The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental institution bringing together all EU countries and 15 countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean to promote dialogue and cooperation. Relations centre on six main areas and include research.

The EU established its privileged partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood in 1995 with the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership at the Barcelona Conference, aiming to establish an area of peace, stability, economic prosperity, upholding democratic values and human rights.

As a continuation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Union for the Mediterranean was launched In 2008. This inter-governmental partnership promotes cooperation and dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region and brings together all 27 EU Member States and 15 countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine*, Syria – suspended, Tunisia and Turkey; Libya is an observer

Climate change, renewable energies and health are the priorities for stronger regional collaboration in research and innovation for the coming years.