ASCAME has recently strengthened its positioning as the voice of the Mediterranean private sector towards the EU institutions. You were recently at the European Parliament to contribute to the Pact for the Mediterranean's implementation. How do you see this role evolving, and what are the concrete priorities you are bringing to the EU agenda?
Our top priority is to guarantee the inclusion of the private sector’s voice in the design and implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean. ASCAME has the unique distinction of being the longest-standing institution bringing together the private sector on both shores of the Mediterranean. This gives it a strategic position that can significantly benefit both the economies of the Southern Mediterranean and the European Union.
ASCAME’s recent high‑level mission to Brussels marked a key step in strengthening the relationship between the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and the European Union institutions. Our delegation - composed of presidents and representatives from Mediterranean Chambers - met with Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, several Members of the European Parliament, and the Director General of Eurochambres. These meetings aimed to consolidate ASCAME’s role as the leading representative of the Mediterranean private sector in the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean. They also allowed us to reinforce a working alliance with both the European Commission and the European Parliament to actively contribute to the Pact’s rollout. We conveyed our readiness to collaborate on priority areas for the Pact action plan, such as business cooperation, connectivity, skills development, innovation, and competitiveness.
Our message was clear: if Europe wants to build genuine shared prosperity with its Mediterranean partners, it cannot leave behind the private sector. It must rely on its businesses as well as other key stakeholders. Businesses are the ones generating jobs, investment, innovation, and opportunities across the region. This view is fully shared by Commissioner Šuica, who stressed the strategic role of the private sector in ensuring the Pact’s success.
In this context, ASCAME stands as a key partner for European institutions. With more than 130 Chambers of Commerce from 18 countries, representing millions of companies, ASCAME provides a unique bridge between institutions and the real economy. Our goal is to ensure that the Pact delivers tangible results for growth, employment, and shared prosperity. Today, we are ready to connect EU institutions with the economic actors who can turn the Pact’s ambitions into concrete outcomes.
ASCAME has been involved in shaping the Pact from the very beginning, bringing the vision of the private sector. The two main political groups in the European Parliament - the European People’s Party and the Socialist Group - have requested our input and comments on the Parliament report on the Pact, led by MEP Nicola Zingaretti as rapporteur.
We have also had a direct interlocution with another key consultative body of the EU, the European Economic and Social Committee, following the adoption of an opinion on the Pact and the role of the private sector. ASCAME is building partnerships with all Pact’s key stakeholders. Overall, looking ahead, Mediterranean businesses must become central actors in shaping a more connected, competitive, resilient, and prosperous region, translating the ambitions of the Pact into tangible economic opportunities, investment, innovation, and sustainable growth.
The Pact for the Mediterranean opens a new phase of "co-ownership". For ASCAME, what should be the main economic priorities to ensure the Pact translates into tangible business opportunities, and what is your strategy to turn the private sector into an active partner in its implementation?
One of ASCAME’s core priorities is to build economic bridges across the Mediterranean and create opportunities for shared prosperity. This requires giving the private sector a strong voice in the debates shaping the region’s future. The European Union and the private sector, in partnership with the other stakeholders of the Pact, should engage in a continuous dialogue to jointly shape priorities through an inclusive, participatory, and collaborative process. This dialogue should include key strategic priorities, including the green energy transition, the blue economy, competitiveness, job creation, innovation, women entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth, ensuring that policies and investments reflect the needs and opportunities of both shores of the Mediterranean.
Here, ASCAME has a lot to say and contribute as it brings together all the Mediterranean private actors. ASCAME Chambers have placed the Pact of the Mediterranean at the heart of its strategic plan, adopted by the Executive Committee in Marseille. This provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of the Pact in close partnership with all chambers, ensuring that its priorities are grounded in the realities of businesses and translated into concrete initiatives.
