© fr4dd
© fr4dd

EU presents Mediterranean partnership 

The European Commission has proposed the first research partnership of its kind in the Mediterranean to increase food and water sustainability.

PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area) is intended to develop new and desperately needed solutions to increase food production and combat severe water shortages in the Mediterranean basin, where some 180 million people are today considered ‘water poor’.

Research Commissioner Carols Moedas hailed the proposal as an “excellent example of where pooling knowledge and money can make a huge difference”.

He added that the initiative will “bring more clean water and food to the people, boost local economies and create jobs. Through PRIMA, research and innovation will play a crucial role in addressing the root causes of migration.”

The commission’s proposal encompasses Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia. Together they will contribute roughly €200m to the partnership, which will be matched by the EU through Horizon 2020.

Germany’s participation is currently under negotiation, and more countries – both within and outside of the EU – are expected to follow suit as the partnership evolves.

The proposal will now be sent to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for political discussion and legislative approval.

PRIMA is expected to begin in 2018 and will run for ten years.