A4-0027/97

Resolution on the joint report by the Presidency of the Council and the Commission on Mediterranean Policy - follow-up to the Barcelona conference (7987/96 - C4- 0414/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the joint report of 6 June 1996 (7987/96, C4-0414/96),

- having regard to its resolutions of 17 May 1991 on the role of Europe in relation to security in the Mediterranean ((OJ C 158, 17.6.1991, p. 292.)), 12 July 1991 on a revamped Mediterranean policy ((OJ C 240, 16.9.1991, p. 250.)) and 29 September 1994 on the Mediterranean policy of the European Union ((OJ C 305, 31.10.1994, p. 82.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 11 October 1995 on the Mediterranean policy of the European Union with a view to the Barcelona Conference ((OJ C 287, 30.10.1995, p. 121.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 14 December 1995 on the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona ((OJ C 17, 22.1.1996, p. 178.)),

- having regard to the conclusions of the meetings of the European Council in Lisbon, Corfu, Essen, Cannes, Madrid and Florence,

- having regard to the Commission communications to the Council and the European Parliament entitled 'Strengthening the Mediterranean Policy of the European Union: Establishing/Implementing a Euro-Mediterranean Partnership' (COM(94)0427 - C4-0213/94 and COM(95)0072 - C4-0119/95),

- having regard to the final document of the second Interparliamentary Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean, held in Valletta from 1 to 4 November 1995 and organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

- having regard to the Barcelona Declaration and the programme of activities adopted at the Conference on 28 November 1995,

- having regard to the report by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the opinion of the Committee on External Economic Relations (A4-0027/97),

A. recognizing the successful efforts made by the Council and the Commission, together with the outstanding preparations made by the Spanish Presidency, in creating the prerequisites for ensuring that the Conference was able to develop an independent dynamic of dialogue and understanding that has in turn provided a firm foundation for the future Euro-Mediterranean partnership, and recognizing the consistent follow-up by subsequent presidencies, starting with the Italian Presidency,

B. noting with satisfaction that the greater part of the requirements set out by the European Parliament in its abovementioned resolution of 11 October 1995 have been incorporated into the Barcelona Declaration and the accompanying programme of activities,

C. whereas the new partnership relations not only of Mediterranean third countries with the European Union but also of those countries with each other helped to ensure that the institutions of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership were able to continue to cooperate with the full participation of partner countries, even as serious conflicts between certain of those countries were in the process of being pursued by military means,

D. noting the results of the ministerial meetings; noting also the further meetings, conferences, workshops and similar meetings of experts, high-ranking diplomats and officials, specialist groups and non-governmental organizations that have taken place or are scheduled to take place as part of the Euro- Mediterranean partnership,

E. paying special tribute to the preparedness of all partner countries to consider in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the development of the state in conformity with the rule of law and democracy in their political systems, respect for variety and pluralism and the equal status of partner countries in terms of their national sovereignty as common objectives aimed at securing internal and external stability and to pursue them jointly,

F. pointing out, nevertheless, that, ever since the signature of the Barcelona Declaration and in spite of the above-mentioned considerations, in various states of the region respect for human rights, the democratic state and the rule of law have not shown significant improvement and that, in some countries, the situation has even worsened,

G. convinced that the principle enshrined in the Barcelona Declaration of refraining from direct or indirect interference in another partner country's internal affairs, together with the commitment entered into to resolve conflicts between partner countries exclusively by peaceful means and without the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of another conference participant, represent an important step towards stabilizing the peace process in the Mediterranean, albeit one that should be supplemented by firm agreements on conflict-prevention and conflict-resolving mechanisms between the partners,

H. recognizing the fundamental preparedness of the partner countries to commit themselves to the non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and in addition to take steps to secure arms limitation and indeed disarmament,

I. referring, as part of the general aim of cooperation in the Mediterranean area, to the establishment of a zone of prosperity in which all partner countries will be able to share, and to the aims specifically laid down of accelerating durable socio-economic development, improving living standards, increasing food security, reversing environmental deterioration, raising employment levels, reducing the number of less-favoured regions and promoting regional integration and cooperation,

J. taking the view that it is a matter of urgency, on the operational level, to combine all the synergies in the implementation of the essential partnership instruments such as the MEDA Programme, since the credibility of the entire partnership depends on the efficient implementation of the programme which corresponds to the reforms of the economic and social structures,

