Barcelona, 21 September 2015 – The Final Capitalization Event of the MedDiet project – funded by the European Union in the framework of the ENPI CBC programme- was held on 19th September at the Expo Milan 2015. The event -coordinated by the Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations (CEEBA) – presented the important results achieved by increasing the awareness on Mediterranean diet along its three years of development.

ASCAME, as partner of this project in charge of the Capitalization phase, has played a key role by increasing the awareness of consumers, businesses and SMEs about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: a total of 20 Mediterranean Diet Info points has been created and 20 officers from Chambers of Commerce and institutions have been trained. Indeed, during the Institutional Session, the coordinator of the event – Mr Alaa Ezz (Secretary-General and CEO CEEBA FEDCOC- highlighted the strong support that Mediterranean SMEs has received from the project, including the creation of clusters and implementation of pilot projects. As Mrs Anna Catte – Director of ENPI CBC MED Programme- affirmed, one of the most significant achievements of the project have been the actions addressed to restaurants throughout the granting of MedDiet Quality Label to almost 300 restaurants from the Mediterranean area. The project has also had an important role in the creation of new educational initiatives reaching over 5000 students and training activities addressed to above 250 public institutions agents.

All participants agreed to develop the future project’s opportunities and all together signed the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of Mediterranean diet, as proved of their commitment to the project’s continuation. As Mr Mounir Mouakhar – President of the Tunis Chamber of Commerce, CCIT- asserted, “this signature will strengthen the sense of promotion, membership and project’s continuation”. Indeed, the partners of the project will meet soon to celebrate an internal committee with the aim of presenting a roadmap for a possible continuation of the project, which may include a country by country involvement, a clear political commitment and, of course, the involvement of the restaurants as the ambassadors of the project.