Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED)

The Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative, T-MED, aims to accelerate renewable energy and clean technology cooperation between the EU and its Southern Mediterranean partners. It will support clean, secure and affordable energy, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and create new opportunities for investment, skills and jobs on both sides of the Mediterranean.

Context

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region holds some of the world’s most abundant and cost-competitive renewable-energy resources. With solar and wind generation costs estimated to be up to 30-40% lower^[1] than in the EU and continuing to fall, alongside promising geothermal potential and emerging offshore wind prospects, the MENA region could become a cornerstone of the Euro-Mediterranean green transition. Its technical renewable-generation potential is estimated at over 2 300 GW^[2], more than twice the EU’s current installed capacity, underscoring the strategic scale of this opportunity.

Strengthened cooperation to tap this renewable energy potential can help our partner countries and the EU to address shared challenges, such as rising energy prices, dependence on fossil fuels, lack of competitiveness, supply-chain vulnerabilities and climate change. Scaling up renewable energies is particularly important to meet domestic demand on the southern shore of the Mediterranean which may rise by 50% by 2035^[3], driven by cooling, desalination and digitalisation. At the same time, Europe aims to increase the economy-wide electrification rate from 21.3% today to 32% in 2030^[4].

The Pact for the Mediterranean offers the overarching framework to promote renewable energy and clean tech cooperation, grounded in shared ownership and responsibility, while the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED), will serve as a key delivery instrument under the Pact’s second pillar, turning political commitment into concrete investments, reforms, skills and industrial partnerships.

The T-MED contributes to the implementation of the Global Gateway in the Mediterranean.

Objectives

T-MED is intended to be a win-win for both the EU and the MENA region:

• Inclusive socio-economic development through investment, value creation, skills development and job creation.
• Energy security and industrial competitiveness via diversified, affordable and renewable energy.
• Accelerated decarbonisation through renewable electricity, renewable hydrogen, efficiency and clean-tech deployment.

T-MED will be implemented through five mutually reinforcing priorities:

• Mobilise investments through the T-MED Investment Platform, bringing together EU institutions, international financial institutions, private investors and project promoters to identify, structure and support renewable energy and clean tech projects.
• Implement reforms through the Regulatory Accelerator, supporting clearer grid connection procedures, faster permitting, more transparent tariff systems, stronger regulatory authorities and predictable power purchase agreement frameworks.
• Build skills and create jobs through the T-MED Skills Agenda, linking training directly to investment projects and supporting technicians, engineers, installers, planners and financial specialists for the clean energy transition.
• Modernise energy systems and support renewable energy trade by upgrading grids, deploying smart-grid technologies, strengthening cybersecurity, improving cross-border interconnections and supporting hydrogen corridors and port infrastructure.
• Develop a clean tech ecosystem by supporting regional value chains, industrial partnerships and sustainable procurement in technologies such as solar PV, wind components, electrolysers, storage technologies and grid equipment.

Regular calls for expressions of interest will help identify mature projects, private sector interest and investment opportunities aligned with T-MED priorities.

Implementation

To achieve these objectives, T-MED seeks to mobilise tens of billions of euros in private investment over the coming years. To this end, the EU will establish the T-MED Investment Platform, which will bring together the European Commission, financial implementing partners, European private investors and European project promoters. The Platform will act as an overarching coordination and project structuring mechanism aimed at  identifying high-impact private investments in T-MED related sectors, facilitating access to finance, and connecting project promoters with EU institutions and partner financial institutions.

The Platform will also foster cooperation with international and regional partners, including partners from the Gulf region, to support the development of renewable energy and clean tech projects across the Mediterranean.

Partners

Regional platforms, playing a key role in implementing the T MED priority areas, include:

• MEDREG (Mediterranean Regulators for Electricity and Gas)
• MED-TSO (Transmission System Operators)
• MED-GEM (for energy market integration)
• PEEB-MED (Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings – Mediterranean)

International Partners

• IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency)
• OMEC (Organisation Méditerranéenne de L’energie et du Climat)