Southeast Europe, rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage, transforms its comparative advantages into drivers for sustainable growth by promoting the Mediterranean Diet as a model of eco-gastronomy under the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region.
Unlocking Comparative Advantages through the Mediterranean Diet via the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region
- 10 June 2025
Southeast Europe, within the framework of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region possesses significant comparative advantages that can serve as drivers for sustainable development — and the Mediterranean Diet offers a unique and timely vehicle to promote them. This region boasts Europe’s richest biodiversity, with an outstanding natural mosaic of transboundary rivers, lakes, mountains, forests, fertile plains, and the iconic Balkan plateaus. It also enjoys the longest coastline and island network in the Mediterranean. It is home to an impressive 72 cultural and natural properties included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with 44 elements inscribed in UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Beyond these officially recognized sites, the region’s unexploited natural landscapes and cultural heritage constitute valuable, yet underutilized, assets for sustainable tourism and economic development.
Furthermore, Southeast Europe is traversed by important cultural and commercial routes designated as Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe — such as the Olive Tree Route, the Wine Routes, and the Traditional Coffee Houses Trail — reinforcing its unique identity as a cradle of Mediterranean culture and gastronomy. Over 20% of the region’s territory is designated as protected areas under the EU Natura 2000 Network, UN Ramsar Sites, and Marine Parks, reflecting its exceptional environmental value. At the same time, more than 550 traditional local products and foodstuffs from the countries and regions of Southeast Europe have been certified as PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) products. These goods, alongside organic farming practices, contribute to the Mediterranean Diet, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, and by the FAO in 2012. When these local products reach international markets, they carry with them not only distinctive flavours but also the culture, traditions, and values of the local communities — showcasing a way of life based on respect for nature, social cohesion, and regional identity.
From Comparative to Competitive Advantage: A Path for Sustainable Development
According to EU researches on the competitive advantage of nations and regions, the strategic goal is to transform these comparative advantages into competitive advantages to foster sustainable economic, environmental, cultural, and social growth for local communities.
For Southeast Europe and the EUSAIR region in particular, this approach offers a realistic and sustainable response to key regional challenges: addressing trade deficits, reversing rural depopulation trends, and stemming the brain drain of young scientists and professionals migrating to Northern Europe.
The proposed solution lies in forging robust linkages between high-quality food production and processing with agrotourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism, and innovative, export-oriented food and tourism industries.
Empowering Local Actors and European Networks
Producer cooperatives, agri-food partnerships, SME clusters, research centres, local and regional authorities, and their European networks can become the engines of progress in this transition. It is crucial to promote regional and local actors’ participation in shaping EU funds and programs during consultations for the upcoming post-2027 programming period of the Cohesion Policy, CAP, and direct EU programs like Horizon Europe, LIFE, COSME, and others.
Key Objectives of the Revised EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region Action Plan
The updated EUSAIR Action Plan recognizes the potential of the Mediterranean Diet and local, organic, and origin-based food production as a catalyst for regional development. Key objectives and activities include:
- Promoting the Mediterranean Diet as a model fully aligned with the EU Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy for sustainable food systems (COM/2020/381 final). The Mediterranean Diet embodies principles of eco-agriculture, biodiversity protection, and healthy, sustainable gastronomy, integrating organic farming, local products, rural and fishing tourism, ecotourism, eco-districts, and cultural heritage-based tourism.
- Enhancing the value of Geographical Indications (GIs) as essential assets for rural tourism development, socio-economic diversification, and the reinforcement of regional identities. GIs are not just economic products; they are vital elements of the social, environmental, and cultural heritage of Mediterranean communities.
- Encouraging organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices, safeguarding biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the development of eco-districts, while enhancing the authenticity and attractiveness of tourism experiences in the region.
- Fostering dialogue, skills development, and collaboration through joint initiatives and partnerships between the tourism, maritime services, clusters and agri-food sectors. This includes the creation of multi-stakeholder mechanisms such as thematic platforms, regional networks, living labs, and open innovation hubs.
- Creating synergies with Euro-MED Transnational Interreg programmes and flagship projects like Mediterranean Diet Go!, which builds on the achievements of MD.net to promote a rural lifestyle, healthy Mediterranean products, and landscape-based tourism opportunities through innovation and cross-regional networking in the MED and EUSAIR regions.
A New Strategic Flagship Umbrella for the Mediterranean Diet in EUSAIR
By implementing Topic 3 of Pillar 4 in the revised EUSAIR Action Plan, a new Interpillar Strategic Flagship Project focused on the Mediterranean Diet is proposed through the 10th EUSAIR Annual Forum in Crete. This initiative (with Pillar 4 in the lead and Pillar 1 contributing through skills partnerships) will:
- Coordinate activities
- Develop new policy initiatives and projects
- Mobilizing EU Programmes and funds
- Foster synergies, complementarities and Partnerships between actors and sectors
- Capitalize on good practices and existing projects
- Contribute to the economic, environmental, cultural, and social sustainability of the EUSAIR region
In doing so, Southeast Europe and EUSAIR will position themselves as model regions for sustainable, innovative, and inclusive growth — leveraging their rich natural and cultural heritage through the universally valued Mediterranean Diet.