The Programme ENI CBC Med, is a hub for cooperation in the Mediterranean Home to some of the world’s most ancient civilizations, hub for trade and transport, unique hotspot for biodiversity, the Mediterranean faces a multitude of common challenges, including climate change, pollution, youth unemployment and social inequality. Acting together to address these challenges and improve the lives of men and women across the region is the impetus for the 2014-2020 ENI CBC “Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme”. ENI CBC Med is the largest Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) initiative implemented by the EU under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). The Programme brings together the coastal territories of 14 EU and partner countries in view of fostering fair, equitable and sustainable development on both sides of the EU’s external borders. Through calls for proposals, ENI CBC Med finances cooperation projects for a more competitive, innovative, inclusive and sustainable Mediterranean area.

Within the general context of the European Neighbourhood Policy, cross-border cooperation (CBC) plays an essential role by operating for the benefit of both sides of the EU’s external borders and drawing on funding from both external and internal headings of the European Union.

CBC is based on the principles of co-ownership, partnership and common benefits: it contributes to the overall European Neighbourhood Instrument objective of progress towards an area of shared prosperity and good neighbourliness between EU Member States and partner countries. Under the 2014-2020 period, the European Union has invested more than €1 billion to support 16 ENI CBC programmes between EU Member States and neighbouring countries sharing a land border, a sea crossing or a sea basin, from the Arctic to the Southern Mediterranean.