production and uptake of renewable and low-carbon fuel for transport, in line with the principles laid out by relevant EU regulations and documents, including the Pact for the Mediterranean; supports the establishment of national regulations and supporting schemes to boost the deployment of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage as a complimentary technology for decarbonising those industry sectors where electrification or more energy-efficient decarbonisation options are not available; calls on the Commission and the Member States to align all their initiatives for Mediterranean cooperation with the global commitment to the energy transition;

86. Stresses that Mediterranean energy projects should serve the needs of the population of both shores of the Mediterranean; stresses that the green transition must be socially just and deliver tangible benefits for local communities, avoiding extractive models that reproduce inequalities or undermine access to land, water and natural resources; notes with concern documented cases in which large-scale renewable and hydrogen-for-export projects have generated land acquisition pressures, water stress in already water-scarce regions, risks of community displacement, and limited access to energy for domestic consumption; calls for social and environmental impact assessments, domestic energy access targets, local content requirements, and community benefit-sharing mechanisms to be considered for energy projects under the Pact;

87. Stresses that the development of regional energy cooperation, maritime interconnections and cross-border infrastructure in the Mediterranean require an environment of cooperation and must be carried out in full compliance with international law, including UNCLOS, and with full respect for the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Member States over maritime zones and their natural resources; deplores any activities in the eastern Mediterranean that interfere with or obstruct the lawful exploration and exploitation of natural resources by sovereign states in their exclusive economic zones, and stresses that such actions are incompatible with good neighbourly relations and international law; supports energy projects that aim to strengthen regional interconnectivity, contribute to the decarbonisation of our economies, and promote peace and geopolitical stability in accordance with international law; notes, in this regard, that the East Mediterranean Gas Forum serves as a platform for regional cooperation; stresses the importance of the EastMed natural gas pipeline, which constitutes a project of common European interest and enjoys the support of the EU;

88. Stresses the importance of the blue economy as a key driver of sustainable development, job creation, maritime connectivity, competitiveness, social cohesion, regional development, and the promotion of local communities in the Mediterranean, and recognises the need to protect activities such as traditional and small-scale fisheries to ensure a just and fair transition that supports coastal communities by guaranteeing their job protection and social well-being; urges the promotion of a level playing field for fishing operators by means of coordinated action calling on all of the relevant policies and instruments of the EU’s external action, including trade, development cooperation and diplomatic action; calls on the Commission and the Member States to prioritise investments in this sector, including through the European Investment Bank; highlights, in particular, the potential of offshore renewable energy, sustainable fisheries and maritime transport as pillars of a shared and inclusive Mediterranean blue economy; recalls that, according to the EU Blue Economy Report 2025, the blue economy of the European Union – covering maritime transport, ports, shipbuilding, fisheries and aquaculture, offshore energy, the blue bioeconomy, and coastal and island tourism – generated around EUR 263 billion in gross value added and provided employment for approximately 4.9 million people in 2023, thereby constituting a structural pillar of the EU’s economy rather than a niche sector; calls for the Pact to duly reflect this strategic importance by integrating the blue economy as a cross-cutting dimension across its economic, environmental and connectivity pillars; calls for closely monitoring and screening investments by third parties in key maritime infrastructure in Member States along the EU’s southern flank; expresses concern over attempts by Chinese firms to acquire leverage over key ports and other critical infrastructure;

89. Recognises the importance of promoting regional cooperation in the fields of maritime security, environmental protection and the sustainable development of the blue economy; calls on the Commission, in close cooperation with the UfM and other relevant regional bodies, to prioritise the implementation of the Pact and build on the experience and best practices of previous initiatives in order to ensure tangible benefits for coastal communities, paying particular attention to young people, women, SMEs, trade unions, ecosystems, food security and economic resilience across the Mediterranean basin and the connected Black Sea region; further calls for the Pact for the Mediterranean to be used as a framework for strengthened cooperation on sustainable fisheries and as an important instrument for ensuring a level playing field between EU and non-EU fleets;

