A4-0438/98

Resolution on the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament concerning the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in the Transport Sector (COM(98)0007 - C4-0102/98)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament concerning the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in the Transport Sector (COM(98)0007 - C4-0102/98),

- having regard to Parliament's resolution of 12 June 1992 on transport in the Mediterranean ((OJ C 176, 13.7.1992, p. 250.)) and its resolutions of 14 May 1998 on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements ((OJ C 167, 1.6.1998, p. 196.)),

- having regard to the Communication from the Commission on connecting the Union's transport infrastructure network to its neighbours (COM(97) 0172), the final Declaration of the third Pan-European Transport Conference in Helsinki, and its resolution on the follow-up to the said Conference,

- having regard to the decision of 15 September 1998 by the Barcelona process Euro-Mediterranean committee, agreeing to the organisation of a Euro-Mediterranean transport forum,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinions of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the Committee on External Economic Relations (A4-0438/98),

A. having regard to recent developments in transport policy, and to the support given by the meeting of the European Council in Cardiff to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership,

B. whereas it is necessary to define more clearly, on the basis of the strategy outlined by the common transport policy, the Pan-European Transport Conference and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the instruments and organisational resources available to the Commission for furthering the process of integration between the European Union and third countries in the Mediterranean basin,

C. whereas at the same time as the creation of any 'working groups' an action plan for transport in the Mediterranean region must be put forward in order to make up for the accumulated delay in coordination between transport policy and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership,

D. whereas this action plan should cover a sufficiently long period and should provide for the inclusion of the Mediterranean region in the process of assessing transport infrastructure needs (modelled on and consistent with the TINA process), structured cooperation with intergovernmental subregional organisations already active in the Mediterranean region, and the development of research activities,

E. whereas trade between the EU and the Mediterranean countries accounts for 10% of the EU¨s foreign trade; whereas the most extensive volume of trade, in the Euro-Mediterranean context, occurs between the EU and the Mediterranean partners; whereas trade between the Mediterranean partners themselves is slight,

F. whereas the transport sector initiatives in the Mediterranean region must take account of specific subregional characteristics, the local political and institutional context and be underpinned by a broad consensus among those most directly affected,

G. emphasising that, under the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, public funding for infrastructure projects must also advance the goal of economic and social cohesion and trans-regional cooperation outside the European Union, and be used for sustainable local development projects,

H. whereas the strategy set out by the Commission in the Green Paper on 'A Citizens' Network' should, by analogy, be applied to the Mediterranean region, in order to develop south-south land and sea transport links involving multimodal and public transport; whereas the European Union and the EIB should contribute financially to the implementation of this strategy,

I. whereas the transport element in the Barcelona declaration is emphatically directed towards infrastructure,

J. whereas the Mediterranean countries should also be striving to develop environmentally friendly transport networks and transport modes,

K. whereas the European Union does not propose to recognise a special role for the Mediterranean islands in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership,

L. whereas the shipping and air transport sectors are the two areas in which it seems most useful to adopt a multilateral approach, in view of the fact that they are closely connected with the gradual liberalisation of trade in goods and services in the Mediterranean region,

M. whereas the Mediterranean ports have a part to play in the allocation of transocean transport, and cabotage and the integrated operational management of 'feeders' are important in this context,

N. whereas the cruise and leisure boating industries could help to strengthen the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, improve the use of port structures and services and create jobs,

O. whereas it is necessary to aim to extend transport safety standards to cover the entire Mediterranean basin, and whereas statistical programmes, research, the application of new technologies, training and the exchange of experience can assist this process,

1. Notes the outcome of the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Palermo on 3 and 4 June 1998 and the support for the Euro-Mediterranean process expressed by the Cardiff European Council; hopes that the convening of a special Conference of Barcelona process Transport Ministers will lead to rapid progress in the integration of transport systems between the Union and all the Mediterranean third countries;

2. Demands the official and full participation of the European Parliament in the Euro-Mediterranean Forum for Transport, bringing together the 12 countries of the Mediterranean basin, the European Commission and the Council;

