Morocco joins the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area

The European Union and Morocco signed today an international agreement on Morocco's participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA).

This is the last international agreement signed with countries outside the EU i not associated to Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programme, to ensure their participation in PRIMA[1]. Morocco formally joins Member States and non-EU countries from both shores of the Mediterranean to work on developing responses to water scarcity and food security, two of the major challenges of the region.

Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas i, Ambassador Dimiter Tzantchev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU, and Mr. Saaïd Amzazi, Moroccan Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research signed the agreement in Brussels.

Commissioner Moedas said:

The signature of this agreement highlights the strategic importance of research and innovation in EU-Morocco bilateral relations. It is a testimony that through science we can overcome boundaries and cooperate in key areas to address regional challenges and provide concrete responses to the needs of our citizens.

PRIMA is supported by Horizon 2020 on the basis of Decision (EU) 2017/1324 adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in July 2017. It is the first public-public partnership under Horizon 2020 enabling the participation of non-EU countries that are not associated to EU research framework programmes on an equal footing with Member States and Associated Countries.

With today's agreement, which is provisionally applicable from the date of its signature, all 19 countries that committed to undertake PRIMA - both EU Member States and non-EU countries - are formally Participating States of the initiative.

At present, PRIMA has a budget of €494 million, of which €274 million comes from Participating States and €220 million from the EU.

Media contact

Commission spokesperson's service

Commission spokesperson's service

Contact spokespersons and press officers of the European Commission in Brussels