90. Urges the EU and its Member States to take joint action with the EU’s Southern Partners in the protection of endangered species in the Mediterranean basin, including the Mediterranean monk seal, sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and migratory birds; underlines that only a thriving wildlife can preserve the Mediterranean’s incredibly rich biodiversity;

91. Underlines the importance of tourism, maritime transport and fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean Sea; highlights that it is the second-largest cruise market, creating 80 % of blue economy jobs; promotes the transition of the current tourism model in the Mediterranean towards ‘slow tourism’;

92. Highlights the role of current regional initiatives, in particular the Blue Mediterranean Partnership, in mobilising financing, supporting project preparation and strengthening coordination for sustainable blue economy investments, and calls for its further development and alignment with the objectives of the Pact;

93. Recalls the commitments undertaken under the Pact concerning the reduction of marine pollution, the expansion of marine protected areas and the reduction of overfishing; urges the EU Member States and countries across the Mediterranean to meet the targets established for the conservation and sustainable use of the Mediterranean Sea and its coastal areas;

94. Highlights the need for the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED) – which was announced on 9 June 2026 and aims to accelerate the development of renewable energy, hydrogen, clean technology manufacturing and modern electricity networks, as well as boost investments and cooperation across the Mediterranean region – to shift cooperation from episodic engagement to a structured pipeline of results-oriented projects, through dedicated financing instruments, regulatory alignment, and industrial partnerships in renewables, hydrogen corridors, and clean-tech value chains, while ensuring cooperation and knowledge exchange between both shores of the Mediterranean;stresses that T-MED and its investment platform should be used to accelerate projects related to renewable energy, energy security, strategic energy infrastructure, electricity grid interconnectedness, technical innovation and clean technologies by mobilising public and private finance, mitigating financial risks and fostering industrial partnerships;

95. Believes that the energy transition should drive renewed industrial cooperation in the Mediterranean region, in terms of both greater industrial production using renewable energy and the development of clean technologies value chains in southern Mediterranean countries; calls on the Commission to promote new partnerships on integrated green value chains in the Mediterranean, in line with the win-win cooperation model of the Pact, as a means to enhance regional and European competitiveness, foster positive interdependencies across the region, and create new industrial, manufacturing and export opportunities for southern Mediterranean partners;

96. Calls on the Commission to define, within the Action Plan framework, clear indicators and principles for monitoring local value added, job creation, skills development and innovation outcomes in the context of new industrial partnerships and technology collaboration; underlines that such a monitoring framework is essential to ensure the equitable distribution of benefits and to enhance the competitiveness of the Mediterranean region in global clean-tech value chains; considers that the T-MED initiative should serve as a reference framework for the application of these principles;

97. Recalls how countries across the Southern Neighbourhood continue to face major demographic challenges; highlights how young people have not been meaningfully integrated into the labour force, leading to high rates of youth unemployment; stresses, however, that this demographic feature also represents an opportunity to sustain and boost the respective countries’ economies through a robust workforce; emphasises that the expansion of labour pathways between the EU and the southern Mediterranean remains of crucial importance in matching labour supply and demand in labour markets and promoting economic growth; underlines the need for more vocational training and encourages Member States to explore options to provide young people from the Southern Neighbourhood with the opportunity to enrol in training programmes in the EU; underscores the major positive implications that young people’s meaningful participation in the economy and public life will have in increasing the legitimacy and stability of the governments of the EU’s Southern Partners;

98. Calls for dedicated initiatives to promote women’s economic empowerment, equal access to decent work, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities, with particular attention to young women and women in rural and marginalised communities; calls for support for female entrepreneurs and women-led businesses, especially within the SME sector; stresses the importance of measures aimed at enhancing women’s meaningful integration into the economy;