Our annual sectoral events with our member Chambers and key economic partners are a strategic asset for policy shaping actions and investments. We open our events to all Pact partners: From MedaLogistics in Barcelona (May 2026), Meditour in Agadir (June), and the upcoming MedaCity Forum in Cagliari (October), to our flagship Euro‑Mediterranean Business Forum in Piraeus - in November. These platforms gather public and private leaders to address connectivity, sustainable tourism, urban innovation, investment, and regional cooperation, while engaging directly with the real economic actors of the Mediterranean. It was precisely at the Euro-Mediterranean Business Forum held in Barcelona in 2025 where the European Union presented its Pact for the Mediterranean to the region’s business community for the very first time. We want all our events to have a section dedicated to the Pact, opening spaces for debate between the European Union and the private sector.
Finally, ASCAME is committed to highlighting the potential of the Southern Mediterranean, a region rich in young talent, digital innovation, and renewable‑energy leadership. From Barcelona, at the heart of the Mediterranean, ASCAME aims to consolidate its role as the main economic bridge between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, the only business organisation spanning the entire region.
The EESC has highlighted that the structured and permanent involvement of organised civil society is central to the success of the Pact. How can the EU better institutionalise the role of organisations such as ASCAME in the governance, implementation and monitoring of the new framework?
Indeed, the Pact for the Mediterranean places people at the heart of its vision, recognising that the future of the region will depend on its ability to empower citizens, strengthen skills, and create opportunities for shared prosperity.
Undoubtedly, the structured and permanent involvement of civil society will be key to the success of the Pact. Indeed, the Pact for the Mediterranean places people at the heart of its vision, recognising that the region’s future will be shaped by its capacity to empower its citizens, strengthen their skills, and create opportunities for shared prosperity. Chambers of Commerce, for their part, are an integral part of society and of the economic and industrial fabric of the region. As representatives of businesses and local economies, they must be fully involved in this process.
In this context, ASCAME is committed to promoting initiatives that reinforce human development as a driver of Mediterranean integration ensuring that citizens, businesses and communities are active participants in shaping the region’s future.
In recent months, we have intensified cooperation with the EU institutions and we will continue doing so: the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) ensuring that the voice of the Mediterranean private sector is present in the design and implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean policies. Thanks to the commitment of the presidents of our 130 member Chambers, we have defined a common roadmap placing the new Pact for the Mediterranean at the center of our action.
The private sector, through ASCAME, can help enhance training, mobility, and talent development across the region. By promoting cross-border learning opportunities, strengthening innovation ecosystems, and encouraging the circulation of skills, ASCAME aims to help shape a new generation of Mediterranean professionals equipped to drive inclusive growth and regional integration.
ASCAME also sees enormous potential in the region’s demographic strength. With one of the youngest populations in the world, the Mediterranean offers a unique opportunity to invest in youth as a strategic asset for long‑term growth. ASCAME can play a central role in connecting young talent with companies, chambers of commerce, and innovation hubs.
At the same time, ASCAME’s commitment to strengthening Mediterranean skills mobility is reflected in its active participation as a strategic partner in major European initiatives. Through programmes such as Interreg (RECIRCLE MED, SMAC and D4T) and PRIMA (STAPLES project), ASCAME contributes to cross‑border cooperation projects that enhance employability, innovation, and capacity‑building across the region. These initiatives allow ASCAME to support the circulation of knowledge, connect training institutions with private‑sector needs, and promote joint actions that reduce labour‑market mismatches while reinforcing a shared Mediterranean talent ecosystem.
The current geopolitical context also poses significant challenges for the region. Rising instability directly affects logistics, transport, and supply chains, creating uncertainty for companies and weakening regional competitiveness. For ASCAME, advancing peace and stability in the Mediterranean is therefore not only a political priority but also an economic imperative: a peaceful region is a more predictable, connected, and attractive environment for investment and business growth. At the same time, the Mediterranean faces the major challenge of the sustainable transition. Although important progress has already been made - particularly in renewable energy, circular economy initiatives, and green ports - much remains to be done to ensure that all countries and sectors move forward at the same pace. Accelerating this transition will be essential to strengthen resilience, reduce vulnerabilities, and position the Mediterranean as a leader in sustainable competitiveness.
