Last Tuesday, April 21, ASCAME held its first Executive Committee meeting of 2026 under the presidency of Dr. Josep Santacreu. The meeting took place in Marseille (France), at the Palais de la Bourse of the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Marseille-Provence, and saw strong participation from members: 14 out of the 18 Committee members attended, either in person or online. Represented countries included Albania (Tirana), Algeria (Algiers), France (Marseille), Greece (Piraeus), Italy (Cagliari), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), Montenegro, Morocco (Tangier), Serbia, Tunisia (Tunis), Turkey (Istanbul), and Spain (Barcelona). The gathering marked Algeria’s return to ASCAME and its continued presence on the organization’s Bureau.
This meeting clearly reflected the joint work carried out by ASCAME’s member chambers and demonstrated the strength and potential of ASCAME as the most important and long-standing network of Chambers of Commerce in the Mediterranean, bringing together 18 countries and more than one hundred chambers.
The Executive Committee unanimously adopted the new strategic guidelines that will steer ASCAME’s work over the next two years. These include concrete measures and initiatives designed to translate this shared vision into tangible impact and results. The new plan embodies a common vision, with a focused strategy and operational viability built around three key pillars:
- Positioning ASCAME as the natural interlocutor for the Mediterranean Pact, as well as for other regional and international initiatives.
- Strengthening ASCAME’s external dimension by consolidating its role as the leading business platform in the region, ensuring an active presence in major economic forums, increasing visibility, reinforcing partnerships, and coordinating an annual agenda.
- Enhancing the internal dimension by maximizing the added value for member Chambers, including governance reforms related to fees and commissions.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to highlight the major events of the ASCAME community, which bring the organization to life and foster economic exchange and socio-economic development. The meeting also featured a review of ASCAME’s European projects, as well as the presentation of the organization’s communication plan, annual calendar of activities, and budget, offering a comprehensive overview of its activities, strategic priorities, and financial framework for the coming period.
On the one hand, the President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Şekib Avdagiç, presented a Green Energy B2B in Istanbul, to be held on 10-11 June, aimed at connecting Mediterranean and Turkish companies in the fields of renewable energy, hydrogen, and green technologies. On the other hand, the President of the CCIS Souss Massa, Mr. Said Dor, presented Meditour Agadir 2026, the flagship Mediterranean tourism fair, to be held in Agadir from June 18–20 under the theme “Sustainable and Innovative Mediterranean Destinations”.
In addition, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Piraeus (Greece) presented the new edition of the Euromediterranean Economic and Business Summit, the leading summit in the Mediterranean, which will bring together key stakeholders from across the regional ecosystem. This year’s edition will be held in Piraeus. ASCAME is giving renewed impetus to ensure that future summits rotate among different cities within the network on a biennial basis, thus guaranteeing geographical balance and opportunities to experience the diverse business realities of the Mediterranean.
The CCI of Marseille‑Provence and the CCI of Piraeus signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between both institutions. The agreement covers several areas, including the exchange of knowledge, information, and best practices; the promotion of research, training, and development programmes; and the exploration of future collaborations in related fields.
President Dr. Santacreu expressed his gratitude for the active participation of all delegations attending both in person and online, as well as to the hosts, represented by the Vice-President of the Marseille Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Fréderic Ronal, and the Advisor for International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Denis Bergé:
“Today’s discussions have once again demonstrated the strength of our shared vision and the importance of our collaboration across the Mediterranean. In these challenging times, I believe the Mediterranean remains one of the most privileged regions in the world. We must benefit from the levels of stability and security that we have; we are a global tourism destination, a key hub for international trade, and a region full of economic opportunities”.