3. Considers the information in the communication to be in need of updating with a view to the results of the Malta Euro-Mediterranean transport forum on 24 March 1999, and calls on the Commission to submit a contribution of its own on transport in the Mediterranean region, in time for the third ministerial conference in Stuttgart in April 1999, which should include, among other things, an updated picture of the existing bilateral agreements in the transport field between Member States and Mediterranean third countries and a statistical and financial summary of the projects financed by the European Union in the Mediterranean region over recent years, broken down by area and mode of transport;

4. Calls on the Commission to submit, at the same time, a proposal for an action plan for transport in the Mediterranean region, along the lines of the strategies already outlined at Community and pan-European level, which in the future will provide for:

a) structured coordination between interministerial bodies already active at subregional level,

b) the inclusion of the Mediterranean region in a single transport infrastructure needs assessment process (in line with the TINA model),

c) the development and practical application of the results of research activities (RETRAMED),

d) a documented timetable covering the initiatives to be undertaken and the objectives to be achieved by 2010 for passenger and freight transport in the Mediterranean region;

5. Considers it important for the launching of this action plan that the Commission should implement the necessary procedures to achieve the proposed objectives, in particular by means of:

a) internal coordination between DG VII and DG 1B,

b) dialogue with the other institutions and with the potential beneficiaries of the initiatives, with the aim of reducing the number of interlocutors and improving the quality of relations,

c) transparent and clear procedures, offering citizens and the players involved fair access to information;

6. Draws the attention of the Council, the Commission and the Mediterranean third countries to the importance of seeking an active consensus among the beneficiaries (foreign partners, economic players, local communities, etc.) on the infrastructure plans for the territory concerned and the individual projects to be implemented; hopes that the projects financed under the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership will include, in addition to the more specifically production- and trade-oriented projects, many projects aimed at meeting essential public needs for transport between central and outlying regions;

7. Considers it important, in view of the various trade patterns, to apply the following priorities when implementing the infrastructure plans:

a) connections between (air and) sea ports in the EU and (air and) sea ports of Mediterranean partners;

b) connections between (air and) sea ports of Mediterranean partners and their hinterland;

c) other connections;

8. Calls on the Commission to apply, by analogy, the strategy set out in the Green Paper 'A Citizens' Network' and to foster the development in the third countries of multimodal and public transport along the south-south corridors of the Mediterranean and between central, island and outlying regions;

9. Draws the Council and Commission's attention to the fact that the Mediterranean islands have a geographical linking position between the two shores of the Mediterranean basin, and that they are regions of a Member State, a partner state or countries applying to join the Union; considers, therefore, that the islands deserve a leading role in the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area, particularly in the case of sea and air transport networks, without which their marginalisation would irremediably increase;

10. Calls on the Commission to set up a Community programme open to the Mediterranean third countries that will encourage partnership between the Mediterranean's island regions and the development of transport between island regions and between them and the mainland;

11. Considers it necessary to foster a dynamic link between local development and the strengthening of trade in the Mediterranean region; calls on the Commission, the EIB and the relevant national authorities to assign, as a matter of priority, technical assistance and financial and taxation support to comprehensive area projects covering specific territories, traffic junctions, port areas or transport axes, to systematically attract investment in production, training, energy, the environment and transport; stresses that any further pollution of the sensitive Mediterranean environment by nuclear or toxic waste produced by existing or planned activities in the region should be avoided; advocates the participation of MedInvest and MedUrbs in financing transport infrastructures linked to trade and production activities, paying particular attention to logistics, telematics and satellite applications, and the development of intermodal and environment-friendly forms of transport;

12. Stresses the importance of training in the area of transport safety, in both the passenger and freight transport sectors, and calls on the Commission, in collaboration with the relevant authorities in the third countries involved, to include transport safety among the 'Mediterranean' priorities of the training activities of the European Training Foundation in Turin;

13. Considers it essential to create conditions conducive to the development of pleasure boating and cruises in the Mediterranean, which are important sources of economic growth and cultural interchange;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the governments and parliaments of the countries which are signatories to the Barcelona Declaration.