Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - To prepare the VI Meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Naples, 2-3 December 2003 (Barcelona VI)
Date: 2003-10-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Union for the Mediterranean, cooperation policy, cultural cooperation, economic cooperation, police cooperation, political cooperation, public safety, trade cooperation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 15.10.2003
COM(2003) 610 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

To prepare the VI Meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Naples,
2-3 December 2003 (Barcelona VI)

INTRODUCTION

1. 

At  their  VI  meeting  in  Naples  Foreign  Ministers  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean
Partnership  will  want  to  send  a  message  of  common  interests,  shared  values  and
solidarity  between  Europe  and  its  Southern  neighbours;  to  reaffirm  their  joint
interest in reinforcing security and stability in the region; and to ensure that extreme
fundamentalism  and  terrorism  are  not  allowed  to  get  in  the  way  of  progress  in
political and economic reform. Furthering a process of dialogue and co-operation in
order  to  improve  mutual  understanding  is  essential  to  the  vision  of  the  Barcelona
Process.  The  partnership  stands  as  the  best  way  of  meeting  the  challenges
confronting all the partners whether in the field of threats  to  security, the  problems
and  opportunities  posed  by  migration,  economic  globalisation  or  the  environment.
That vision, which has always been at the heart of the process, is even more relevant
in the present circumstances.

2. 

Beyond the political message of solidarity, Ministers will wish to review progress in
implementing the partnership and conclude work on three specific issues:

–  The Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

–  An  EIB  majority  owned  subsidiary  Euro-Mediterranean  Bank  or  a

reinforced EIB lending Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment

–  The Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue of Cultures

Agreement  on  these  three  issues  will  foster  greater  political  co-operation;  more
focussed support for economic reform and private sector development; and moves to
promote inter-cultural dialogue and understanding. All three will move the focus of
the partnership further into the domain of civil society, thus producing results that are
relevant to the man and woman in the street.

As regards working methods, the Valencia Action Plan agreed by Foreign Ministers
at their meeting in April 2002 is the most recent comprehensive set of commitments
for developing the Partnership. It was reviewed at the mid-term Ministerial meeting
in Crete; Ministers should again take stock of progress, and provide orientations for
future work, along the lines set out in the present Communication.

3. 

Ministers  should  also  review  progress  on  the  implementation  of  the  Wider
Europe/New Neighbourhood Policy – the importance of which is emphasised in the
draft Constitutional Treaty - and discuss how this policy can strengthen co-operation
by building on the existing  Barcelona  Process acquis.  It should help  to  provide the
Union with new impetus to help realise the objectives of the Barcelona Declaration.
The  Commission  will  make  a  separate  presentation  to  the  meeting  on  this  subject,
including  the  prospects  for  the  New  Neighbourhood  Instrument,  which  is  therefore
not covered in depth in the present Communication.

POLITICAL AND SECURITY PARTNERSHIP

4. 

A concerted effort should be made in the run-up to Naples to give greater substance
to political and security co-operation. It must be recognised that, while any direct
linkage  between  the  Middle  East  Peace  Process  and  the  Barcelona  Process  should
continue  to  be  avoided,  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  when  there  have,  from  time  to
time,  been  positive  developments  in  the  former,  they  have  contributed  in  large

2

measure  to  creating  a  more  positive  atmosphere  for  progress  in  the  latter.  The
converse  is  equally  the  case,  and  applies  particularly  to  political  and  security  co-
operation. All the partners should therefore recognise their interest in implementing
the Road Map and returning to negotiations.

The existing political and security dialogue among senior officials should therefore
be pursued and should aim to agree on further partnership building measures in the
field of security; if necessary such measures could be on the basis of participation by
a  limited  number  of  partners,  open  to  others  to  join  later.  The  ad  hoc  meetings  on
terrorism  should  lead  to  setting  up  a  network  of  contacts  for  early  warning  and
exchange of information among those partners willing  to  do  so.  Other  co-operation
on  terrorism  will  be  pursued  under  existing  and  future  regional  and  bilateral
programmes  for  training  and  technical  assistance  to  improve  the  capability  to  fight
terrorism as well as other forms of organised crime without prejudice to respect for
human rights and democracy.

