EU-Mediterranean partnership for food and water projects: Coreper approves the "PRIMA" initiative

The EU will help to develop water provision and agro-food projects in the Mediterranean region under a new Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA). 

Today's decision by the Coreper, the EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives, follows an agreement reached by the Maltese presidency with the European Parliament on 11 April. 

The PRIMA initiative will pool the know-how and financial resources of the EU and participating states. The partnership currently involves eleven EU member states: Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia; and eight non-EU countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. 

The EU's participation will include a contribution of  €220 million from its Framework Programme for research and innovation, the "Horizon 2020" Programme. 

The participation to the PRIMA initiative will remain open to any other EU member state, as well as to third countries provided they fulfil the conditions for participating in PRIMA. 

"The PRIMA partnership will help improve the health and livelihoods of those living in the Mediterranean region. It is also expected to encourage economic growth and stability in the longer-term", said Chris Agius, the Maltese Parliamentary Secretary, on the day of the agreement.

The PRIMA initiative is expected to be operational in early 2018, after the formal adoption of the decision by the European Parliament and the Council in the coming months.