CUEIM
Two days dedicated to the Interreg NEXT MED MEDinCHAMBERS, a governance-oriented project aimed at supporting the green and sustainable transition through the contribution and the experience of multiple stakeholders: institutions, universities and res
Two days dedicated to the Interreg NEXT MED MEDinCHAMBERS, a governance-oriented project aimed at supporting the green and sustainable transition through the contribution and the experience of multiple stakeholders: institutions, universities and research, businesses and civil society
A project to foster dialogue and collaboration
for Textile sector's transition in the Mediterranean area
Rome, 15 January 2026 - CUEIM hosted in Rome the Kick-Off Meeting of the Interreg NEXT MED project MEDinCHAMBERS, held on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 January 2026 at Unioncamere – Sabbatini Room, Piazza Sallustio 21.
The event represented the official launch of MEDinCHAMBERS, a governance-oriented project aimed at supporting the green and sustainable transition of the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) sector across the Mediterranean area.
Co-funded by the EU under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme with a contribution of €1,286,432, (89% of the total budget €1,445,882), the project promotes a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach to sustainability, capitalising on the expertise and contribution of key actors involved in the transition process, including public institutions, universities and research centres, chambers of commerce, enterprises and civil society organisations.
The MEDinCHAMBERS partnership includes CUEIM – University Consortium for Industrial and Managerial Economics as Lead Partner (Italy), together with CERTH – Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (Greece), CCIB – Italian Chamber of Commerce Barcelona (Spain), CTICI – Chambre Tuniso-Italienne de Commerce et d’Industrie (Tunisia), CEEBA – Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations (Egypt), CCI İzmir – Italian Chamber of Commerce in Turkey (Türkiye), and Consorci de la Ribera (CRIB) (Spain), all jointly committed to fostering sustainable, innovative and resilient models for the Mediterranean TCLF sector.
Through a cross-border alliance of Chambers of Commerce and quadruple-helix stakeholders (public authorities, industry, academia and research, and civil society) from EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries, MEDinCHAMBERS aims to strengthen governance frameworks and support the green and circular transition of textile value chains in the Mediterranean region.
To this end, the project will develop the MEDinCHAMBERS Digital Detector — a knowledge platform and digital tool designed to support decision-making and service provision, supported by the launch of Local Pilot Knowledge Hubs and a Living Lab in Tunis dedicated to co-creation and testing activities. In addition, MEDinCHAMBERS will create a database as inventory of services, tools and policies supporting a greener TCLF ecosystem across the Mediterranean, while fostering replication and scaling-up through alliances, bootcamps and matchmaking missions.
The two-day event brought together in Rome representatives of European and Mediterranean institutions, public and private stakeholders, project and associated partners, business associations, academic experts and practitioners, fostering dialogue and cooperation at transnational level.
The first day of the Kick-Off Meeting focused on the official opening of the project, with welcome addresses from CUEIM, Unioncamere, the associated partner Assocamerestero and representatives of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. This was followed by an introduction to the MEDinCHAMBERS project objectives, activities and expected results, as well as onboarding sessions dedicated to the Interreg NEXT MED Programme framework, including financial management, monitoring, procurement, auditing and communication rules.
The agenda also included a dedicated session on synergies with other EU-funded projects, highlighting complementarities and opportunities for cooperation within the textile and sustainability domains. In the afternoon, thematic workshops and roundtables addressed key challenges and opportunities related to policy and governance, innovation and ESG, providing a structured space for dialogue among stakeholders. Discussions underlined the importance of proactive and coordinated governance approaches, as well as the need to bridge gaps arising from differing regulatory frameworks, levels of technological adoption and awareness of sustainability issues across Mediterranean countries.
The second day was mainly dedicated to project coordination and implementation aspects. The Steering Committee meeting focused on the presentation of work packages, expected outputs and milestones, including the inventory of services for a greener TCLF ecosystem, the validation of MEDinCHAMBERS supporting services, the development of the Digital Detector and the creation of short- and long-term transnational alliances. The session also covered reporting procedures, use of the Interreg JEMS platform, financial controls and indicators, ensuring a shared understanding and effective implementation of project activities among all partners.
The Kick-Off Meeting marked the formal launch of the MEDinCHAMBERS project, setting in motion a shared process of cooperation grounded in Mediterranean-wide collaboration and jointly developed solutions. The quality of the dialogue, the active engagement of partners and the common understanding reached during the two days in Rome established a solid foundation for advancing sustainable, inclusive and resilient pathways for the transition of the TCLF sector across the Mediterranean area.
The contents of this press release are the sole responsibility of CUEIM and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Programme management structures
For further information
Official website:
www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/medinchambers/
Social media channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582799800666
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medinchambers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/medinchambers/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InterregNEXTMED-MEDinCHAMBERS
Contacts:
Tiziana Campisi – Project Manager | Tel. +39 335 613 9106 | t.campisi@cueim.org
Valentina Oliviero – Communication Manager | Tel. +39 338 733 6475 | v.oliviero@cueim.it
Laura Ciarmela – Communication Support | Tel. +39 327 128 4598 | laura.ciarmela@sinergieweb.it
Alessia Granati – Financial Manager | Tel. +39 339 759 1729 | a.granati@cueim.it
Uploaded on 19/01/2026