The  launching  of  co-operation  under  the  ESDP  (European  Security  and  Defence
Policy)  is  to  be  welcomed.  The  dialogue  with  the  EU  Political  and  Security
Committee, and at expert level, can usefully add to the range of instruments available
under  the  Barcelona  Process.  This  dialogue  should  help  to  familiarise  the
Mediterranean  partners  with  ESDP  aims  and  instruments,  and  lead  to  their  gradual
involvement in a number of ESDP activities.  It should reflect the fact  that  some of
the  Mediterranean  partners  already  work  with  the  EU  in  peacekeeping  activities
(Balkans, Africa) under the UN aegis, with a view to widening this participation in
the  future.  Further  complementary  measures,  such  as  civilian  crisis  management
training; co-operation among civil protection authorities (continuation of the existing
project  on  disaster  management,  subject  to  satisfactory  evaluation  of  its  results);
training  of  civilian  and  military  personnel  on  post-conflict  humanitarian  assistance
would  constitute  a  significant  addition  to  partnership  building.  The  EU  should
actively  make  the  partners  aware  of  the  opportunities  and  encourage  them  to
participate  either  individually  or  as  a  group  in  future  ESDP  operations.  The
Commission is willing to play its part in facilitating this co-operation.

Co-operation on respect for human rights and democracy is crucial to the success
of  the  partnership.  The  Commission  has  already  given  a  very  full  and  precise
indication  of  how  it  considers  that  progress  should  be  made  on  this  subject1.  It
proposes an approach based on dialogue with the partners in order to agree on joint
action  plans,  which  would  set  out  the  means  to  implement  effectively  the
commitments  which  the  partners  have  agreed  to  at  international  level  through
national  regulation  and  legislation.  These  plans  would  be  eligible  for  financial
support  from  MEDA.  In  addition,  the  Partners  willing  to  implement  such  plans
would receive a premium in their national allocations under MEDA. The Ministerial
meeting should be in a position to support this approach and to welcome the progress
which will have been made by the Commission and the partners in setting up these
action plans.

Finally under political and security co-operation it is to be hoped that the Ministers
will  be  in  a  position  to  include  a  new  Euro-Mediterranean  Parliamentary

Commission Communication ‘Reinvigorating EU actions on human rights and democratisation with the
Mediterranean partners – strategic guidelines’ COM(2003) 294 final of 21.5.2003.

3

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

1 

                                                
Assembly, in a consultative capacity, in the framework of the Barcelona Process. To
that end the Commission urges the European Parliament and the national Parliaments
of the Euro-Mediterranean partners to reach agreement.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP

FREE TRADE AREA

9. 

The  Barcelona  Declaration  sets  the  deadline  of  2010  for  the  creation  of  the  Euro-
Mediterranean  Free  Trade  Area  as  a  ‘target  date’.  The  free  trade  area  is  being
created  by  means  of  tariff  dismantling  under  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Association
Agreements  (AA)  and  Agreements  among  the  Mediterranean  partners  themselves.
Progressive liberalisation is the objective for trade in agriculture and services. At the
mid  point  of  this  15  year  timetable,  the  overall  picture  of  free  trade  can  be
summarised as follows:

(cid:1)  North-South. Agreements have now been signed between the  EU and 11  of  the
12  partners.  Two  of  them  (Cyprus  and  Malta)  are  acceding  countries.  With
Turkey, a candidate country, a customs union agreement is under implementation.
With Tunisia, Israel, Morocco, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority2, agreements
are  in  force.  Pending  ratification  and  entry  into  force  of  their  full  agreements,
Lebanon  has  signed  an  interim  agreement  and  Egypt  could  do  so  soon.  Algeria
has  so  far  refused  to  sign  an  interim  agreement.  With  Syria  negotiations  for  an
Association Agreement are ongoing. The completion date of transition periods for
tariff  dismantling  varies  from  2008  (Tunisia)  to  2014  (Lebanon).  For  Egypt  and
Algeria the transition period will go beyond 2014.

