On 18 June 2025, National Focal Points (NFPs) and key stakeholders gathered in Rotterdam for the 5th Steering Committee meeting of the EU-funded MED-GEM Network, marking the successful transition from Phase 1 into a promising new 18-month extension until December 2026. The meeting opened with remarks from Milou Beerepoot (European Commission, DG MENA), Najoua Nafti (GIZ InS project manager), and Frank Wouters (MED-GEM Director), emphasizing the initiative’s strategic role in accelerating regional cooperation in green hydrogen and clean energy development. The importance of tangible actions, investment, and risk-taking were central themes.

Key Achievements Highlighted:

• Launch of the CBAM Helpdesk and Morocco’s pioneering pre-certification pilot, supported by partners CertifHy, Hinicio, HydroJeel, a buses of InnovX (OCP Group)
• Publication of the CBAM Strategy Report.
• Development of over 200 communication products, including podcasts, webinars, magazines, photo albums, and revamped digital platforms such as EDU-HUB and Industrial Circle.
• Robust national engagement from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco, focusing on infrastructure, social communication, capacity-building, and regional interconnection.

Participants reviewed recent successes such as the Industry Advisory Board’s stakeholder consultation, the regional finance scoping workshop, and the ongoing Bidding Zone Transposition Analysis involving five Mediterranean countries. National representatives provided country-specific insights, with Jordan praising the practical impact of MED-GEM’s industrial heat study, Lebanon calling for more targeted support and financing for decentralized projects and Tunisia suggesting more CBAM transients and GH2 raising awareness activities.

The European Commission, through DG MENA, reaffirmed its strategic commitment, positioning MED-GEM as a central platform supporting the Mediterranean’s just and sustainable green transition.