Interreg NEXT MED is a Programme funded by the European Union (EU) that supports transnational cooperation through the financing of joint projects which aim at making the Mediterranean area more resilient to the shared challenges it faces.

NEXT MED is part of Interreg, a key instrument of the European Union which promotes European territorial cooperation across borders by means of joint programmes, projects and networks among national, regional and local actors from different EU Member States and among EU actors and adjacent non-EU countries, partner countries, overseas countries and territories (OCTs).

With a budget of €253 million, Interreg NEXT MED aims at contributing to smart, sustainable, fair development for all across the Mediterranean basin by supporting balanced, longlasting, far-reaching cooperation and multilevel governance.

The programme mission is to finance cooperation projects that address joint socio-economic, environmental and governance challenges at Mediterranean level such as the uptake of advanced technologies, competitiveness of SMEs and job creation, energy efficiency, water management, climate change adaptation, transition to a circular and resource efficient economy, education and training, health care.

Through a broad multi-step analysis and consultation process involving national authorities, key stakeholders and regional actors and based on the strategic framework contained in the EU regulatory framework, the participating countries have identified 4 Priorities that best reflect the common challenges of the cooperation area:

· A more competitive and smarter Mediterranean by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation through Research and Innovation (R&I), sustainable growth and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) competitiveness to help reduce disparities and contribute to socioeconomic integration;

· A greener, low-carbon and resilient Mediterranean supporting the transition towards a net zero carbon economy by promoting clean and fair energy transition, sustainable water management, circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation;

· A more social and inclusive Mediterranean to provide learning opportunities, ensure equal opportunities and socio-economic integration and to improve access to health care through the use of digitalization and technological innovation;

· A better cooperation governance for the Mediterranean by fostering local governance models and processes, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between citizens, civil society actors and institutions in view of addressing issues of joint interest

The cooperation area, home to over 200 million people, covers over 100 eligible territories of 15 countries: 13 of them which already participated in the previous editions of the programme - Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Jordan, Malta, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia - and two new members, namely Algeria and Türkiye.

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