Navigating the energy transition in the Mediterranean Region: Contribution to the New Pact for the Mediterranean

Director for Energy Security and International Relations (ENER.F), European Commission

General Director of the Organisation Méditerranéenne de l’Energie et du Climat (OMEC, former OME) since 2013. She also heads the Secretariat of the UfM Gas Platform since its launch in 2016. She joined OME in 1992 and served in several positions, with a special focus on renewable energy, demand side management, prospects, strategy and sustainability issues. Dr. Ben Jannet graduated in energy economics from Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP),  University of Paris 2, and holds a PhD from Ecole des Mines. In the academic field, she served as Guest Lecturer at Ecole des Mines de Paris, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), University of Versailles, Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires.

Michael Karnitschnig has recently been appointed Deputy Director-General of the Commission’s newly established DG MENA, responsible for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf. In this capacity, he supports Commissioner Šuica and DG Sannino in building DG MENA as the COM focal point for all relations with these crucial partners.

Previously, he served as the Director for External Relations in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission (2019-25), where he coordinated COM support to Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia; Chief of Staff to Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner Hahn (2014-19); Member of Cabinet of President Barroso (2011-14), and the President’s Foreign Policy Spokesperson (2010-11).

Michael has worked for the European Commission for 25 years, always on external relations issues. Before that, he served short stints in the Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. He holds a Law Degree and an MA in Political Science from the College of Europe.

Lucia has been the Head of European Government Affairs for the Eni group since July 2024. In that capacity she leads Eni’s team in Brussels and is responsible for relations with the EU institutions and EU-related public affairs. With the company since 2017, she was previously in charge of EU advocacy on power & renewables files, as well as of sustainability horizontal issues. From 2014 to 2017 Lucia was a consultant in the Brussels' office of global consultancy Edelman, providing strategic support on EU policy and competition issues, as well as integrated communications, to multinational clients in the energy and industrial sectors. Earlier in her career, Lucia has worked for the Assembly of European Regions, a network of wider-Europe regional governments advocating at EU level, and gained professional experience in political campaigning with a cross-party European network. She holds a MA in European Affairs from the College of Europe, a double MA degree in History of Political Thought from Paris 7 Diderot / Bologna University, and a BA in Early Modern European History from the University of Bologna. She is  a native Italian and speaks English, French and Spanish. She is married and mother of 3 daughters.

Christos Vasilakos is Head of Office to MEP Dimitrios Tsiodras in the European Parliament, where he leads work on major legislative files in environment, chemicals and energy, including the OSOA Package, the CLP Regulation, and the Methane reduction in the energy sector. He has over 25 years of professional experience, with more than 18 years in EU institutions, holding senior roles in the Parliament, Commission, Permanent Representation in the Council of the EU and Greek government. As former Secretary General for Research and Technology of Greece, he also chaired the Competitiveness Council during the 2014 EU Presidency.

His career began in academia and research, including as Head of the Air Quality Group at NCSR ‘Demokritos’. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and has published over 130 scientific papers. He is known for his political insight, stakeholder coordination, and commitment to advancing strategic EU priorities.

Nicola is the Executive Director Climate Change and Energy of Cefic. Before this role, he has gained extensive experience in Brussels. Since February 2003 Nicola has been working in Brussels on EU-related policies for a wide range of stakeholders, including industry associations, the European Commission, NGOs, governmental institutes and consultancies. His main areas of expertise are energy and environmental policies.

Nicola joined Cefic in December 2020 as the new Energy Director. In April 2023, he has been appointed Executive Director Climate Change and Energy of Cefic. In his role, Nicola represents the industry’s interests to European institutions, international organisations and relevant stakeholders.

Nicola has a master’s degree in law from the University of Turin, an advanced master’s in political and social European integration from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and a master of laws in energy and environmental law from KU Leuven.

Efthimios Tartaras, leads the Geoscience department at HEREMA, overseeing carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrocarbon exploration. With over 20 years of experience in senior management and business development within the natural resources exploration industry, he has worked across Europe, including the UK, France, Italy and Norway.

Throughout his career, Efthimios has managed large, multi-disciplinary teams focused on integrating and interpreting geoscientific data. He has also led global sales and marketing of geoscience software and multi-physics data acquisition, processing and interpretation.

He holds a BS in Geology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), and MS and PhD degrees in Geophysics from the University of Utah (USA). His research expertise focuses on subsurface characterization and data interpretation for hydrocarbon, mineral and geothermal exploration.

Houda BAGHLI is Secretary General of "Energy Cities Algeria (ECA)" a national association in Algeria, and a civic observatory advancing energy efficiency and the local energy transition. With more than 21 years of experience in higher education and research, she has contributed to projects on sustainable energy systems, climate governance, and innovation policy. She also worked with the Algerian Ministry of Startups and the Knowledge Economy, where she supported green entrepreneurship and ecosystem development. Her expertise lies at the intersection of policy, academia, and civil society, with a strong focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. At ECA, she leads initiatives empowering municipalities and communities to drive a just and inclusive energy transition.

Ambassador Kaymakcı was born on 21 March 1968 in Tosya, Kastamonu, Türkiye.

Graduated from the Economics Department of the Faculty of Political Science of Ankara University, he had two Master’s Degrees from the London School of Economics and the College of Europe (Brugge) in the field of economics and politics of the European Union respectively.

He worked at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara at the Directorate General (DG) for International Economic Organizations, DG Balkan States (1994-96), DG Policy Planning (2002-03) and DG European Union (2008).

Abroad, he served at the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli (1997-99), at the NATO Senior Civilian Representative’s Office in Kabul (2004-05) and three times at the Turkish Permanent Delegation to the EU in Brussels (1999-02, 2005-08 and 2017-18).

He was the Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to Türkiye’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator and Director for EU Communication at the EU Ministry (2009-11).

He served as the Consul General of Türkiye in Basrah (2011-2013), the Ambassador of Türkiye in Iraq (2013-2017) and Permanent Delegate of Türkiye to the EU in Brussels (2017-2018).

He was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs from August 2018 to February 2023. As of 1 March, he was reappointed as Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Türkiye to the EU.

Ambassador Kaymakcı is a holder of NATO Medal for his service in Afghanistan and was selected one of the three Alumnus of the Year 2007 of the College of Europe.

He speaks English and French.

François-Régis Mouton de Lostalot-Lassalle is the Managing Director of IOGP Europe. With over 30 years of experience in the energy sector, he has gained a profound understanding of the impact oil and gas—and energy in general—have had and will continue to have on the functioning and development of societies.

He recognizes the critical role energy will play in the years ahead, not only in shaping our standard of living but also in addressing climate concerns. Throughout his career, François-Régis has worked with a diverse range of organizations and institutions, broadening his perspective on the role of oil and gas in society and the importance of ensuring these resources are used responsibly to meet the challenges of today’s world.

His passion and dedication to his work have led him to his current role as Regional Director for Europe at the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) in Brussels. He has enjoyed this opportunity for the past six years, particularly thanks to the exceptional team of talented and driven individuals he works with at IOGP.

• 2022–Present: Energy Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus, involved in negotiations on the energy crisis and the Fit for 55 package.
• 2016-2022:  DG Energy (European Commission), primarily responsible for offshore oil and gas operations, as well as system integration and electric mobility.
• 2013–2016: Ministry of Energy, Cyprus - worked on internal energy and gas market policies.
• 2012: During the first Cypriot Presidency of the EU, led negotiations on TransEuropean Energy Networks Regulation and Offshore Safety Directive.
• 2002–2012: Work experience in the private sector, focusing on automotive and energy.
• His academic background is in Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, and Sustainability.