Lebanon enters PRIMA: new Mediterranean R&D&i opportunities for Spanish companies

Key data

Spanish companies and institutions with activity in Mediterranean R&D&i now have a new potential partner: Lebanon. The agreement between the European Union and the Lebanese Republic, formalized through an exchange of notes and published on August 24, 2026 with reference OJ:L_202601951, amends and supplements the previous scientific and technological cooperation agreement to incorporate Lebanon into the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Region (PRIMA).

The practical result is immediate: Lebanese institutions can now participate in joint project calls with European and Mediterranean partners under the PRIMA umbrella, and Spanish organizations can include them in their consortia.

What does this regulation establish?

PRIMA is an EU initiative that funds research and innovation projects in strategic areas of the Mediterranean. Until now, Lebanon did not have the legal framework necessary to fully participate in its calls. This agreement changes that.

The mechanism used is the exchange of notes, a form of simplified international agreement that amends and supplements the existing scientific and technological cooperation agreement between the EU and Lebanon. The result is that Lebanon is formally enabled to:

• Participate in joint project calls funded by PRIMA.
• Integrate into international consortia with European and Mediterranean partners.
• Operate under the European legal framework in R&D&i projects.

The thematic areas covered by PRIMA—and therefore those that can be developed with Lebanese partners—are:

• Water: management, water efficiency and related technologies.
• Food: sustainable food systems in the Mediterranean.
• Agriculture: agricultural innovation adapted to the Mediterranean environment.

Economic and operational impact

For Spanish organizations, the impact is not one of cost but of opportunity. Lebanon's incorporation expands the ecosystem of eligible partners in PRIMA consortia, which has concrete operational consequences:

• Greater geographic diversity in consortia: PRIMA projects typically require partners from several Mediterranean countries. Lebanon adds a new option with recognized scientific capacity.
• Guaranteed European legal framework: Lebanese participation is articulated under the EU agreement, which reduces legal complexity in consortium contracts and intellectual property.
• Access to Lebanese scientific networks: Lebanese universities and research centers with a tradition in agricultural, water and food sciences can bring differential technical value to projects.
• New transnational calls: Lebanese eligibility may open specific funding lines or improve the score of proposals that include partners from this country.

No specific funding amounts associated with this specific agreement have been published. The budgets for each PRIMA call are determined in the respective calls published by the program.

Who does it affect?

• Spanish research centers with projects in the Mediterranean area, especially in water, food and agriculture.
• Universities with research groups in agricultural sciences, food technology or water resources.
• Companies in the R&D&i sector that participate or wish to participate in international consortia funded by PRIMA.
• Agri-food and water sector companies seeking Mediterranean partners for innovation projects co-financed by the EU.
• European project managers (project managers, technology transfer offices) who design proposals for PRIMA calls.

Practical example

A Spanish technology center specializing in efficient irrigation technology wants to apply for a PRIMA call in the water area. Until now, its consortium included partners from Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan. With Lebanon's incorporation into the program, the center can now contact the American University of Beirut—a leader in Mediterranean agricultural research—and include it as an eligible partner in the proposal.

Lebanese participation is formalized under the legal framework of the EU–Lebanon agreement, which means that the consortium contract can be drafted under European standards without the need to negotiate an ad hoc bilateral framework. This reduces proposal preparation time and associated legal costs.

What should companies do now?

1. Review the PRIMA project pipeline: identify which proposals in preparation or planning could benefit from a Lebanese partner in the areas of water, food or agriculture.
2. Map relevant Lebanese entities: Lebanese universities, research centers and companies with technical capacity in PRIMA thematic areas are now eligible partners. Start exploratory contacts.
3. Consult current PRIMA calls: check on the official PRIMA website what calls are open or upcoming and whether Lebanese eligibility opens new funding lines.
4. Update partner selection criteria: if your organization has internal protocols for selecting partners in European consortia, add Lebanon as an eligible country under PRIMA framework.
5. Inform European project managers: technology transfer offices and project managers should be aware of this development to incorporate it into the design of new proposals.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601951