The Mediterranean Textile Forum (MediTex) is an event of vital relevance for Mediterranean economies. The textile and clothing sector plays a key role both in trade relations within the Euro-Mediterranean area and in the socio-economic balance of all the producer countries in the wider area, particularly the countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean. Faced with the globalisation of the textile-clothing industry, all operators of the countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean ask for a stronger partnership with the European Union industry.

Organised by the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and the Industry (ASCAME) and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, with the collaboration of prominent Euro-Mediterranean organisations, MediTex has become the Mediterranean textile event per excellence.

meditex

The Mediterranean textile event par excellence

The Mediterranean textile industry needs to be revisited from a new perspective in a common will of becoming more ethical and environmentally friendly. This sector has been particularly concerned by water and soil pollution due to the many chemicals used and the rejected production, which has become polluting. This resulting pollution has been widely spread in the Mediterranean strongly affecting key sectors such as tourism or the food industry. This forum also tackles the “Fourth Industrial Textile Revolution”, proposing many innovative solutions from new technologies to make the Mediterranean textile sector a high-tech sector, among them reducing pollutants and improving the rights and working conditions of textile workers. 

Today, we are facing a historic opportunity to strengthen Euromed relations by promoting a partnership that is truly “win-win” for all Member States in this area. Indeed, in order to remain attractive, this cooperation must go beyond purely commercial aspects. It is becoming imperative to strengthen innovation, R&D, training and to meet ethical expectations in the broadest sense (social and environmental) in order to enhance the added value that this area represents in the eyes of consumers. MediTex will help to reach the sustainable development of the Euro-Mediterranean textile sector through strengthened cooperation between companies of both shores.

"The actors of the textile-clothing sector in the Mediterranean region are led to seek together how to build a Mediterranean strategy to face the Asian competition."
Abdelali Berrada profile
Abdelali Berrada
UNIDO Expert