Mediterranean Economic Outlook
Chambers of Commerce Highlight Mediterranean's Economic Opportunities and Resilience Amid Crises
The Mediterranean region must be at the center of Europe's economic future, Josep Santacreu said Tuesday at the opening of the III Mediterranean Economic and Social Forum in Barcelona. "The Mediterranean is a sea of opportunities and shared prosperity," the president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce declared, calling for a new European Pact that puts private business at the heart of EU policy El Periódico de Aragón.
The forum, held at the Casa Llotja de Mar, brought together more than 1,000 CEOs and institutional representatives from over 30 countries La Provincia. Chamber presidents from Jordan and Croatia highlighted how their economies have stayed strong through years of crisis — from energy shocks to supply chain breakdowns to Middle East conflict.
Santacreu Pushes Private Sector Into EU-Med Policy
Santacreu, who also leads ASCAME — the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce — has spent months making this case in Brussels. In April 2026, he presented a business manifesto at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. He argued that the "future European Pact for the Mediterranean" must include the voice of private enterprise, not just governments La Opinión de Murcia.
His argument is blunt: the original Barcelona Process of 1995 failed because it was too focused on diplomacy and top-down deals. ASCAME believes economic integration — led by businesses — is the only practical path to lasting peace and growth in the region Diario de Mallorca.
Jordan and Croatia Show Resilience Despite Regional Chaos
Two voices stood out in the afternoon roundtable titled "Alliances for Shared Prosperity." Sara Strljic, president of the Chamber of Croatia, spoke about how diversified economies in the northern Mediterranean weathered the energy and supply chain crises of 2024 and 2025. Fathi Al Jaghber, president of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, described how Jordan held its economy steady despite severe geopolitical pressure from the wider Middle East conflict Diario Córdoba.
Their message was consistent: resilience is real, but it has limits. Climate change already costs Mediterranean nations between 5% and 15% of their annual GDP, according to ASCAME data La Provincia. Without a stronger regional pact, those losses will grow.
Barcelona Frames Itself as the Hub for Three Continents
Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, opened the forum by calling Barcelona the "natural hub for unity" between Africa, Europe, and Asia El Periódico de Aragón. The city hosted the original 1995 Barcelona Process and is now bidding to host the political home of a revived Mediterranean pact.
The forum's tourism numbers give weight to that claim. The Mediterranean generates more than €200 billion in tourism GDP each year — roughly 20% of all global tourism, according to ASCAME figures. Proponents of the new pact say the region needs consistent annual growth above 6% to reach long-term stability La Opinión de Murcia.
A Barcelona Declaration for Brussels Expected by Wednesday
The forum runs through June 18. It is expected to produce a formal "Barcelona Declaration of the Private Sector" to be sent directly to Brussels Diario de Mallorca. If adopted, it would push the EU to shift its neighborhood policy — moving away from aid-based relations with southern and eastern shore nations toward investment-based partnerships.
The forum also put youth front and center. Leaders discussed using digital transformation and the creative and sports industries to fight unemployment among young people across the Mediterranean basin La Provincia. For Santacreu, the goal is simple: turn a sea that has seen too much crisis into one that finally delivers on its economic promise.
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