99. Reaffirms the importance of promoting digitalisation and robust and resilient digital economies; calls for substantial investments and initiatives in AI and the promotion of digital literacy in the countries of the Southern Neighbourhood; emphasises how increased digital literacy is poised to strengthen societal resilience and foster social inclusion; believes that developing digital skills is necessary to promote economic integration in the Mediterranean region; encourages enhanced secure and trusted digital interconnection across the Mediterranean; stresses the importance of developing such interconnections to foster investment flows and shared economic growth in the region; highlights the need for a digital transformation programme to promote secure digital interconnection which gives access to digital services for citizens, public administrations and businesses, by enhancing regional connectivity via submarine cables, aligning digital regulation, strengthening cybersecurity and improving digital skills; considers that the ongoing digital transformation offers opportunities to build and develop commercial and cultural ties between Europe and the rest of the Mediterranean;

100. Stresses the strategic role of the agricultural sector in ensuring food security, promoting sustainable and balanced food systems, and fostering nutritional models inspired by the Mediterranean diet, as essential elements for strengthening cooperation in the area; further highlights the importance of supporting the development of the regional agricultural and agri-food sector, including through the strengthening of local food systems;

101. Recognises the fundamental contribution of research, innovation and digital transformation in strengthening the resilience of production chains to climate challenges and market dynamics, improving their efficiency and transparency and promoting technology transfer, the diffusion of innovations and their large-scale application;

102. Promotes coordination with the PRIMA 2 Programme and with other research and innovation programmes as tools to support macro-regional strategies in the Mediterranean and to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the strategic sectors of water, energy, food and sustainable ecosystems, in order to guide public policies on the basis of scientific evidence, foster integration between research, business and institutions and support the implementation of pilot projects and innovative solutions that can be replicated at the regional level;

103. Recognises the strategic value of water resources and supports investments in the Mediterranean area aimed at strengthening the safety and efficiency of irrigation systems, developing infrastructure for water storage and reuse, and promoting the production of clean energy, including through integrated hydroelectric plants, to the benefit of the competitiveness and resilience of production systems;

104. Calls for the restoration of ecosystems and habitats damaged by wildfires and natural disasters, recognising their essential role in biodiversity protection, climate adaptation and disaster prevention; stresses the need for adequate financial support for post-disaster ecological restoration throughout the Mediterranean region;

105. Highlights that transalpine transport connections and multimodal corridors linked to Mediterranean ports serve as a strategic bridge between the Mediterranean area and the European internal market; emphasises that strengthening their resilience and operational continuity – through coordinated maintenance planning for strategic cross-border infrastructure, enhanced rail interoperability, and accelerated investment along the Mediterranean and Rhine-Alpine Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors – is essential to prevent logistical bottlenecks and to ensure safer, more sustainable, and more efficient supply chains between the Mediterranean region and European markets;

Security and preparedness

106. Highlights the fact that the Pact represents an opportunity to advance towards a Euro-Mediterranean mobility space in a new and cross-cutting manner, supporting achievements in the areas of economic and trade cooperation, start-ups, SMEs, young people, students, and academic and scientific cooperation, through enhanced cooperation with all relevant social, economic and civic stakeholders; believes that this will contribute to the resilience, social cohesion and security of the Mediterranean region;

107. Stresses that the Mediterranean region faces growing threats and opportunities; calls for a stronger security dimension within the Pact and calls, therefore, for enhanced cooperation between the European Union and its southern Mediterranean partners in addressing common security challenges and strengthening regional resilience including in the areas of counter-terrorism, prevention of violent extremism, maritime security, protection of critical infrastructure, countering hybrid and cyber threats, FIMI, sanctions circumvention, defence capacity building, conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding, with a view to promoting stability, security and prosperity across the Mediterranean region, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030; emphasises the need to deepen cooperation in line with the objectives of the EU Maritime Security Strategy; believes that greater collaboration in cybersecurity in the Mediterranean region can contribute to better prevention of cyberincidents;

108. Stresses the importance of emphasising the Pact’s strategic relevance not only in enhancing the EU’s visibility throughout the region but also in securing key EU interests by preventing the emergence and proliferation of actors and policies detrimental to the EU’s positions;