SMEs form the backbone of the Mediterranean economy. What is the role of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce in supporting these businesses, and how can cooperation between ASCAME and institutions like Eurochambres be further developed to strengthen the voice and support for SMEs at the EU level?
SMEs form the backbone of the Mediterranean economy, and Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce play a decisive role in supporting their growth, competitiveness, and internationalisation. As the closest institutions to the business community, Chambers provide essential services that help SMEs navigate regulatory frameworks, access finance, develop skills, and connect with new markets. Their work directly contributes to local economic development and national growth, acting as engines of entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation. Through training programmes, export support, business advisory services, and platforms that connect companies with opportunities, Chambers ensure that SMEs remain resilient and capable of adapting to an increasingly complex global environment.
In this context, ASCAME serves as a regional catalyst, amplifying the impact of national and local Chambers by promoting cooperation, knowledge exchange, and joint initiatives across the Mediterranean.
Strengthening collaboration with institutions such as Eurochambres - the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry - is essential to ensure that the voice of Mediterranean SMEs is heard at the EU level. Deeper cooperation could include coordinated advocacy on key Mediterranean priorities, joint participation in EU programmes, and the development of shared platforms to support SMEs in areas such as digitalisation, sustainability, innovation, and access to European funding.
By working together, ASCAME and Eurochambres can reinforce the strategic importance of the Mediterranean within the EU agenda and ensure that SMEs receive the support they need to thrive in a competitive and rapidly evolving economic landscape. Eurochambres represents the voice of the European chamber network and the business community at the European level.
The upcoming Valencia Eurochambers Congress in September represents an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation among European chambers and key stakeholders, exchange best practices, and reflect on how the chamber network can continue supporting companies and policymakers in addressing shared challenges and opportunities.
Based on ASCAME’s experience across the region, which sectors offer the greatest potential for cooperation among Euro-Mediterranean SMEs today, and which forms of partnership could most effectively help businesses develop joint projects, investment and new market opportunities?
From ASCAME’s experience across the region, several sectors offer exceptional potential for cooperation among Euro‑Mediterranean SMEs today, driven by the region’s strategic assets and the opportunities emerging from major transitions. First, greater connectivity and mobility - supported by investment in infrastructure, logistics and transport - represent a decisive opportunity. Improved ports, multimodal corridors, digital logistics systems and cross‑border transport networks can significantly enhance regional value chains, reduce costs for SMEs and open new markets. Strengthening cooperation in these areas would allow Euro‑Mediterranean businesses to jointly develop projects that increase efficiency, resilience and competitiveness.
Sustainable transition is another key driver of cooperation. Mediterranean countries, particularly on the southern shore, are rich in renewable energy resources such as solar and wind, offering enormous potential for joint investments in green energy, energy efficiency, circular economy solutions and sustainable industrial processes. SMEs can benefit from shared innovation platforms, cross‑border pilot projects and partnerships that accelerate the adoption of green technologies while supporting the region’s climate objectives.
At the same time, digital transformation is creating new opportunities for collaboration in fields such as digital services, e‑commerce, fintech, smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence. Many southern Mediterranean countries have vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems strongly connected to innovation, making them ideal partners for European SMEs seeking to codevelop digital solutions, scale startups or expand into new markets.
Strengthening cooperation between ASCAME and key regional and European institutions - such as Eurochambres, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the European Institute of the Mediterranean - is essential to scale up these efforts. Deeper, more structured partnerships would allow us to coordinate advocacy at EU level, jointly access European programmes, and develop shared platforms that facilitate SME‑to‑SME collaboration across the region. By working together, these institutions can unlock new business opportunities, accelerate cross‑border projects, and reinforce the Mediterranean as a dynamic, innovative and interconnected economic space.