The Euroregional meeting “Cooperate to Transform”, organised by the Association of Rural and Maritime Initiatives of Catalonia (ARCA), the Euroregion Pyrenees-Mediterranean, and the Government of Catalonia, took place on 26, 27 and 28 November in Barcelona. Framed within the Day of the Mediterranean, the event reaffirmed the commitment of participating territories to defending their rural and maritime identity, while advancing cross-border and national cooperation. The meeting created a space for exchanging experiences between rural and fisheries Local Action Groups (LAGs and FLAGs), a particularly significant step in view of the future budgetary framework and the projects that will depend on the European Commission from 2027 onwards.
Throughout the sessions, participants addressed common challenges such as access to housing and mobility in rural areas, forest management, energy transition, fisheries sustainability, economic diversification, and the need to ensure generational renewal in both the agricultural and fisheries sectors. Several experts highlighted that the climate crisis directly affects water resource management, increases extreme weather events, and forces a shift toward an energy model based on electricity and renewable sources. The importance of supporting producers working with sustainability criteria, fostering cooperative models, and developing public policies that guarantee dignified living conditions in the territories was also emphasised. The Euroregional meeting aligned with the planning strategies of the three territories, promoting the creation of joint projects and strengthening collaboration among local stakeholders.
One of the key moments of the event was the reading and institutional endorsement, at the Parliament of Catalonia, of the Call for the Mediterranean: a joint manifesto promoted by ARCA and the territories of the Euroregion Pyrenees-Mediterranean. The document calls for stable and sufficient European funding for the Leader programmes and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) beyond 2027. It also highlights the role of rural and fisheries Local Action Groups which, for more than three decades, have contributed to revitalising the territory, fostering innovation, creating employment, and promoting local projects, as well as recognising the particularities of the Mediterranean fisheries model. The document further warns that the European Commission’s proposed budget cuts could negatively impact the viability of many farms, businesses, and rural and fisheries communities.
This working framework has helped turn “Cooperate to Transform” into a key reference meeting, consolidating a Euroregional network that facilitates the exchange of experiences, the creation of alliances, and the building of a united voice before Europe. The sessions form part of the Euroregion’s roadmap and priorities. Currently, thanks to the new Balearic Presidency, a Fisheries Working Group has been established, which has also coordinated actions such as a Declaration in defence of Mediterranean fisheries and fishing communities, as well as a letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, conveying shared concerns and calling for measures to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the sector.
Euroregion joins the debate on nature restoration, early warning systems, and governance. Keys to protecting the Mediterranean from future floods. Some days before the International Mediterranean Day, November 28, Barcelona will host an event from November 25 to 27, bringing [...]