K. fully aware that if this ambitious project is to be implemented, enormous efforts of adjustment will be expected from all sides, and that the European Union has the right to expect that its partner countries will further develop the market economy internally by enabling the private sector to become stronger and more dynamic, and that at the same time the EU must itself contribute to the partnership by such actions as liberalizing the agricultural market and extending freedom of movement to the citizens of the partner countries,

L. whereas the EU should also contribute to the partnership with further positive actions in various fields,

M. expecting that the Commission will shortly submit a draft a multilateral agreement for debate,

N. convinced that the Euro-Mediterranean partnership must be built on both dialogue and mutual respect for different cultures and different religions, and that to that end new levels of understanding must be created on both sides by providing appropriate educational and cultural facilities,

O. whereas this dialogue could take the form of specific measures such as joint cultural events and an increase in exchanges at the level of civil society,

P. recognizing the special part immigration has played in the past in securing mutual understanding, and considering that immigration will continue to occupy a prominent position in Euro-Mediterranean relations in the future,

Q. referring to the clear positions of the European Parliament with regard to racism and xenophobia; convinced that the credibility accruing to the European Parliament on that account will be of major importance in terms of cooperation within the partnership,

R. convinced that civil society can deliver important contributions to the process of Euro-Mediterranean partnership already begun, and that consequently a full, equal and institutionalized participation must be secured for it,

S. convinced that cities and local authorities can play an important role in the region by influencing democratization and participation, the location of economic development, lifestyles, production, consumption, resource use and spatial patterns aimed at sustainability,

T. convinced that the parliaments of the Mediterranean third countries can and must assume a decisive part in advancing the process initiated in Barcelona,

U. regretting, consequently, all the more that the European Parliament was not last year in a position to comply with its own resolutions by establishing a Mediterranean parliamentary forum, and, moreover, failed to follow up subsequent ministerial conferences,

V. hoping that regular interparliamentary meetings will be organized between the representative assemblies of all the Mediterranean third countries and the European Parliament with a view to deepening the dialogue and mutual understanding between the parties, by the time the Barcelona follow-up conference is held on 15 and 16 April 1997,

W. regretting that not all the Mediterranean third countries were able to participate in the Barcelona Conference, and convinced that all forms of exclusion must be abolished, since dialogue is the only method of resolving Euro-Mediterranean political differences; whereas the achievement of peace and stability in the area will not be possible without the full involvement in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership of all the countries of the region,

1. Congratulates the Council and the Commission on the successful completion of the Barcelona Conference and calls on both institutions to make every effort to bring the principles and projects contained in the Barcelona Declaration and the Work Programme to a successful conclusion;

Political and security partnership

2. Stresses the importance of full respect for human rights in the Mediterranean region and considers that closer and institutionalized cooperation between all partners, along the lines followed by the OSCE, should be the priority instrument in this area; calls on the Commission and the Council to submit proposals on this matter;

3. Calls on the Commission to publish each year a special report on the human rights situation in the twelve non-EU countries that signed the Barcelona Declaration and to implement the human rights and democracy clauses, where necessary;

4. Believes that the Euro-Mediterranean partner countries should commit themselves to a contractual obligation to recognize and respect the territorial integrity of all partner states, an obligation that should be supplemented by an additional Euro-Mediterranean stability pact to protect the rights of minorities, and expects the Council to launch the necessary initiatives;

5. Takes the view that the previous positive negotiations on confidence-building measures constitute a basic precondition for common security in the Mediterranean region, and calls on the EU's representatives serving on the Barcelona Committee to seek to ensure that a joint declaration is issued at the Barcelona follow-up conference;

6. Calls on the Council, in addition to the confidence-building measures already proposed, to draw up and submit to the partner countries agreements on common conflict-prevention policies and conflict arbitration mechanisms and bodies;

7. Calls on the Council, in this respect, to consider the possibility of establishing a European Civil Peace Corps in the region in order to strengthen humanitarian action, achieve a peaceful resolution of conflicts, prevent the outbreak of new conflicts and provide the requisite confidence-building measures, and to consider whether, in future, a joint peace-keeping force might be established consisting of troops from all the partners prepared to participate, which could be deployed under UN mandate to resolve regional conflicts without recourse to external assistance;

8. Calls on the Council and the authorities of Mediterranean third countries to step up cooperation in their efforts to promote peace and stability by means of institutionalized forms of dialogue and political intervention in the crises affecting the region;