109. Recalls that sustained cooperation on counter-terrorism with partner countries in the Southern Neighbourhood is an invaluable tool for dismantling networks and preventing attacks on European soil; stresses that partner countries are also affected by terrorism and that some of them are geographically close to jihadist hotbeds such as the Sahel or latent threats such as Daesh; welcomes the positive outcomes achieved so far in tackling cross-border movements and operations of jihadist cells; underlines that terrorist networks continue to pose a major threat to the EU’s and its partners’ security and stability; calls for setting up a regional forum to foster joint awareness in matters of regional security and peace mediation and to strengthen partners’ capabilities;

110. Underlines the need for comprehensive EU support for post-conflict recovery, reconciliation and institution-building in fragile and conflict-affected Mediterranean partner countries, through locally owned reconstruction efforts, support for inclusive political dialogue, public service restoration, transitional justice and community-based peacebuilding; warns that the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel has a direct impact on the stability of the Mediterranean; welcomes, in this context, the creation of a regional forum between the EU and the countries of the southern Mediterranean on peace and security, as well as the strengthening of dialogues on security and defence, and calls for these instruments to contribute to improving common knowledge of the regional situation, coordinating responses, strengthening the capacities of partners and exploring their possible contribution to CSDP missions and operations;

111. Recognises the essential role of women as agents of peace, dialogue and reconciliation, and calls for the full and meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding, reconstruction and political transition processes across the Mediterranean region, in line with the Women, Peace and Security agenda;

112. Calls for enhanced cooperation on the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure, including energy, transport, telecommunications, maritime and digital infrastructure, ports and energy interconnections, against natural, technological, hybrid and cyber threats;

113. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote a coordinated and comprehensive approach to strengthening resilience and preparedness against natural and human-induced threats, including cyberattacks, sabotage and hybrid threats targeting critical offshore and subsea maritime infrastructure, as well as ports;

114. Calls on the Commission to establish a dialogue with Southern Mediterranean partners on the security of submarine cables, in line with the EU Action Plan on Cable Security, including measures on detection, response and recovery, as proposed in the Pact for the Mediterranean;

115. Stresses the need to strengthen cooperation on maritime domain awareness and the protection of strategic sea lines of communications, as well as maritime and underwater infrastructure, to contribute to regional stability and economic security; welcomes the potential definition of a European Defence Project of Common Interest tackling integrated maritime and seabed defence and its potential impact outside the EU;

116. Calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean partners to combat maritime drug trafficking, which poses a growing threat to internal security, critical port infrastructure, supply chains and coastal communities; stresses the importance of strengthening cooperation among law enforcement, customs, maritime and port authorities, as well as with relevant private-sector stakeholders, including shipping companies, port authorities and terminal operators; emphasises the need to improve maritime situational awareness, intelligence-sharing, risk analysis and the use of innovative technologies to detect and prevent illicit trafficking activities; underlines the importance of the effective implementation of relevant EU initiatives and frameworks, including the EU Drugs Strategy, the EU Action Plan against Drug Trafficking, the European Ports Alliance, the EU Ports Strategy, the European Customs Alliance at Borders and the European Coalition Against Drugs, with a view to enhancing security, resilience and anti-corruption safeguards throughout the Mediterranean region;

117. Encourages the development of a coordinated regional framework for a collaborative early warning system for extreme weather, drought preparedness, wildfire prevention and resilient agricultural practices, drawing on current capacities and strengthening cooperation among relevant actors; recognises the contribution of regional civil protection initiatives to strengthening preparedness, resilience and operational cooperation across the Mediterranean and encourages the exchange of best practices and closer coordination across the region; welcomes the creation of a regional centre for improving disaster preparedness and response against the backdrop of climate change, dramatic consequences of which are particularly felt in the region; welcomes the creation of the Cyprus Regional Aerial Firefighting Station as a practical example of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and solidarity in addressing the growing threat of wildfires; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure adequate and long-term funding to guarantee its full operational capacity and enable it to effectively fulfil its mission across the Mediterranean region;

