European Parliament Assumes Presidency of Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

The European Parliament has assumed the presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, setting out its priorities during high-level meetings held in Cairo on 4 and 5 July.

A delegation of 10 Members of the European Parliament took part in the 10th Summit of Speakers and the 19th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, hosted in the Egyptian capital.

As the European Parliament takes over the presidency of the assembly, European Parliament Vice-President Pina Picierno addressed participants at both meetings and outlined the priorities of the incoming presidency.

Picierno said the European Parliament is committed to strengthening dialogue, cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy across the Mediterranean region.

During the plenary session, MEPs and parliamentarians from member countries discussed several major issues facing the region, including peace and stability in the Middle East, artificial intelligence, youth engagement and women’s empowerment.

Picierno described the agenda as ambitious, saying the assembly would address some of the most important challenges of the present time through joint action between the two shores of the Mediterranean.

“The agenda is ambitious: peace and stability in the Middle East, artificial intelligence, youth engagement and women’s empowerment — the defining challenges of our time, addressed together, across both shores of the Mediterranean,” she said.

She added that the meeting carried special importance because the European Parliament was assuming the presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Picierno said the European Parliament accepts this responsibility with a clear political vision aimed at making the assembly stronger, more credible and more influential across the region.

“This meeting carries special significance as the European Parliament will take over the presidency of the PA-UfM — a responsibility we embrace with a clear political vision: to make this assembly a stronger, more credible, and more impactful forum for the entire region,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in building trust between Mediterranean countries.

“The Mediterranean is not a border. It is a shared space — and parliamentary diplomacy is how we build the trust needed to shape it together,” Picierno said.