9. Takes the view that, in agreement with the final document of the second Interparliamentary Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and held in Valletta from 1 to 4 November 1995, the campaign for independence and national liberation from foreign occupation constitutes a legitimate right which, however, cannot be used to justify arbitrary actions, and calls on the Council, therefore, to open forthwith negotiations with the partner countries on a definition binding on all parties of what constitutes legitimate force in political disputes and what distinguishes it from terrorism, as well as joint measures to combat terrorism;

10. Calls on the Council to discuss arms limitation and disarmament in the Mediterranean region at the Barcelona follow-up conference, as well as the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Mediterranean region, and to instruct the network of Euro-Mediterranean research institutes (EuroMesco) to draw up specific proposals;

11. Is convinced that obligatory compliance with the principles of a political and security partnership requires the upgrading of the dialogue structure within the framework of the Group of Senior Officials on political and security issues and of the Committee for the Barcelona Process, and expects the Council to submit proposals for this dialogue to be institutionalized on a proper legal basis, along the lines of the multilateral OSCE agreements, as well as proposals for the incorporation of the common foreign and security policy in such a framework;

12. Is convinced that the measures set out in paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 affect the security of the Union as a whole, and therefore calls on the Council to undertake appropriate initiatives as joint actions within the meaning of Article J.3 of the Treaty on European Union;

Economic and financial cooperation

13. Believes that due account should be taken of the problems and economic and social interests of both shores of the Mediterranean when strategic options and joint programmes and projects for future years are being defined, this applying in particular to the environment, energy and industrial cooperation, technology transfers and water management;

14. Calls on the Commission to pay more sustained attention to training and technical assistance in the port activities sector for the benefit of third countries in the Mediterranean region when the MEDA Programme is implemented;

15. Considers the large debt burden of the Mediterranean partner countries to be the greatest obstacle to the achievement of socio-economic development, and expects the Commission to submit a proposal for dealing with this problem within the framework of the competent international organizations, with the aim of agreeing debt-rescheduling arrangements with a view to favourable economic development;

16. Calls, in this connection, on the Council and Commission to draw up a proposal relating to debt conversion arrangements, debt renegotiation and possible debt cancellation, linking it clearly to compliance with the principles of the Barcelona Declaration;

17. Calls on the Council to coordinate the positions of the Member States within the relevant international organizations and to consider innovative proposals seeking to convert reduced debts into expenditure devoted to the development of human resources, to the renovation of industrial zones and to the environment;

18. Takes the view that the modernization and the development of the financial system of the Mediterranean countries are absolutely crucial for ensuring the success of the new partnership; in this respect, considers the following measures indispensable: development of the stock exchange, of collective financial products, of merchant banks and of capital market banks; and the transfer towards the south of the capital of nationals of Mediterranean third countries resident in the European Union; believes, nevertheless, that the abovementioned measures must be designed with the cultural tradition of the different countries of the region in mind;

19. Stresses that the lack of the appropriate transport and telecommunications infrastructure constitutes one of the major obstacles to the development of foreign and interregional trade as well as to regional cooperation between the countries of the region; calls on the EIB, accordingly, to step up its activities as regards the financing of exemplary transfrontier projects, encouraging, on the one hand, cooperation between the Member States of the Union and the countries of the Mediterranean Basin and, on the other, development of what are known as 'south-south' projects;

20. Calls on all partner countries to accede to the Treaty on a European Energy Charter and expects that in the area of energy, multiple initiatives from all sides will lead to fresh approaches to securing new and renewable energy sources and to energy savings;

21. Considers that priority should be given to the creation of adequate framework conditions for activities and investment in the energy sector, and regards cooperation which will enable energy companies to extend networks and promote interconnections as highly significant; accordingly, asks the Commission to accelerate its study into possible mechanisms to promote investment, including, where appropriate, the development of a guarantee system;

22. Takes the view that, given the scale of food dependency which is seriously affecting the balance of payments of most Mediterranean third countries, technology transfers and financial support from the European Union should primarily benefit the small and medium-sized undertakings in the agriculture and agri-foodstuffs sector so that those countries may attain a satisfactory level of self-sufficiency in food;

23. Deems it essential for the Mediterranean region to be able to take up a competitive position in the new world economic order; to that end, those countries must present a 'profile' as attractive as that of other regions (such as Asia, the CEECs and Latin America) in order to attract direct foreign investment;

24. Wishes to see the Mediterranean region play a full part in the world economy without this entailing any disruption of the social balances of the countries of the region;

