Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act

This legislation, known as the "Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act," is designed to enhance cooperation between the United States and countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Its primary purpose is to support the region's role as a strategic gateway within the broader India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which is seen as a vital alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. The bill emphasizes strengthening energy security and defense capabilities through increased collaboration.

The Act outlines a sense of Congress that the United States should maintain its leadership in diplomatic initiatives like the Greece-Cyprus-Israel-US "3+1" format and the East Mediterranean Gas Forum. It calls for active U.S. participation in these forums and stresses the importance of supporting energy and transportation infrastructure, connectivity initiatives, and defense cooperation in the region. The Secretary of State is specifically directed to prioritize the Eastern Mediterranean in U.S. foreign policy, focusing on these key areas.

To facilitate these goals, the bill authorizes the Secretary of State to institutionalize multilateral strategic dialogues with IMEC countries, including dedicated formats with Eastern Mediterranean nations. Furthermore, it mandates several reports and studies, including an annual report on the implementation of the Act's provisions regarding energy projects and defense cooperation. Another study will analyze the feasibility and cost of creating or expanding bilateral programs with Eastern Mediterranean countries, modeled after successful U.S.-Israel programs in areas like agriculture, industrial research, and science.