The Central Team acts as an executive Management Team; coordinating all practical activities of the Initiative.
It facilitates the National Hubs with event-management, communication tools and expertise regarding applicable funding opportunities.
The central team also serves as a linking pin between all (political) partners involved: DG MARE, CINEA and the National Coordinators for an efficient information flow and accountability regarding progress of the Initiative.
National Hubs are teams of national experts with an extensive network and solid knowledge of funding opportunities, who can identify areas of high potential and help develop project ideas. National Hubs offer confidential and tailored guidance on project development, funding opportunities and partner matchmaking and are able to address local priorities.
Nine national Hubs have been established: Algeria, France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia.
(See the map below to go to their respective pages)
The WestMED Assistance Mechanism (WM-AM) has initiated several thematic discussion platforms. Current and future maritime developments are being discussed with lead stakeholders from the participating countries under the guidance of WM-AM faciliators, with a focus on concrete actions. The MSP Community of Practice, however, is different as it is supported both by the WM-AM and the MSP Assistance Mechanism (AM-MSP) and led by its individual experts.
During the WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2021, two cooperation agreements were presented and effectuated: with ASCAME (Association of Chambers of Commerce of the MED) and with the INTERREG EURO-MED PROGRAMME 2021-27. These partnerships are aimed at building strong, long-term collaborative relationships. They are about networking activities, coordinated actions and structured exchanges in a spirit of open cooperation to achieve shared goals.
On 28 March 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the World Ocean Council (WOC) and the UfM/ WestMED at the premises of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona. This agreement offers an opportunity for both parties to further bring together the business (investment) community and the stakeholders from the maritime community through joint activities, promotion and knowledge exchange.
Since November 2022, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism has formed a consortium with the Assistance Mechanisms from the Black Sea and the Atlantic. This consortium consists of three highly qualified organisations that have combined their network, skills and experience to ensure a solid outcome.
Each consortium partner is focused on one of the respective sea basins. While at the same time, on a central level, synergies are created for joint services and topics that are common to all three sea basins.
Their extensive know-how involves working with a wide variety of maritime stakeholders from countries bordering the sea basins. As a result, they are fully aware of and experienced with its complexity when it comes to political governance and socio-economic and environmental data-gathering.
Ecorys leads the consortium. They have been involved in numerous Blue Growth strategic initiatives across the EU, including the Mediterranean. Their main area of expertise and focus for this project is project coordination, stakeholder consultations, event organisation and communication.
AETS is an international and multidisciplinary consulting company specialised in development cooperation and the implementation of public policies.
Within the consortium AETS’ main focus will be on the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea
PriceWaterhouseCoopers is a network of firms in 152 countries with over 327,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services.
Within the consortium PWC’s main focus is on the Atlantic Strategy.