(cid:1)  South-South.  A  complex  proliferation  of  disconnected  agreements  with  little
coherence,  different  transition  periods,  sector  coverage,  and  origin  rules,  has
failed  to  build  the  South-South  dimension  of  the  Euro-Med  Free  Trade  Area.
Despite its continued efforts Turkey has been unable to conclude agreements with
other  Mediterranean  partners  except  for  Israel,  with  which  it  has  an  agreement
since 1997. The Agadir Agreement (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) seems
to be a promising initiative to remedy the failure to make progress in South-South
free  trade,  though  signature  is  still  pending  following  the  initialling  of  the
Agreement in January this year.  The partners should be encouraged to ensure that
it  evolves  in  the  direction  of  specific  and  tangible  provisions  on  trade
liberalisation, and is effectively implemented. Signature of the agreement should
take place in time to permit it  to  enter  into force before  the new Member  States
join  the  EU.  A  MEDA-financed  support  programme  for  its  implementation  has
been approved.

(cid:1)  Diagonal.  In  July  2003  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Trade  Ministerial  Conference
agreed to extend the pan-European origin cumulation system to the Mediterranean
partners. Diagonal cumulation between three or more countries with FTAs among
themselves will be possible after the inclusion of the new model of origin protocol
in the Association Agreements.

2 

The Agreement with the Palestinian Authority is an interim one.

4

                                                
The elements  of the  free trade area  envisaged  by  Barcelona  are  thus  being  steadily
implemented even if the pace, especially as far as South-South trade is concerned, is
slower than hoped for. The process is in practice already irreversible.

10. 

In this context  the  following new  steps  for  deepening  and  extending  the  Euro-Med
free trade area should be considered:

(cid:1)  Further  Reciprocal  Liberalisation  of  Agricultural  Trade.  All  Association
Agreements include provisions for further liberalisation of trade in agriculture and
fisheries.  So  far,  additional  protocols  on  further  agricultural  liberalisation  have
been concluded with two countries  (Tunisia and  Israel)  and discussions are  well
advanced with Morocco. In the Agreement with Lebanon, a more open approach
on  agricultural  liberalisation  is  based  on  a  negative  list  of  restricted  products,
instead of on a positive list of totally or partially liberalised items.

The Commission, following the recommendation in the Valencia Action Plan, is
carrying out a study on the impact of liberalisation of trade in agriculture, which
should be ready by the end of the year. The reform of the CAP adopted on 26 June
2003,  and  the  negotiations  in  the  Doha  Development  Agenda,  will  open  new
opportunities  for  improved  access  to  the  EU  market.  The  objective  for  the
completion  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean  free  trade  area  should  be  to  build  on  the
existing  approach 
level  of  progressive  reciprocal
liberalisation.

to  achieve  a  higher 

liberalisation 

Further  progressive 
in  agriculture  should  be  coupled  with
comprehensive  and  balanced  rural  development  of  Mediterranean  Partners  and
the  protection  of  consumer  safety  in  the  Euro-Mediterranean  free  trade  area.  A
more  open  EU  agriculture  market  will  offer  new  outlets  for  Mediterranean
Partners’  exports.  The  process  of  liberalisation  should  be  consistent  with  the
sustainable use of the scarce water resources  and  environment  protection, due
to  be  discussed  at  the  forthcoming  meeting  of  Agriculture  Ministers  in  Venice.
The  European  Commission  is  moreover  conducting  a  sustainability  impact
assessment of the free trade area.

(cid:1)  Free trade in Services. In their provisions on Services, Euro-Mediterranean AAs
differ  widely.  Some  include  provisions  on  the  right  of  establishment  and
commercial presence (Jordan, Algeria). In others there are rendez-vous clauses for
further  liberalisation  of  services  (Morocco,  Tunisia,  Lebanon,  Jordan).  The
Conference of Trade Ministers in Palermo adopted a regional approach whereby a
framework  protocol  should  be  agreed  with  partners  as  a  basis  for  entering  into
bilateral negotiations.

(cid:1)  Regional  Integration.  The  role  of  customs  in  facilitating  legitimate  trade  is
important. In Palermo, Trade Ministers adopted a set  of measures in the field of
the  simplification  of  customs  procedures.  It  is  now  up  to  the  Mediterranean
countries to implement these measures which will benefit economic operators as
well as customs administrations.

Besides the simplification of trade-related procedures, trade liberalisation depends
also on the convergence of technical regulations and regulatory provisions relating
to  the  free  movement  of  goods.  In  Palermo,  Trade  Ministers  launched  a  new
initiative  on  the  approximation  of  legislation  in  the  field  of  standards,  technical

5

regulations, and conformity assessment procedures, which constitutes an essential
step  towards the  establishment  of the  free trade area.  The  objective  would  be  to
conclude agreements with interested parties that would allow certain products to
enter the internal market freely, without additional testing and certification.

(cid:1)  Multilateral  Free  Trade.  Once  the  Agadir  Agreement  has  been  signed,  other
partners  should  join  it.  Mediterranean  partners  are  also  encouraged  to  make
progress  towards  free  trade  among  themselves.    This  implies  the  signature  and
implementation  of  genuine  Free  Trade  Agreements  between  Mediterranean
partners as soon as possible, in order to complete the common commitment of an
overall  Euro-Mediterranean  Free  Trade  Area  in  2010.  The  other  Mediterranean
partners should also be encouraged to respond positively to Turkey’s attempts to
conclude free trade Agreements with them.

In  the  light  of  these  proposals  Ministers  could  agree  to  the  following  steps  to
complete the free trade area.

STEPS TO COMPLETE THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN FREE TRADE AREA

a)
By  1  May  2004,  when  the  ten  new  Member  States  join  the  EU,  all  the  Euro-
Mediterranean  Association  Agreements  already  signed  should  be  ratified,  the  Agadir
Agreement  should  be  signed  and  ratified,  and  the  negotiations  with  Syria  should  be
completed. The Protocol on rules of origin to all agreements should be replaced by the pan-
Euro-Mediterranean Protocol.

b)
The study on the impact of liberalisation of agricultural trade should be completed
by December 2003. In line with its conclusions, the Commission should be invited to propose
in the first half of 2004 a precise road map for building on existing arrangements to achieve a
higher level of progressive reciprocal liberalisation.

Technical assistance and training co-operation programmes should be put in place with
c)
Mediterranean partners in order to promote convergence of regulations and standards with
those in the EU internal market.

The forthcoming Trade Ministers’ Meeting in 2004 will review the progress achieved
d)
concerning  trade  liberalisation  in  services  along  the  lines  of  the  approach  in  Palermo.  The
establishment of a Framework protocol common to all Mediterranean countries will serve as a
basis  to  ensure  coherence.  Bilateral  negotiations  should  then  be  engaged  and  cover
substantially all sectors. Although some  nuances  in  the pace  and coverage are not excluded,
the ultimate objective  is  to  reach  homogeneous  liberalisation  across  the  Euro-Mediterranean
region.

e)
A progress report regarding the implementation of the Action Plan in the field of the
establishment of free trade on industrial products should be presented by the Working Group
on  Regional  Integration  to  the  forthcoming  Trade  Ministers’  Meeting  in  2004.  Specific
technical assistance programmes and projects in the Mediterranean region should be  used to
support this Action Plan and eventually the conclusion of conformity assessment agreements.

The Agadir Agreement should be extended to other Mediterranean partners. Other

f)
Mediterranean partners should agree to enter into free trade with Turkey.

6

MORE INVESTMENT FOR MORE JOBS

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

There  is  general  consensus  that  the  lack  of  sufficient  private  sector  development
and  investment  in  the  Mediterranean  partner  countries  is  a  major  impediment  to
higher growth rates and creation of employment. The EU considers that the priority
for  EU  investment  support  should  be  the  private  sector  and,  in  March  2002,  the
European  Council  in  Barcelona  decided  to  enhance  EIB  activities  through  the
creation of a Facility within the Bank (FEMIP). This facility started its activities on
September 2002. The Commission has  undertaken an Extended  Impact Assessment
of FEMIP, covering both options currently under consideration, i.e. retaining FEMIP
or incorporating it into an EIB majority-owned subsidiary (see COM(2003) 587 Final
of 15.10.2003). A Council review of  the  policy choice to be made  is  scheduled  for
25 November 2003. This review and its outcome will be an important element for the
conclusions of the Naples Conference.

Without  prejudging  the  Council  conclusions,  the  primary  objective  should  be  an
enhanced  focus  on  the  private  sector.  Mediterranean  partners  will  only  be  able  to
reap  the  full  benefits  of  free  trade  if  it  is  accompanied  by  an  acceleration  of  the
development  of  the  private  sector,  which  in  turn  depends  on  an  acceleration  of
economic  reforms.  Domestic  and  foreign  private  investment  should  become  the
main  engine  of  growth  and  job  creation  in  the  region;  the  region  must  be  made
more  attractive  to  investors  by  the  maintenance  of  a  stable  macro-economic
framework,  substantial  regulatory  and  institutional  reforms  and  approximation
with international best practices. Successful economic policies will require bolder
reforms in Mediterranean partners. The adoption and implementation of a Euro-
Mediterranean  Charter  for  Entrepreneurship  is  envisaged  to  serve  as  a  reference
document  for  streamlining  policies  to  support  SME  creation  and  development,  and
improving  the  business  environment.  These  issues  must  continue  to  be  covered  in
depth  in  the  structures  put  in  place  under  the  implementation  of  the  Association
Agreements, and can be further promoted in the context of Wider Europe.

Research  and  Technological  Development  (RTD)  is  an  important  tool  for  the
economic  stability  and  growth  of  all  countries  around  the  Mediterranean.  The  EU
already has  Agreements  with  Cyprus,  Israel,  Malta and  Turkey  associating  them  to
the  RTD  Framework  Programme.  Agreements  have  recently  been  signed  with
Tunisia and Morocco, and negotiations are under way with Egypt, for Scientific and
Technological Co-operation Agreements.

The  opening  of  the  European  Research  Area  to  all  Mediterranean  Partners  will
strengthen  regional  integration  in  the  short  term  and  will  contribute  to  sustainable
growth,  high  added  value  job  creation,  and  to  the  setting  up  of  competitive
economies  in  the  region.  The  objective  of  the  ERA,  opened  to  the  entire
Mediterranean region, is to transform the EU into the most competitive knowledge-
based society of the world, according to the Lisbon objectives. The co-operation of
the  EU  and  its  Member  States  with  the  Mediterranean  Partners  in  that  field  has
developed  since  the  establishment  of  the  Partnership,  and  plays  a  catalytic  role  for
the achievement of the Free Trade Area. Synergies are therefore necessary between
different  EU  instruments,  like  MEDA  and  the  Framework  Programme  for  RTD,  to
support research and innovation building in the Mediterranean Partners.

7

INFRASTRUCTURE INTERCONNECTION

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

An integrated  and investment-friendly  Euro-Mediterranean  region  requires  efficient
telecommunications, transport and energy networks. Following the results of the
Euro-Mediterranean  Conference  of  Energy  Ministers  on  21  May  2003,  energy
interconnections  and  infrastructures  will  be  discussed  in  a  Conference  in  Rome  in
December  a  few  days  before  the  Conference  in  Naples.  The  objective  is  to
consolidate existing links, facilitate new investments and develop common strategies
and  co-ordinated  policies.  Safe  and  competitive  regional  and  sub-regional
infrastructures,  as  well  as  the  necessary  sector  reforms  aiming  at  opening  the
markets,  are  essential 
the  competitiveness  of
Mediterranean  partners’  exports  and  facilitate  the  access  of  goods,  services  and
energy resources to each others’ markets.

to  promote 

improve 

trade, 

The  Ministerial  meeting  in  Naples  should  welcome  developments  in  this  area,  in
particular  the  energy  priorities  2003-2006  agreed  in  Athens,  and  encourage  the
initiatives  taken  on  this  occasion  concerning  the  Maghreb  electricity  market,  the
tripartite Working Group between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the European
Commission  on  energy  interconnections,  and  the  need  to  provide  the  Euro-
Mediterranean Energy Forum with an ad hoc logistical support.

As regards transport co-operation, Ministers in Naples should encourage the progress
achieved  so  far,  in  particular  the  on-going  work  under  the  Euro-Mediterranean
Transport  Project,  which  should  lead  to  the  definition  of  a  regional  transport
infrastructure network and the identification of a list of priority projects. They should
also support the early launch of new regional projects in the field of maritime safety
and navigation by satellite (GALILEO), and welcome the start of discussions on air
transport issues in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Transport Forum.

The  meeting  should  welcome  progress  made  in  establishing  a  Euro-Mediterranean
communications  infrastructure  for  research  and  education  (EUMEDCONNECT).
Ministers should confirm the importance of the rational and economic use of water
in the  region and encourage the  further  deepening  of  regional  and  sub-regional  co-
operation  on  this  issue  including  through  the  Mediterranean  component  of  the  EU
water 
to  give  significant
consideration to infrastructure interconnection projects in the framework of the new
neighbourhood  instrument.  They  should  also  confirm  that  sub-regional  co-
operation  should  be  particularly  promoted  in  this  context,  particularly  in  the
Maghreb.

initiative.  Ministers  should  emphasize 

the  need 

Ministers  should  stress  the  need  for  environmental  protection  and  sustainable
development policies to be implemented This should be pursued along the lines of
the  Declaration  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean  meeting  of  Environment  Ministers  in
Athens  in  July  2002  and  the  Plan  of  Implementation  of  the  Johannesburg  World
Summit on Sustainable Development.  The environment should be integrated into all
sectors of the Partnership.

8

SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND HUMAN PARTNERSHIP

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

In  the  field  of  intercultural  dialogue  the  Ministerial  meeting  should  agree  to
enhance  the  achievements  of  the  Partnership  by  strengthening  the  present
instruments and regional programmes and, at the same time, ensure the launching of
new instruments, principal among which is the Euromed Foundation, which will be
the most visible aspect of activities in this field.

Ministers  should  welcome  the  successful  implementation  of  ongoing  programmes:
Euromed Heritage entering its phase III in 2003, Euromed Audio-visual preparing
its phase  II,  Euromed Youth preparing its Phase  III, and, finally,  the launching of
the  Euromed  Youth  Platform  supporting  dialogue  between  youth  representatives
and governments on policies for young people.

The setting up of the Euromed Foundation, to promote the dialogue of cultures and
civilisations,  should  be  finalised  in  Naples.  Launching  this  new  independent
instrument will send a clear message of commitment to a broad Euro-Mediterranean
intercultural  dialogue.  The  Foundation  should  become  a  catalyst  for  all  initiatives
aiming  at  increasing  dialogue  and  common  understanding.  Its  organisation,  as  a
network  of  networks  with  a  light  administrative  structure,  will  allow  a  regular
dialogue,  notably  between  cultural  circles  outside  official  diplomatic  and  cultural
forums.  Partners  should  confirm  their  readiness  to  make  substantial  financial
contributions in order to guarantee the successful launch.

The report of President Prodi’s High Level Group (“Groupe des Sages”) presented
in October in Alexandria will help to define the main principles for the dialogue of
peoples  and  cultures  in  the  region  that  should  guide  the  functioning  of  the
Foundation.

Ministers  should  take  note  of  the  progress  made  in  the  implementation  of  the
regional programme covering the justice, police and migration sectors. For the first
time  in  the  framework  of  the  partnership,  experts  and  practitioners  from  the  Euro-
Mediterranean  countries  will  work  together  in  judicial  co-operation,  in  the  fight
against  terrorism,  drugs  and  organised  crime;  and  in  a  joint  approach  to  migration.
Partners should assure full support for this first experience of concrete teamwork, on
training of judges, training of police forces and the development of a common tool of
observation and analysis of the migratory flows in the Mediterranean. If successful,
these  actions  could  significantly  improve  partnership  in  these  sensitive  areas  and
possibly lead to a more ambitious programme in the future.

Ministers could reaffirm the importance of  migration and  express  the  view  that,  if
carefully managed, migration can be a positive factor for the socio-economic growth
of the whole region. The dialogue and co-operation on migration that has started with
some  Mediterranean  Partners  should  be  extended  to  all  and  should  cover  the  root
causes of migration, the possibilities to promote legal migration and to combat illegal
migration.  Formal  readmission  negotiations  are  now  taking  place  between  the  EC
and Morocco.  This should be repeated for  other partners.  On  this  sensitive  subject,
that needs to be part of an overall migration strategy, success is dependent on finding
a  balanced  global  approach  to  migration,  which  does  not  focus  on  technical
provisions alone. Ministers should confirm an approach balancing security concerns

9

26. 

and the management of migratory flows on the one hand, with social integration of
migrants on the other.

Ministers  should  agree  to  increase  efforts  in  education  as  a  basic  tool  for
intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. At regional level, EU programmes
newly opened to the  Mediterranean partners  are  an  important step  in  this direction.
The Tempus extension to the Mediterranean Partners will reinforce co-operation in
higher education and post-secondary vocational training, and allow the authorities to
proposed  specific  structural  actions.  The  Alexandria  Conference  on  Higher
Education  Co-operation  and  Intercultural  Dialogue  across  the  Mediterranean
formally marks the launching of the programme and has brought together academic
and  political  representatives  from  the  European  Union  and  the  Mediterranean
Partners  to  discuss  prospects  for  the  development  of  higher  education  co-operation
and  intercultural  dialogue,  in  line  with  the  new  neighbourhood  policy  framework.
The Netd@ys and eSchola programmes for improving the use of new technologies
in  primary  and  secondary  education  contribute  to  the  improvement  of  the  sector.
Ministers should also support the efforts of the forthcoming regional programmes on
training and on the role of women in economic life.

27. 

Ministers  should also welcome the increasing role of civil society in the  Barcelona
process. In addition to civil society participation in Barcelona cultural programmes,
the meeting should note the achievements of the Naples Civil Forum held prior to
Barcelona VI. Within this Forum, civil society organisations should be able to agree
on ways to ensure  continuity and coherence in their activities and thus increase the
effectiveness of their influence on the Partnership.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

28. 

29. 

The  Valencia  Action  Plan  adopted  by  Euro-Mediterranean  Ministers  on  23  April
2002 has been the framework of the activities in the partnership for the last year and
a  half.  The  consolidation  of  its  achievements  requires  the  adoption  of  important
decisions and new initiatives.

The  common  goal  of  the  Partnership  is  a  stable,  more  prosperous  Southern
Mediterranean  in  close,  positive  interdependence  with  Europe.  The  Wider  Europe
policy  should  help  to  provide  the  Union  with  new  impetus  to  help  realise  the
objectives  of  the  Barcelona  Declaration.  The  policy  will  support  the  efforts  of  the
Mediterranean  partners  to  ensure  social  cohesion  and  economic  dynamism  and  to
make  substantial  progress  in  the  implementation  of  the  political,  institutional  and
economic  reforms  necessary  to  reap  the  benefits  of  free  trade.  The  Wider  Europe
national  action  plans  will  constitute  a  catalyst  for  a  more  dynamic  and  ambitious
Barcelona Process agenda.

30. 

In accordance with these objectives, the Commission recommends that the following
decisions  and  initiatives  are  taken  by  Ministers  in  the  Naples  Conference.    These
actions can be taken within the present budgetary  framework  and  do  not  imply  the
need for new resources under the current Financial Perspectives.

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Recommendation 1

Ministers  should  reaffirm  their  commitment  to  the  Barcelona  Process  as  the  framework  for
co-operation  to  ensure  solidarity  between  the  EU  and  its  southern  neighbours  to  promote
political and economic reform for security and stability.

Recommendation 2

Ministers should welcome the introduction of the Wider Europe New Neighbourhood Policy
and agree that it should  be used to  give a  new  dynamism  to achieving  the  objectives  of the
Association Agreements and of the Barcelona Process in all its sectors.

Recommendation 3

Political  and  Security  Dialogue  should  be  pursued  and  new  partnership  building  measures
should be agreed in the field of security with interested partners. This dialogue should lead to
the  involvement  of  the  Mediterranean  partners  in  a  number  of  ESDP  activities  and
complementary actions, notably networking civil protection authorities  and possible training
in crisis management.

Recommendation 4

Ministers  should  support  the  approach  proposed  in  the  Commission  Communication  on
its
Reinvigorating  Actions  on  Human  Rights  and  Democratisation,  and  encourage 
implementation jointly by the EU and each Mediterranean Partner.

Recommendation 5

Ministers  should  be  in  a  position  to  include  a  new  Euro-Mediterranean  Parliamentary
Assembly, in a consultative capacity, in the framework of the Barcelona Process.

Recommendation 6

Ministers should agree on the necessary steps  to be taken  to complete the  Free Trade Area:
increased reciprocal liberalisation of trade in agriculture and services, ratification of pending
Association Agreements, replacement of the protocols on the rules of origin by the pan-Euro-
Mediterranean Protocol, entry into force of the Agadir Agreement. The initial elements should
be in place by the time the new Member States join the EU on 1 May 2004.

Recommendation 7

 In line with the decision  which will have been taken by EU Ministers, the Partners should
agree on  appropriate measuresto enhance private investment and the private sector in partner
countries,  bearing  in  mind  the  recommendation  by  the  Commission  regarding  FEMIP  (see
COM(2003) 587 Final of 15.10.2003).

Recommendation 8

In  order  to  increase  support  to  innovation  building  and  research  in  the  Mediterranean  area,
Partners should seek to reinforce synergies between EU instruments, such as MEDA and the
Framework programme for Research and Development.

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Recommendation  9

Partners  should  confirm  their  active  support  to  infrastructure  development  in  the  region,  in
particular by implementing the necessary sector reforms aiming at progressively opening their
markets and fostering private investment. They should also emphasize the role of sub-regional
co-operation in this respect.

Recommendation 10

Sustainability should be integrated into all sectors of the Partnership through a mainstreaming
approach; the Mediterranean component of the EU water initiative should be developed.

Recommendation  11

Partners  should  confirm  their  readiness  to  make  adequate  financial  contributions  for  the
launching of the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the dialogue of cultures and civilisations
and agree on the modalities for setting it up.

Recommendation  12

The importance of increasing joint efforts in education as a basic tool for dialogue and mutual
understanding should be emphasized.

Recommendation  13

Partners  should  welcome  progress  on  the  regional  programme  covering  justice,  the  fight
against terrorism, drugs and organised crime, and co-operation in the field of migration, and
look forward to the further development of such co-operation.

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