25. Stresses, with this in mind, that it is essential to create a comprehensive and consistent legal framework and to strengthen the training programmes for management and entrepreneurs and to encourage the exchange of information on investment opportunities in the Mediterranean basin through Euro-Mediterranean partnership, information and communications networks;

26. Considers assured water supplies and a fair distribution of water to be a factor indispensable to development and also security, and calls therefore for the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean water agency with responsibilities in that connection; welcomes, therefore, the 'Declaration of Marseille' on water management adopted unanimously on 26 November 1996;

27. Deems it essential for the success of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership project that the timetable of trade liberalization measures should be respected and that the high level of financial support, which should concentrate on the short and medium term, should be maintained; considers that the disparities in economic and social levels between the two shores of the Mediterranean are such that there is no time to lose;

28. Calls on the Commission to use financial and technical cooperation in order to limit the adverse social effects on the population of the economic reform process underway in the Mediterranean countries;

29. Emphasizes, however, that the progressive establishment of free trade will entail significant economic and social adjustments for the Mediterranean partners, and accordingly urges that attention be paid to ensuring that adequate assistance is provided in order to alleviate any adverse social consequences which may result from economic development;

30. Considers that SMUs are a key factor for private-sector development and for the process of economic modernization, and takes the view that consideration could be given to the provision of support via the MEDA Programme for the establishment of Euro-Mediterranean networks of business operators, such as Chambers of Commerce and Industry, banks and export-promotion institutes;

31. Takes the view that tourism is a sector which can contribute to the enhancement of economic and financial cooperation with the Mediterranean and considers that the joint development of Euro-Mediterranean tourism should be encouraged;

32. Calls on the Commission, as a matter of urgency, to submit the draft of a multilateral agreement, together with the draft of an appropriate institutional structure for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, which will supplement the current bilateral agreements; in this connection, calls on the parliaments of the EU Member States swiftly to ratify the partnership agreements to which it has already given its assent;

33. Calls on the Commission to submit an annual report to the European Parliament setting out the activities and progress of projects undertaken in connection with the Euro-Mediterranean partnership;.

Cooperation on social, cultural and human activities

34. Repeats and reaffirms its strongly-held convictions against racism and xenophobia and its resolve to combat them by all available means; considers, therefore, that it is worthwhile and necessary to seek to establish a Community scheme covering all immigration problems in order to stifle any attempts at discrimination at birth;

35. Calls consequently on the Commission and the Council to submit the draft of a contractual framework for immigration satisfactory to both sides and containing a charter of the rights of immigrants;

36. Calls on the Council and Commission to submit an action programme concerning the Mediterranean social area on the basis of the results of the tripartite Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Catania held on 24 and 25 May 1996;

37. Repeats its recommendation to the Council and the Presidency that they should ensure that the comprehensive and representative presence and involvement of all NGOs in the multifarious activities of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is secured in the future as well;

38. Calls on the Commission to step up joint cultural events, provide technical and financial support for the Mediterranean Civil Forum, and fund the setting up of a special Euro-Mediterranean channel;

39. Calls on the Commission to promote a new programme to protect the Euro- Mediterranean artistic heritage and for the restoration, maintenance and enhancement of the archeological and historic wealth of Mediterranean third countries;

Continuing the Barcelona process

40. Expects that the Barcelona follow-up conference will be held in a Mediterranean state that has not infringed any of the principles adopted in Barcelona;

41. Calls on the Euro-Mediterranean partner countries to scrutinize the list of participants with a view to determining if the remaining Mediterranean countries that were not invited to Barcelona could be placed on the list of future participants;

42. Reaffirms its resolve to promote parliamentary cooperation in the Mediterranean and therefore recalls paragraph 3 of its decision of 12 December 1996 on the number and membership of delegations to joint parliamentary committees and interparliamentary delegations ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 1.)) which states that 'interparliamentary delegations and delegations to joint parliamentary committees belonging to the Mediterranean grouping should hold joint meetings in order to provide a Euro-Mediterranean forum¨;

43. Calls on the Commission and Council to take all measures necessary to enable the European Parliament to play an appropriate part in the Conference of Malta;

44. Expects, in parallel to the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Malta, as was the case at the Barcelona Conference, that arrangements will be made for a civil forum, open to all interested NGOs and financially supported, which will enable the requirements and demands of the Mediterranean civil societies to be expressed vis-à-vis the government representatives in attendance and that their representatives will be heard at the official conference;

45. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the other twelve states participating in the Barcelona Conference.