Alicante Hosts the IX Euro-Mediterranean Summit: EU-MED 9 Between Energy, Unity, and Economic Reform

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The upcoming major political event of the 21st century is set for this Friday in Alicante, the capital city hosting the IX Euro-Mediterranean Summit, known as EU-MED 9. Heads of state and government from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Slovenia, and Croatia will convene, alongside the Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs and high-level figures from the European Commission and the European Council. European leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel will participate as guests. Initially planned for September 30, the summit was postponed after Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, contracted COVID-19, delaying critical discussions but not the shared resolve to advance regional cooperation.

The talks will address new fiscal rules, strategic autonomy, and energy governance amid ongoing Mediterranean instability, a migrant challenge, and broader global economic pressures. A key outcome anticipated is an agreement on a green hydrogen corridor linking Barcelona to Marseille. This initiative, championed by Sánchez, Macron, and Costa, aims to accelerate the deployment of clean energy across the region and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The corridor is designed to transport only green hydrogen, reflecting a funding mechanism that prioritizes projects powered by renewable energy.

European Commission

The green hydrogen corridor project is slated for presentation to the European Commission before the middle of the month to secure European funding. Official briefings indicate the aim is for the Commission to finance about half of the project. While technical specifications and deadlines have yet to be announced, the plan envisions a submarine cable and pipeline corridor capable of carrying hydrogen while meeting stringent environmental and safety standards.

Alicante, the capital of the Mediterranean, thanks to the summit of the Med-9 heads

The precise technical and financial details of the hydrogen corridor remain to be finalized. Government sources from the Ministry for Ecological Transition suggest that 2030 could be a realistic milestone for initial implementation. Rendering and planning work for the infrastructure may span one to two years, with a broader construction horizon of four to five years to complete major components of the project. The discussion focuses on accelerating energy autonomy while safeguarding fiscal responsibility across participating nations.

The summit’s agenda includes two plenary sessions centered on energy autonomy and economic governance. Delegates will review evolving fiscal rules and exchange perspectives on energy prices, supply security, and regional resilience. At the heart of the talks is the stance on the European Commission’s proposed gas price cap, which some member states, including Spain, have concerns about. Spain advocates a lower reference point and a dynamic pricing approach tied to market benchmarks rather than a fixed ceiling to avoid stifling investment and competitiveness.

Lunch

Friday’s agenda features a luncheon at Casa Mediterráneo for the new leaders, alongside von der Leyen and Michel, offering space for informal dialogue. After lunch, the first working session will move to Ciudad de la Luz to address energy autonomy, the ongoing energy crisis, and the proposed gas price cap. Other topics include the Inflation Reduction Law’s implications for the region and how the EU’s energy strategies interact with national budgets and long-term competitiveness.

The second working session will take place later in the day without von der Leyen and Michel, focusing on economic governance and the Commission’s proposals for reforming fiscal rules. Officials indicate that the summit’s informal format, launched in 2014 and hosting its ninth edition in Alicante, aims to produce practical solutions that bridge divides within the European Union while fostering unity and shared purpose.

In the broader diplomatic landscape, Pedro Sánchez will meet with Giorgia Meloni, the newly appointed Italian prime minister, for the first time. A brief bilateral session with French President Emmanuel Macron is also planned, with António Costa in attendance, underscoring the importance of trilateral dialogue in shaping the EU’s approach to Mediterranean stability and energy policy.

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