On 22 October 2025, the 31st meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Platform on Research and Innovation brought together Member State representatives and key stakeholders to review progress and set priorities for future collaboration.
Co-chaired by the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation and Jordan’s Higher Council for Science and Technology, the meeting preceded an historic EU–Egypt Summit in Brussels, which marked the signature of Egypt’s Association Agreement to Horizon Europe — a milestone for regional cooperation in research and innovation.Participants assessed progress on the UfM R&I Roadmaps on Health, Climate Change, and Renewable Energies, and took stock of the important work already advanced in the framework of the newly launched Working Groups:
- WG1 on Mobility of Researchers and Capacity Building (co-chaired by Egypt and Italy)
- WG2 on Open Data, Data Sharing, and Digitalisation (co-chaired by Jordan and Spain)
The meeting also reviewed work on a Regional Scalability Action Plan and discussed synergies with the Horizon Europe project Future-4PRIMA led by PRIMA foundation, confirmed as permanent observer of the UfM Platform.
Participants acknowledged the UfM R&I Platform’s central role in advancing the research and innovation dimension of the new Pact for the Mediterranean, reinforcing shared goals for sustainable growth, science diplomacy, and regional integration.
Looking ahead, members reviewed steps towards a tentative second UfM Ministerial Conference on Research and Innovation, in 2026.
Members also reaffirmed their commitment to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) process, emphasizing the importance of data contributions from all Member States.
