€220m EU investment injection for Mediterranean food projects
The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) was announced today following an agreement reached by the Maltese presidency with the European Parliament on 11 April.
The funds will be drawn from the EU’s research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020.
"The PRIMA partnership will help improve the health and livelihoods of those living in the Mediterranean region. It is also expected to encourage economic growth and stability in the longer-term", said Chris Agius, the Maltese Parliamentary Secretary, on the day of the agreement.
PRIMA must still be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, which is expected in the coming months, and is due to be up and running in early 2018.
The partnership involves 11 EU member states: Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia; and eight non-EU countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
