Union for the Mediterranean

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental institution bringing together the European Union (EU) countries and 15 countries from the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean to promote dialogue and cooperation.

The Euro-Mediterranean partnership (Euromed), launched in 1995, aimed to achieve stability and growth in the Mediterranean, and covered political, economic and social cooperation.

In 2008, a new impetus was given to Euromed through the multilateral UfM. Regional projects were initiated, addressing areas such as the economy, environment, energy and migration. A roadmap for action, adopted at ministerial level in 2017, provides the main guidance of the UfM.

Along with 27 EU countries, 15 partners are members of the UfM: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

Some of these countries are now candidate countries or potential candidates for EU accession, while others have bilateral partnership priorities or action plans through the European neighbourhood policy (ENP). The 2015 ENP review focuses on the stabilisation of the neighbourhood, a differentiated approach to partner countries and enhanced ownership of the policy by all stakeholders. The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument 2021-2027 provides financial support to the ENP and has a budget of €19 billion for the neighbourhood under the geographical pillar alone.