Speakers

Axel Rodríguez

Project Officer at Interreg NEX MED Programme

Axel Rodriguez Garrote is a Project Officer at the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme in Marseille, France. He serves as referent for the Sustainable Tourism mission vis-à-vis the Programme’s bodies and structures but also vis-à-vis other European programmes or networks. His role also involves assisting and monitoring projects and representing the Programme in different events and meetings. Born in Zamora, Spain, Axel holds a Master’s degree in European Economic Studies from the College of Europe and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Salamanca.

With extensive experience working for EU-funded territorial cooperation programmes, Axel previously worked at the Interreg Italy-France Maritime Programme in Florence, Italy. He also has a background in financial administration from his job at the European University Institute, also in Florence. Fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Italian, with a basic knowledge of Dutch, Axel is passionate about travelling and tourism. He believes in the opportunities that international cooperation can offer to make it more sustainable.

Session:

SE01 - Interreg projects in Blue Economy: present and future

15:30h

Wednesday, November 19

Room Andalucía

SE01 - Interreg projects in Blue Economy: present and future

Organized by

Mediterranean Multi-Programme Mechanism (MMM)

Description

The Mediterranean Multi-Program Mechanism (MMM) brings together Interreg programs to collaborate more closely and make better use of resources in the Mediterranean region. Since its inception in 2022, eight programs covering 22 Mediterranean countries are already participating.

Given that the blue economy and sustainable tourism are intrinsically linked concepts, the Sun&Blue Congress represents an ideal opportunity to share good practices from the Mediterranean in the field of the blue economy and to promote meaningful dialogue on how to move forward in this sector. It also provides a platform to explore how Interreg programs and projects can contribute to the development of a healthy and sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean, especially with a view to the post-2027 horizon.

The event will showcase good practices in the blue economy promoted by Interreg MMM, with high potential for scalability and/or replicability in the Mediterranean and other EU regions. It will be an opportunity for the public to discover new trends and innovative solutions in the blue economy and to exchange experiences with actors from the three shores of the Mediterranean.

Addressed to

Entrepreneurs, professionals offering innovative products/services in Blue Economy, researchers, staff of public bodies working on coastal topics, people interested on applying for funding.

Agenda

1. Introduction - Vincent Ernoux, Coordinator of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Branch Office for the Western Mediterranean

2. Keynote Speaker - José Manuel Camarero, Regional Secretary for Tourism of the Valencian Regional Government

3. Sustainable Tourism in Interreg Mediterranean Programmes: Overview and State of Play - Valeria Cibrario, Senior Programme Manager at Interact Programme

4. Round table: The present: Blue economy good practices and solutions.

Moderator: Vincent Ernoux, Coordinator of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Branch Office for the Western Mediterranean

GREENMEDPORTS: Beladjine Boumediene, Researcher at the University of Science and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf (USTO-MB)
SHARE4MED: Alessandra Azzola, Project Manager at Deda Group
COMMUNITY4TOURISM: Josep Rodríguez. Coordinator of the Interreg Euro-MED Community for Sustainable Tourism
REGENERA4MED. Paula di Iorio, European Projects and International Relations Unit of the Catalan Tourism Agency
WEST MED Blue Economy Initiative: IMarta Pascual, Spanish National Hub for WestMED Initiative

5. Round table: The future: How do you see the place for Blue Economy in Interreg Projects especially considering the new Multiannual Financial Framework proposal launched by the EC in 2025?