“Barcelona process: Union for Mediterranean” initiative launched

The Barcelona Process, launched by Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers in November 1995, formed an innovative alliance based on the principles of joint ownership, dialogue and co-operation. It brings together the 27 Members of the European Union and 12 Southern Mediterranean states.

A Joint Declaration was adopted at the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean on 13th July. According to the joint declaration, the leaders agreed to hold biennial summits, which will result in a political declaration and a short list of concrete regional projects. The Euro-Med Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) will be the legitimate parliamentary expression of the initiative and the Anna Lindh Euro-Med Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures will contribute to its cultural dimension.

The Heads of State and Government agreed on the creation of a co-presidency and decided that a joint secretariat will be established, with one of the co-presidents from the EU and the other from a Partner state. The Arab League shall be invited to the meetings.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs will finalise the modalities for the institutional set-up of the initiative during their next meeting in November. The new structures for the initiative should be fully operational before the end of 2008.

According to the Joint Declaration, priority fields and key initiatives were set out as follows, which the future Secretariat is mandated to detail. These are:

• De-pollution of the Mediterranean
• Maritime and Land Highways
• Civil Protection
• Alternative Energies: Mediterranean Solar Plan
• Higher Education and Research, Euro-Mediterranean University
• The Mediterranean Business Development Initiative.

References are also made to other pivotal issues such as terrorism and migration.

The EuropeAid Cooperation Office has prepared a document named as “Twelve Questions about the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation – The Barcelona Process explained”. To read this publication, please click here .

For latest developments on the initiative, please visit the EuroMed Info Centre’s web page.

For an overview of projects funded by EuropeAid’s Regional Programme (Euro-Med Partnership) please click here.