MEDinCHAMBERS Kicks Off in Rome: Two Days of People, Ideas and Common Commitment for the Mediterranean Textile Transition

People, ideas and shared commitment came together in Rome as MEDinCHAMBERS officially kicked off. Over two days, partners and stakeholders aligned governance, innovation and ESG priorities to co-design concrete solutions for a greener, more resilient Mediterranean textile sector.

Publication Date
03/02/2026
Reading Time
6 minutes

Rome, 14 – 15 January 2026 – More than a formal project launch, the MEDinCHAMBERS Kick-Off Meeting unfolded in Rome as a moment of collective energy, shared learning and strategic alignment for the future of the Mediterranean textile sector. Hosted by the Lead Partner CUEIM, on 14 and 15 January 2026 at Unioncamere, thanks to the collaboration of the Associated Partner Assocamerestero, the event marked the beginning of a governance-driven journey to support the green and sustainable transition of the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) ecosystem.

In this perspective, the Rome kick-off represented more than a starting point for a single project, aligning MEDinCHAMBERS with the broader mission of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme to foster transnational cooperation across the Mediterranean by strengthening joint initiatives in economic development, environmental sustainability, education, social inclusion and multi-level governance.

From the very first moments, the atmosphere was one of openness and collaboration. Project partners, institutional representatives, experts, businesses and external stakeholders gathered to present the new project, as well as to build a common language and a shared vision, experience and cooperation across the Mediterranean. Within this framework, chambers of commerce emerged as key actors of a growing transnational alliance, capable of translating multi-level governance objectives into concrete support for enterprises and territories across the Mediterranean. This agreed vision reflects a common ambition to contribute to a more resilient, prosperous and harmonious Mediterranean region, where cooperation among institutions, chambers of commerce and stakeholders becomes a structural driver of sustainable development and generates tangible impact on the territories involved.

Day 1: Setting the tone – people, programme guidance and collective intelligence

A central role in shaping the project’s operational and strategic framework was played by the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, whose representatives accompanied the partnership throughout the morning with complementary and highly valued contributions.

Vincent Ernoux, Coordinator of the Branch Office for the Western Mediterranean, Fabrizio Paloni, Coordinator of the Joint Secretariat, Stefania Melis, Financial Expert of the Joint Secretariat, Charaf M’Rabet, Project Management and Monitoring Expert and Project Officer, and Waed Al-Ajarmeh, Programme Communication Officer, collectively provided guidance on expectations, procedures and opportunities within the Programme.

Building on the shared experience developed with CUEIM in previous successful projects such as the ENI CBC MED project MedArtSal, the Programme representatives underlined the importance of combining strategic ambition with solid governance, financial accuracy and effective communication. Their interventions helped orient the partnership from the outset, ensuring a clear and shared understanding of financial management rules, monitoring and reporting requirements, auditing procedures and communication standards, key elements for a smooth and impactful implementation.

This institutional framework was complemented by the presentation of the MEDinCHAMBERS introductory video, conceived as the first building block of a communication strategy designed to be clear, engaging and accessible, capable of reaching enterprises and stakeholders across Mediterranean textile value chains.

The morning continued with a dynamic Living Partnership Lab, which allowed partners, external stakeholders, including Zobu Consulting, and associated partners, including Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, DYADIMA, Andalucia Emprende and 012Factory — to actively interact, exchange perspectives and get to know each other beyond formal roles. This moment embodied the project’s collaborative spirit, placing people and relationships at the heart of governance and innovation processes.

Synergies as a strategic driver

In the afternoon, attention turned to synergies with other EU-funded projects and programmes, in a session that proved strategically important for shaping MEDinCHAMBERS’ future tools and services. Presentations from Interreg Euro-MED projects like VERDEinMED and GREENSMARTMED, or Erasmus projects, like SiT, Metaskills4TCLF, and ESG Essentials, together with the Interreg NEXT MED project Waste2Fashion showcased existing platforms, methodologies and solutions addressing sustainability, skills, ESG criteria and innovation to be addressed to the textile sector.

Far from being a simple overview, this session functioned as a collective smart exercise, feeding directly into the conceptualisation of the MEDinCHAMBERS Digital Detector — the digital knowledge and decision-support tool that will be developed during the project to serve enterprises and TCLF stakeholders. The exchange enabled the partnership to start mapping concrete solutions, best practices and strategic approaches to be capitalised, adapted and scaled up, while also initiating a synergies process that will allow the project to enhance its impact beyond its formal duration, by capitalising on existing valuable solutions developed through the shared efforts of multiple EU-funded projects over the years.

Thematic Round Tables on Policy, Innovation, and ESG

Another key milestone of the day was the first thematic round tables on Policy & Governance, Innovation and ESG, organised in synergy with activities of the Erasmus+ project ESG Essentials. Designed as a highly interactive and dynamic working session, the round tables allowed all participants to actively engage with each of the three themes, rotating across tables and contributing from their specific national, institutional and professional perspectives. The discussions directly contributed to the Programme’s objective of strengthening joint initiatives for economic development and environmental sustainability, while reinforcing dialogue between institutions, businesses and policymakers at different governance levels.

The sessions were moderated by Prof. Marialuisa Saviano (CUEIM board – University of Salerno) for Policy & Governance, Valantis Ketikidis (CERTH) for Innovation, and Elisa Amatista (CUEIM) for ESG, with dedicated support from the project team to ensure a structured and outcome-oriented discussion. This facilitation approach encouraged open dialogue while guiding participants through a shared methodology focused on identifying key needs, existing barriers and priority actions for the sustainable transition of the TCLF sector, ranging from the need for clear and accessible regulatory frameworks, financial support instruments and enhanced public–private coordination in the Policy & Governance roundtable, to the strengthening of skills, managerial capacity, digital tools and business-model innovation in the Innovation roundtable, and the mainstreaming of ESG practices through simplified guidance, capacity-building and dedicated compliance support mechanisms highlighted in the ESG roundtable.

The round tables played a key role in shaping the project’s shared understanding of priorities and challenges, helping to translate policy objectives and sustainability ambitions into concrete reflections grounded in real business and territorial contexts. The insights emerging from these discussions will inform the development of MEDinCHAMBERS tools and services — starting with the Digital Detector — ensuring that they respond to the actual needs and experiences of textile companies and stakeholders across the Mediterranean. The sessions also benefited from the active participation of external stakeholders, colleagues and friends of the project, whose diverse backgrounds and experiences further enriched the exchange. Their engagement confirmed both the relevance of the topics addressed and the strong interest surrounding MEDinCHAMBERS as a collaborative platform for dialogue, learning and co-creation across the Mediterranean.

Establishment of the Advisory Board

The day concluded with the establishment of the project Advisory Board, conceived as a working group to reinforce the partnership’s action, bring in external expertise and strengthen the project’s quality, relevance and long-term impact. Composed of external organisations and associated partners with recognised expertise in SME development, textile sustainability, circular economy and innovation, the Advisory Board will provide independent guidance throughout the project lifecycle. By supporting the validation of approaches and tools and offering feedback grounded in real market and territorial contexts, the Advisory Board will help ensure that MEDinCHAMBERS activities and results remain closely aligned with the needs of SMEs and stakeholders across the Mediterranean.

Day 2: Turning shared vision into coordinated action and strategic alliance

While the first day focused on dialogue, inspiration and strategic alignment, the second day shifted the spotlight to internal coordination and concrete implementation. The morning was dedicated to the Steering Committee meeting, where partners reviewed the project structure work package by work package, sharing expectations, responsibilities and upcoming milestones in a collaborative and solution-oriented atmosphere.

Dedicated sessions allowed partners to align on the development of key project outputs, including the inventory of services supporting a greener TCLF ecosystem, the validation of MEDinCHAMBERS supporting services, the roadmap for the Digital Detector, and the establishment of Local Pilot Knowledge Hubs and the Living Lab in Tunis. At the same time, the partnership focused on ensuring that these tools respond to the concrete needs of enterprises, especially MSMEs, supporting their inclusion in the green and digital transition of Mediterranean textile value chains.

Communication and visibility were also recognised as strategic levers for impact by the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. Partners discussed communication objectives, upcoming activities and coordination mechanisms, ensuring that project results, tools and opportunities will be clearly communicated to enterprises and stakeholders throughout the Mediterranean.

The meeting also provided space for practical alignment on reporting procedures, financial controls, indicators and the use of the Interreg JEMS platform, ensuring a common understanding of processes and timelines. Overall, the second day helped transform the ideas and connections built on Day 1 into a clear and shared action plan, reinforcing coordination, accountability and readiness for the project’s next phases.

A strong starting point for a shared Mediterranean journey

The MEDinCHAMBERS Kick-Off Meeting in Rome was not only a formal starting point, but a moment of convergence of people, experiences and ideas, setting the tone for a project rooted in cooperation, trust and practical impact.

As MEDinCHAMBERS moves forward, the relationships, insights and shared understanding developed in Rome will guide a shared Mediterranean journey, strengthening cooperation, trust and coordinated action in support of a greener, fairer and more resilient textile sector.

 

For more information see here the Official Press Release about the event.

 

Last Update

03/02/2026