118. Calls for the development of Euro-Mediterranean health resilience dimension within the Pact, aimed at strengthening preparedness, medical supply chains, access to essential medicines, disease surveillance, health workforce training and continuity of care during public health emergencies and other cross-border crises;

Migration management

119. Calls for an ambitious and constructive approach to address migration phenomena at their root and to facilitate the establishment of legal pathways, with a sustained focus on talent and people development; emphasises that the Mediterranean remains one of the main migration routes and recognises that tackling irregular migration – while upholding the right to seek asylum in the EU – is a complex yet urgent and necessary challenge requiring effective cooperation with the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood partners, both as origin and transit countries;

120. Calls for comprehensive and coordinated operational border management and security governance to address both immediate operational needs and long-term structural factors through investment, infrastructure development, economic growth, and mutually beneficial partnerships in the Mediterranean region; to this end, stresses the need for a differentiated approach, recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but that partnerships tailored to the reliability, strategic importance, and cooperation with partner countries are needed;

121. Recognises the importance of border management, in line with international obligations, and the dismantling of criminal migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks as integral elements of a comprehensive Euro-Mediterranean migration policy; emphasises that the aim of such policies should be to prevent the deaths of migrants and put an end to the illegal business of people smugglers;

122. Welcomes the Joint Operation for the Mediterranean, which will support operational efforts in the fight against organised crime, including human trafficking, in cooperation with judicial and home affairs authorities;

123. Expresses its support for the Global Alliance against the Smuggling of Migrants; calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Member States to strengthen their operational cooperation with Mediterranean partner countries and the International Organization for Migration to combat criminal migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks, in particular through the exchange of information, support for integrated border management, police and judicial cooperation;

124. Notes that illicit financial flows are closely linked to organised criminal networks engaged in migrant smuggling, human trafficking, arms trafficking and other illicit activities across the Mediterranean; calls for enhanced Euro-Mediterranean cooperation on financial investigations, asset tracing, confiscation and enhanced cooperation between anti-corruption bodies, financial intelligence units, judicial authorities and law-enforcement agencies to disrupt such networks;

125. Emphasises that migration is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that must be addressed through a whole-of-route, comprehensive, rights-based, human-centred, coordinated, firm and pragmatic approach, underpinned by effective and predictable measures and instruments, and combining respect for human dignity and fundamental rights with effective border management, and the fight against human smuggling and trafficking;

126. Calls for strengthened operational coordination among EU Member States and agencies in order to ensure effective maritime border management, prevent irregular crossings facilitated by criminal networks, and uphold the integrity of the EU’s external borders, in full compliance with international law; calls, in that sense, for the implementation of the 2024 EU Asylum and Migration Pact, as well as EU legislation adopted in the field; reaffirms the commitment of the Member States to preserving a secure, resilient and well-functioning Schengen area as one of the EU’s most tangible achievements;

127. Reiterates the inherent dignity and value of human life in the light of the thousands of people who have lost their life or are missing as a result of the activities of smuggling and human trafficking networks; supports the national search and rescue missions to prevent the loss of further lives and proposes that the Commission launch an initiative to restore the ‘right to a name’ for the victims in the Mediterranean, as an act of dignity for all human beings and a warning for future generations;

128. Highlights the importance of promoting a comprehensive and human-centred approach to security in the Mediterranean, that recognises that long-term stability depends on access to education, health, social justice, environmental sustainability and respect for fundamental rights; underlines that addressing insecurity also requires tackling inequalities and strengthening social cohesion across the region;

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27.129. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High-RepresentativeHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the President of the PA-UfM,Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, the Secretary General of the UfM,Union for the Mediterranean, the governments and parliaments of the EU Member States and of the Southern Mediterranean members of the UfM.Union for the Mediterranean, and the President of the European Investment Bank.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT