BUSINESSMED, represented by its General Secretary, Mrs Jihen Boutiba, participated in the third Annual Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies (EMNES) on the theme: “Towards a socio-economic model focused on regional integration and employment in the Mediterranean”. The event took place at the Centre for European Political Studies (CEPS) in Brussels on 27 and 28 June 2019.

The Conference discussed future models of economic development and possible opportunities for cooperation. It brought together the points of view of the European Union, the countries of the South of the Mediterranean and the main actors active in the region through the participation and interventions of experts of the European Commission, former ministers, researchers or representatives of employers' confederations.

During her intervention, the General Secretary of BUSINESSMED pointed that Mediterranean Policymakers, private sector, and education actors, with their common cultural, economic and social backgrounds, should speak with one voice to achieve Bleu Transition and so create a new kind of Jobs.

Mr Michael Koehler, Director for the Neighbourhood at the Directorate General 'Cooperation and Development' of the European Commission, focused for his intervention on Euro-Mediterranean integration partnership and cooperation between the European Union and the Mediterranean.

Overall, the various interventions helped to advance the discussions by presenting the main conclusions on how labour markets can become more dynamic and help ensure shared prosperity, and the establishment of a comprehensive political roadmap towards new models of regional integration and job creation in the Mediterranean.