A Month of Major Events to Boost Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation on the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process
27 November 2025 | Corporate news
As the birthplace of the Barcelona Process, the city of Barcelona will once again take centre stage in November 2025, hosting a series of high-level side-events around the 10th Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Forum—the highlight of the month, which will bring together the Foreign Affairs Ministers from the UfM Member States. The following gatherings, co-organised by the IEMed with the Union for the Mediterranean, the Catalan Government, the Barcelona City Council, EU institutions and organsations as the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce or MedCities, will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, marking three decades of Euro-Mediterranean partnership and dialogue and will strive to set out a renewed vision to strengthen cooperation, integration, and shared prosperity across the Mediterranean region.
The first event was the Euro-Mediterranean Economic and Business Forum 2025, held on 18 and 19 November 2025. Organised by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the IEMed, this inaugural edition brought together more than 50 speakers and attracted nearly 700 registered participants at the Llotja de Mar. The gathering provided an opportunity to reflect on the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process and to discuss how to progress towards a more connected, competitive, and sustainable regional economy driven by investment, innovation, and industrial cooperation. The event also featured representatives from business associations, chambers of commerce and industry, SMEs, and multilateral organisations, along with a notable institutional opening with the participation of Stefano Sannino, Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf at the European Commission; Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean; and Jaume Duch, Minister for EU and External Action of the Catalan Government.
The forum included discussions on industrial and economic development with the involvement of various regional authorities and political and business leaders, as well as up to nine thematic sessions focused on key economic sectors, the new economy, and investment promotion and support featuring contributions from multiple experts.
The second event was the EuroMed Civil Society Conference 2025, on 26 November 2025, co-organised by IEMed and the UfM in partnership with the Government of Catalonia and the European Commission (DG MENA). This major forum highlighted the growing role of civil society in shaping Euro-Mediterranean relations, moving from consultation to co-design and co-implementation. Building on recent participatory initiatives such as the UfM’s Strategic Vision 2025 and the New Pact for the Mediterranean, the conference convened civil society networks, academic and social organisations, and economic actors to discuss new governance models and inclusive approaches for the next phase of regional cooperation.
The third event was the Conference of Mediterranean Cities Barcelona+30: Empowering Local Action for Regional Transformation, that took place on 26-27 November 2025. Co-organised by MedCities, the Municipality of Barcelona, IEMed, and UfM, and supported by the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Barcelona Provincial Council, the conference focused on the pivotal role of local authorities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthening territorial diplomacy. As part of MedCities’ annual General Assembly, it showcased how cities drive decentralised cooperation and bridge global strategies with local realities, reinforcing the indispensable contribution of municipalities to Euro-Mediterranean integration.
Besides these side-events co-organised by the IEMed, Barcelona hosts other Euro-Mediterranean conferences and side-events of the 10th UfM Regional Forum, and once again the the Mediterranean Day Concert on the 28 November. The concert is an annual initiative organised by the Union for the Mediterranean, the European Institute of the Mediterranean, Barcelona City Council, the Government of Catalonia, and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation.