WRITTEN QUESTION E-2078/98

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission

(7 July 1998)

Subject: Euro-Mediterranean initiatives

Following the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in November 1995, the Euro-Mediterranean Committee of the Barcelona process was set up to gradually implement a programme of work based on the aims and methods of the partnership between the European Union and the third countries in the Mediterranean Basin in the fields of political and security cooperation, economic and financial cooperation and cooperation in the social, cultural and human sectors.

Some three years since that first conference, can the Commission say:

1. what stage the standing committee referred to above has reached in its work?

2. whether any tangible results have yet been achieved under the implementing programme adopted in Barcelona?

3. what impact the introduction of the single currency may have on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership?

4. whether any progress has been made in defining a common area of peace and stability?

5. whether any agreements have been proposed to regulate the flow of migrants to the five Mediterranean EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(14 September 1998)

1. Following the Euro-Mediterranean Conference which took place in Barcelona in November 1995, the Euro-Mediterranean Committee was set up to monitor the Barcelona Process, evaluate the work programme and report on progress. Since November 1995 the Committee has met ten times, with representatives from the 27 Euro-Mediterranean partner countries. It draws up a timetable of activities (available monthly) and organises the follow-up to meetings held under the political, economic and social chapters of the process. The organisation and follow-up of the regional dialogue meetings is the responsibility of the Commission.

2. Approximately one hundred meetings have been held under the Barcelona work programme, nine of them at ministerial level, including meetings of energy ministers in June 1996 and May 1998, ministers responsible for water supply (November 1996) and industry and environment ministers (November 1997). A number of these meetings have resulted in agreement on regional projects of common interest - a list of sixteen projects was adopted following a meeting of culture ministers. Foreign ministers met for the second time in Malta in April 1997, and a special meeting took place under the UK Presidency in Palermo in June this year.

3. The partnership does concern itself with the implications of the single currency for the Mediterranean area. Studies are under way, and measures are being taken to provide information to relevant decision-makers.

4. The creation of a common area of peace and stability comes under the political and security dialogue. The political situation in the region is fraught; nevertheless, there have been eleven meetings of senior political dialogue officials since 1995 and progress has been achieved on three fronts. Agreement has been reached on partnership measures, including the establishment of a network of political and security correspondents and of human rights and disarmament inventories, the launch of a Euro-Mediterranean network of defence institutes, the planned introduction of machinery for exchanges between political and military officials and the development of a civil and military cooperation system for coping with disasters in the region. Discussions are under way on a plan of action addressing six issues: the strengthening of democracy, preventive diplomacy, confidence-building and security measures, disarmament, terrorism and organised crime. Work is also in hand on a Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Peace and Stability, an institutional dialogue and crisis prevention mechanism conceived as the linchpin of the political and security aspect of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

5. A study on migrants is being carried out this year on the initiative of a Member State, and a seminar is planned for the first half of next year. The discussions are not being confined to migratory flows but will also be concerned with the economic and social implications of migration. Projects carried out as part of the economic and financial partnership will have an effect on migratory pressures.