This Alicante European Summit will be remembered as a turning point in Europe’s energy future. The scene featured Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain; Emmanuel Macron, the President of France; and Antonio Costa, the Portuguese Prime Minister, all joined by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. They gathered at the EUIPO venue to announce a landmark agreement to build the first major European green hydrogen corridor, a project poised to become a cornerstone of the continent’s decarbonization efforts.
In a joint appearance on the Alicante stage, the four leaders emphasized the significance of the plan. The corridor will enable cross-border transport of green hydrogen across Europe, positioning the Iberian Peninsula as a major energy hub for the EU while creating a robust backbone for a future green economy.
During the session Sanchez outlined preliminary elements of the H2MED project, intended to connect Portugal, Spain, and France with a pair of routes. One link would run from Celourico da Beira to Zamora, bridging Portugal and Spain, and another would connect Spain to France through an underwater pipeline between Barcelona and Marseille.
The initial budget is estimated at about 2.5 billion euros, with the participating nations seeking co-financing from the European Commission for around half of the amount. The meeting helped finalize technical details for the project plan, which was prepared for submission on the 15th to secure official endorsement for the community initiative. Von der Leyen has signaled strong support for the path forward.
The European Summit in Alicante began with a push to advance the green hydrogen corridor linking the Iberian Peninsula with France.
The goal is to have the pipeline up and running by 2030. As Sánchez noted, the system should have the capacity to transport the equivalent of roughly 10 percent of the EU’s projected domestic green hydrogen consumption for that year as the union scales up its renewable energy production.
20 million tons
Von der Leyen framed green hydrogen as a strategic driver for Europe, describing it as a cornerstone of the energy transition and a path to energy independence. Since mid-2020 the European Green Hydrogen Strategy has guided efforts to produce up to 10 million tons of green hydrogen domestically by 2030 and to import a similar amount from partner regions, including North Africa, to meet European needs.
She also highlighted how the war in Ukraine has intensified the urgency of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy, including green hydrogen, to ensure long-term energy security.
p
Partnership
The Spanish Prime Minister underscored the cooperative model at the heart of the agreement among Spain, Portugal, and France, highlighting its potential benefits for the European Union as a whole. Macron stressed the importance of strong leadership and reiterated commitments on climate neutrality and strategic autonomy. He pointed to H2MED as a pathway to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on external suppliers.
Sánchez noted the symbolic value of the hosting venue, emphasizing EU institutions as the collective spirit behind this initiative. The tripartite collaboration is presented as a stepping stone toward a more integrated and resilient European energy system.