Catalonia will host the 2025 General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) with representatives from up to 160 governments of the European Union and non-EU countries that form this network, which acts at the European level as a lobby for regions.

The event will provide an opportunity to discuss future and current European Union policies related to social, economic and territorial cohesion, maritime policies on blue growth, energy and climate resilience, as well as good neighbour initiatives with non-EU partners.

Furthermore, for the Catalan government, it will also be an opportunity to advance in the Mediterranean macroregion, an initiative promoted by the Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CIM-CPMR), made up of around 40 Mediterranean regions, mostly in the European Union, but also on the Mediterranean’s southern shore. Catalonia, together with the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, leads the macroregional working group, from which this initiative is promoted.

The project aims to unite governments and stakeholders from both shores of the Mediterranean to address challenges such as the climate emergency. Last November, the Government promoted the Summit for the Mediterranean Macroregion in Barcelona, a meeting that brought together around sixty participants, including 12 governments from 6 states, international organisations, entities, and representatives from European institutions. This gathering highlighted the need to share strategies and find joint solutions to address the fight against climate change.

Also, last week, the Delegate of the Government of Catalonia to Southeastern Europe, Eric Hauck, represented the Generalitat at the meeting of the CRPM’s executive body in Patras, Western Greece, where it was decided that Catalonia would host the organisation’s next general assembly.

The delegate met with the President of the CPMR, Loïg Chesnais-Girard to discuss the need to improve cooperation in managing data on climate change. He also coincided with the EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, with whom the Catalan government has previously exchanged views on issues such as the official status of Catalan, population ageing and climate change.