This spring has reaffirmed a spirit of cooperation, strengthening for us synergies and expanding opportunities for cross-fertilisation with the Governance and Thematic projects of Innovative Sustainable Economy Mission of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme.
In the past two months, we have actively participated in several moments of exchange and coordination, including the fourth meeting of the Thematic Working Group on Industrial Transition, the second Interreg Euro-MED Italy Forum, and the fifth gathering of the ISE Community of Practice organised by the Innovative Sustainable Economy Mission in Athens.
Advancing Industrial Transition through cross-projects collaboration
On the 17th of April, the Industrial Transition Thematic Working Group of the Innovative Sustainable Economy Mission provided an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration, align priorities, and exchange insights across projects.
The session saw contributions from the ProcuraMED and REVIVE projects, alongside a presentation by Carlo Mondani from AFIL – Associazione Fabbrica Intelligente Lombardia, who introduced the Greensmartmed’s Methodology. 
Our Methodology is designed to foster structured collaboration among quadruple helix stakeholders and support the transition towards greener and more competitive manufacturing systems.
Implemented across five countries (Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and Bulgaria) and key industrial sectors including machinery, textiles, plastics, agri-food, mobility, and batteries, the approach is built around a series of interconnected steps. These include regional ecosystem mapping to identify key value chain actors, the definition of R&I priorities aligned with Smart Specialization Strategies, and the establishment, consolidation, and expansion of Regional Core Groups across participating territories.
The Methodology also supports idea development and evaluation, SMEs capability assessment, and the identification of relevant financial instruments. Each phase is supported by dedicated tools and guidelines, ensuring consistency and effective implementation across different contexts.
AFIL Strategic Communities model was also presented as the framework that enabled the development of Core Groups across different Countries. Among the Communities actively involved in Greensmartmed, Advanced Polymers, De- and Remanufacturing for Circular Economy, Secure and Sustainable Food Manufacturing, and Machinery were mentioned. 
A key outcome of the discussion was that, by connecting stakeholders and leveraging shared tools, new project ideas had already emerged, demonstrating the tangible impact of this collaborative approach.
Strengthening collaboration across the Euro-MED Italy Network
On 15 May, AFIL and CUEIM took part in the 2nd Interreg Euro-MED Italy Forum in Rome, organised by the Euro-MED National Contact Point Italia of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme. The event brought together project partners, regional authorities, and national stakeholders.
Building on the first edition held in Florence in 2024, the Forum aimed at further fostering a stable national coordination network.
The opening session set the strategic context, with contributions from Filippo Giabbani (Tuscany Region) and Paolo Galletta (Department for Cohesion Policies), who underlined the importance of capitalising on programme results and aligning them with the post-2027 perspective.
Thematic working tables, introduced by Alessandro Daraio (Emilia-Romagna Region, Coordinator of Dialogue4Innovation), addressed key priorities of the Interreg Euro-MED Academy, including nature-based solutions, environmental transition, circular economy, and climate resilience. In the afternoon, discussions shifted to Mission-based priorities: within the Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission, participants contributed to a structured survey supporting future policy papers developed by Dialogue4Innovation.
AFIL and CUEIM engaged with projects working on similar priorities, exchanging experiences and results from the past three years, with a focus on circular economy and sustainable innovation. The discussion also reinforced the importance of a quadruple helix approach, highlighting AFIL’s work on Regional Core Groups through its Strategic Communities model and the broader relevance of results transferability towards the post-2027 programming period.
Overall, the Forum confirmed its role as a key space for operational exchange within the Euro-MED community, strengthening cooperation across the Italian and Mediterranean dimension.
