The European Parliament adopted by 499 votes to 100, with 23 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2017/1324 as regards the continuation of the Union’s participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe.

The European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amends the Commission's proposal as follows:

Participation in PRIMA

The Union should participate in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), an institutionalised European partnership under Horizon Europe, jointly undertaken by Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.

The amended text stated that the thematic scope of PRIMA, namely support for agri-food systems, integrated water provision and water management in the Mediterranean area, is becoming increasingly topical. Research shows that water scarcity is an important contributor to the rise in global migration. Climate change and associated natural disasters have a devastating impact on agricultural production.

Since PRIMA’s initial rationale and objectives remain valid, in particular in light of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which has further destabilised fragile Southern Mediterranean agriculture markets, making the transition to sustainable food systems an even more urgent priority for Mediterranean societies.

PRIMA should retain its ambition and resources which make it an essential instrument for international cooperation and scientific diplomacy in the Mediterranean area.

Financial contribution

The Union financial contribution to PRIMA, including EEA appropriations, shall be equal to the Participating States’ contributions. The Union financial contribution shall be up to EUR 325 000 000 and should be distributed as follows: (a) up to EUR 220 000 000 from Horizon 2020; (b) up to EUR 105 000 000 from Horizon Europe.

Operating method

PRIMA needs to operate in a simple, agile, open and transparent way . PRIMA-IS needs to make dedicated efforts to strengthen dialogue with society, encourage active participation and ensure that the wider public is sufficiently informed about its activities in a timely manner. To that end, PRIMA-IS needs to strengthen its communication strategy to facilitate the exchange of information, best practices and research outcomes, with the involvement of academic, scientific and knowledge networks, social and economic partners, the media, industry SMEs and other stakeholders.

Secretariat

The Board of Trustees should establish the Secretariat of PRIMA-IS as the executive body of PRIMA.

The Secretariat should:

- implement the annual work programme;

- provide support to the other bodies of PRIMA-IS;

- monitor and report on the implementation of PRIMA;

- manage the Union financial contribution and the Participating States' financial contributions and report on their use;

- increase the visibility of PRIMA by means of advocacy and communication;

- liaise with the Commission in accordance with the financial framework partnership agreement;

- ensure the transparency of PRIMA’s activities.

The Scientific Advisory Committee set up by the Board of Trustees should: (i) advise the Board of Trustees on strategic priorities and needs; (ii) advise the Board of Trustees on the content and scope of the draft annual work programme from a scientific and technical standpoint; (iii) review the scientific and technical aspects of the implementation of PRIMA and deliver an opinion on its annual report.

The Commission should, on a regular basis, assess the fulfilment of the commitments undertaken by the Participating States and, following such assessments, may involve Participating States and PRIMA-IS as necessary and should be able to take appropriate measures.

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report y Paolo BORCHIA (ID, IT) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2017/1324 as regards the continuation of the Union’s participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

Enhanced dialogue

PRIMA should operate in a simple, agile, open and transparent way. PRIMA-IS and the Participating States should make dedicated efforts to strengthen dialogue with society, encourage active participation and ensure that the wider public is sufficiently and timely informed about their activities. To that end, PRIMA-IS should set up a reliable communication strategy to facilitate the exchange of information, best practices and research outcomes, with the involvement of academic, scientific and knowledge networks, social and economic partners, the media, industry SMEs and other stakeholders.

Access to results and information on proposals

Members proposed that the PRIMA- IS should provide the Commission access to all information related to the indirect actions it funds. Such information should include contributions and results of beneficiaries participating in indirect actions. The Commission should make such information accessible to the European Parliament where it refers to indirect actions which include beneficiaries established in their respective territories. Such access should be provided only for non-commercial and non-competitive use and subject to applicable confidentiality rules.

Monitoring and evaluation

The amended text stated that the Commission should conduct an interim evaluation of PRIMA by 31 December 2025 and a final evaluation by 31 December 2031 . These evaluations should examine the success rates and the absorption rates of the Southern Mediterranean Participating States, as well as how PRIMA fulfils its mission and objectives, cover all its activities and evaluate its European added value, effectiveness, efficiency, including its openness and transparency, the relevance of the activities pursued, including in industry and by SMEs, NGOs and civil society, and their consistency and complementarity with relevant regional, national and Union policies, including synergies with other parts of Horizon Europe, such as other partnerships, missions, clusters and thematic or specific programmes.

In addition, future evaluations of PRIMA should cover the extension of the scope of the partnership’s objectives and a corresponding increase of the financial allocation to PRIMA . In particular, the extension should encompass energy R&I and climate-related R&I, taking into account the impact of new portfolios on other primary resources (namely water, land, and agriculture).

PURPOSE: to extend, until 2027, the Union’s participation in the partnership for research and innovation in the Mediterranean area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: PRIMA currently consists of nineteen Participating States: eleven EU Member States (Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain); three countries associated to Horizon 2020 (Israel, Tunisia and Turkey) and five third countries non-associated to Horizon 2020 (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco). The Partnership aims to build research and innovation capacities and to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems, to make them sustainable, and for integrated water provision and management in the Mediterranean area. The thematic focus became even more relevant in recent years, due to increasing effects of climate change, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the destabilising effect of Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggression against the Ukraine on the fragile agriculture markets in a number of Mediterranean countries.

Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council was adopted under the previous Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, namely Horizon 2020, for a period up to 31 December 2028. However, the Member States participating in PRIMA declared their intention to continue in their joint initiative beyond 2024 and called for the continued participation of the Union.

CONTENT: this proposal for an amendment of Decision 2017/1324 (the PRIMA Basic Act) constitutes an extension of active operation (publication of R&I calls) until 2027 under the current R&I Framework Programme- Horizon Europe. The amendment will provide for additional budget , from both the EU financial contribution from the Horizon Europe programme and the Participating States’ financial contributions, to ensure continuation at the current level of activities for three further years.

Since the initial rationale and objectives of PRIMA partnership are still valid and PRIMA is a successful instrument, the Union should continue to provide financial support to allow PRIMA to fund research and innovation actions under the same thematic scope until 2027, and bring that instrument in synchronisation with the Union’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) and MFF-aligned programming cycles of R&I programmes. Moreover, the overall duration of PRIMA should be extended until 2031 to allow for the full implementation of supported research and innovation actions.

Monitoring

The extension of PRIMA requires monitoring and evaluation of this partnership in accordance with Horizon Europe related provisions. The Commission should conduct an interim evaluation of PRIMA by 31 December 2025 at the latest, and, a final evaluation by 31 December 2031 at the latest, that should feed into the overall interim and final evaluations of Horizon Europe. The evaluations should assess the quality and efficiency of PRIMA and the progress made towards achieving its objectives. The Commission should publish and disseminate the results and conclusions of those evaluations.

Budgetary implications

The total Union contribution to the extended initiative will be up to EUR 325 million including the EEA contribution. Out of this amount, EUR 220 million were committed from the Horizon 2020 Programme for the programming period 2018-2024. EUR 105 million, to be committed in the period 2025-2027, will come from the Horizon Europe, cluster (vi) ‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’.

The maximum amount of the EU contribution to administrative costs for the whole duration of the initiative is up to 6%, corresponding to EUR 19.5 million from the total Union contribution of EUR 325 million.