EU launches call to engage the private sector in the MENA region

The European Commission (DG MENA) has launched a General Call for Expressions of Interest aimed at mapping the needs and interests of European companies operating in or considering activities in North Africa and the Middle East. The initiative forms part of the Global Gateway strategy and the New Pact for the Mediterranean, which seek to strengthen economic cooperation and promote sustainable investment in the region.

The objective of this initiative is to gather market intelligence in priority areas such as digital transformation, clean energy, transport, health, education and research, as well as in broader sectors including agriculture, logistics and waste management.

The initiative does not provide funding nor does it establish a partnership with the European Commission. The information collected will enable the EU to better assess private sector interest in investing in the MENA region and to more effectively design future support instruments for private sector engagement.

The call is open-ended, with no submission deadline, and is open to all EU private sector entities — including Slovak companies interested in operating in the MENA region and engaging in development cooperation activities.

Link to the questionnaire:
https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/MENAGeneralCallforEoI
(Estimated completion time: 10–15 minutes)

DG MENA presented the call during an online meeting with SAIDC and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic on 18 February 2026. A related call for proposals with allocated financial resources is expected to be launched in June 2026.

We would also like to draw attention to the Global Gateway Early-Stage Investment Mechanism under DG INTPA, which is open until 16 March 2026 for other regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, and partially MENA). SAMRS informed about this instrument in a previous article: Global Gateway launches a new instrument: Early-Stage Investment Mechanism – Call for Proposals - SlovakAid

We also highlight the Global Gateway Investment Hub (GGIH) under DG INTPA, through which EU private sector entities may submit brief concept proposals for larger and more complex investment and development projects without time limitation via national contact points (Team National) listed on the GGIH website. Time-limited calls with financial allocations are also expected to be launched under this instrument in the future.