The Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, representing the Technical Secretariat of the alliance of the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce, took part this Thursday in the General Assembly of the Atlantic Arc Commission, held in Seville.
This is the first time that the Atlantic Arc Chambers have actively participated in a meeting of the decision-making body of the Atlantic Arc Commission (AAC), one of the six geographical Commissions of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR). The representatives of the thirteen regional authorities of the Atlantic area meet once a year in this General Assembly with the aim of providing strategic guidance for the implementation of the chosen priorities and flagship projects, validating the adhesion of new members and assessing the progress and achievements of the Action Plan.
The AAC, currently chaired by the Lehendakari of the Basque Government, Imanol Pradales, maintains regular contacts between regions around three different hubs: the ‘Atlantic Cooperation Hub’, the ‘Atlantic Attractivity-Accessibility Hub’, and the ‘Atlantic Maritime Hub’, encompassing working groups on Transport, Tourism and Culture, Innovation, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marine Renewable Energy, and the Blue Economy.
The CPMR, for its part, brings together more than 150 regional authorities from 24 countries, representing around 200 million people. It works to ensure that the needs and interests of the regions are reflected in EU policies with significant territorial impact. Organised into geographical commissions, it acts as a think tank and lobbying group, promoting a more balanced territorial development in key areas such as cohesion policy, maritime affairs and blue growth, transport and accessibility, energy and climate change, migration, neighbourhood and development, and European governance.
General Assembly in Seville
During the session held in Seville, the highest-level representatives of the Member Regions discussed various issues related to the objectives of the Atlantic Arc Commission of the CPMR for advancing the Atlantic region, as well as the next actions to be undertaken.
The opening session of the General Assembly of the Atlantic Arc Commission, moderated by the acting Secretary General of the CPMR, Davide Strangis, featured the participation of the Secretary for External Action of the Andalusian Regional Government, Enrique Millo; the Secretary General for External Action and Euskadi Global of the Basque Government — which holds the Presidency of the Atlantic Arc Commission — Ander Caballero; the President of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and Councillor of the Region of Gotland (Sweden), Filip Reinhag; the Director for the European Union of the Basque Government, Mikel Antón; and the Executive Secretary of the Atlantic Arc Commission, Elise Wattrelot.
After discussing and approving the agenda and the minutes of the 2024 Plenary Meeting of the Atlantic Arc Commission held in Gozo (Malta), the achievements of the Commission in 2024 and 2025 were presented, and the Member Regions addressed issues such as membership and governance priorities; the Activity Report since the 2024 General Assembly; long-term perspectives of the transatlantic pilot project; and the financial documents, presented by the Executive Secretary of the Atlantic Arc Commission, Elise Wattrelot, and the CPMR Project Leader, Wim Stubbe.
The session titled ‘Preparing the Atlantic Arc Commission for 2026’, led by Ander Caballero, focused on topics such as internal governance and the new communication strategy of the Atlantic Arc Commission, as well as the Commission’s work plan, with the participation of the acting Secretary General of the CPMR, Davide Strangis, and Elise Wattrelot.
A round table titled ‘A New EU Multiannual Financial Framework: What’s in it for the Atlantic?’ followed, moderated by the Basque Government’s Delegate to the European Union, Marta Marín, and featuring contributions from the Member of the European Parliament and member of the REGI Committee, Elena Nevado del Campo; the Head of the Department for Projects related to Housing, Cities, and Regions at the European Investment Bank, Tanguy Desrousseaux; the CPMR Director for Cohesion and Budget, Jorge Núñez Ferrer; and the Executive Director of the Interreg Atlantic Area Managing Authority, Sandra Silva.
This was followed by an institutional speech by the President of the Andalusian Regional Government and Vice-President of the Committee of the Regions, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla.
After lunch, the Director of European Affairs of the Basque Government, Mikel Antón, moderated the session dedicated to exchanging views on strengthening cooperation between Atlantic organisations. Contributions were made by the Vice-President of Atlantic Cities and Councillor of the city of Faro, Carlos Baía; the President of the Andalusian Economic and Social Council and Vice-President of the RTA, Juan Marín Lozano; the Secretary General of the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce and representative of the Technical Secretariat of the Atlantic Arc Chambers alliance, Mikel Arieta-araunabeña; and the Rector of the University of Cantabria and President of CRUSOE, Conchi López Fernández.
Joint Declaration for the Territorial Development of the Atlantic Area
During the meeting, the Joint Declaration for the Territorial Development of the Atlantic Area was signed, an initiative of the Atlantic Arc Commission based on collaboration, innovation and sustainability, joined by the alliance of Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce, a