The PanEuroMed Textile Value Chain Conference was held in Tunis on 3–4 September 2026, bringing together stakeholders from across Europe and the Mediterranean to discuss how to build a stronger and more competitive regional textile industry. The meeting focused on nearshoring, sustainability, financing, technology and regional cooperation, while addressing barriers such as logistics, access to raw materials, certification costs and skills shortages.
These themes are close to the work of FAB-BUS, the project coordinated by INSME and funded by the EU under the Euromed Clusters Forward programme, managed by ANIMA. Together with CreaTech Bulgaria, the Moroccan Denim & Fashion Cluster and the Textile Sectoral Group of Unioncamere Piemonte, INSME has worked since 2025 to build a shared understanding of the industry’s challenges, promote knowledge exchange and identify business opportunities.
The activities implemented within FAB-BUS have provided a practical, smaller-scale example of the type of cross-border cooperation discussed in Tunis. From the Casablanca study visit to the Sofia mission, including exchanges with companies working on smart manufacturing and digital technologies, and the Turin activities and B2B meetings, the project has created opportunities for stakeholders from different parts of the Mediterranean and Europe to exchange expertise, explore complementarities and identify potential business connections.
The Tunis conference was particularly relevant because it moved beyond the identification of common challenges towards concrete approaches to strengthening regional value chains. Discussions highlighted the potential of closer partnerships between European brands and Mediterranean manufacturers, as well as the role of digital tools in connecting businesses, facilitating access to new markets and identifying nearshoring opportunities.
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