Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean — implications for regional and local authorities
Date: 2008-10-09
Institutions: Committee on External Economic Relations, European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: Mediterranean Sea, Union for the Mediterranean, cooperation policy, parliamentary diplomacy, regional and local authorities

C 325/52

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

19.12.2008

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean
— implications for regional and local authorities’

(2008/C 325/08)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— underlines the importance of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean initiative which has put
the European agenda and stimulated discussions and thinking

the Mediterranean at the top of
commensurate with the stakes involved;

— is convinced that initiatives from either side of the Mediterranean that focus exclusively on a diplo-
matic approach will not achieve sustainable solution for as long as local democracy is not put at the
heart of the debate, in terms of both strengthening it and of direct cooperation between regions and
towns on both sides of the Mediterranean under the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean;

— recalls that the territorial level is an level of governance from which solutions may be devised simulta-
neously adjusting to and responding to the challenges posed by globalisation, in close cooperation
with other institutional levels. Local and regional authorities, particularly in Europe, have increasingly
asserted themselves as a valid link in devising such solutions;

— consequently repeats its call for local and regional authorities to be recognised as key partners in the

Barcelona Process and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation;

— resolves to promote the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly
(ARLEM), made up of a number of members of the Committee of the Regions, representatives of
European and international associations engaged in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, and an equal
number of representatives of regional and local authorities from the southern and eastern shores of
the Mediterranean, as a permanent platform for dialogue, exchange and cooperation, and calls for its
recognition as a consultative body within the future governance of the Barcelona Process: Union for the
Mediterranean, on the pattern of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly with regard to
national parliaments.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Rapporteur-general: Mr Isidoro GOTTARDO, Member of the Sacile Municipal Council

Reference document

Referral from the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union on the Barcelona Process: Union
for the Mediterranean — implications for regional and local authorities and the Communication from the
Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the Barcelona Process: Union for
the
Mediterranean

(COM(2008) 319 final

I. GENERAL COMMENTS

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

1.
Underlines the importance of the Barcelona Process: Union
for the Mediterranean initiative which has put the Mediterranean
at the top of the European agenda and stimulated discussions
and thinking commensurate with the stakes involved; hails both
the pragmatic nature and the political vision of the project
launched by the French Presidency of
the
European Union and supported by 16 partner countries from
the southern and eastern Mediterranean;

the Council of

2. Welcomes the success of certain measures and initiatives
that the Barcelona Process has thus far produced; regrets, never-
theless, the lack of significant progress in the area of peace,
security and human and social development, as well as the lack
of involvement of local and regional authorities;

from either

Is convinced that

the
initiatives
7.
Mediterranean that focus exclusively on a diplomatic approach
will not achieve sustainable solution for as long as local democ-
racy is not put at the heart of the debate, in terms of both
strengthening it and of direct cooperation between regions and
towns on both sides of the Mediterranean under the Barcelona
Process: Union for the Mediterranean;

side of

In this spirit, welcomes the declaration by the Heads of
8.
State and Government of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership,
meeting in Paris on 13 July, underscoring ‘the importance of
the active participation of civil society,
local and regional
authorities and the private sector in the implementation of the
Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean’;

9.
Nevertheless, considers that it would not be appropriate to
give equal status to those who hold democratic legitimacy, such
as local and regional authorities, and those who do not, such as
civil society and the private sector;

that

Emphasises

the Barcelona Process: Union for

3.
the
Mediterranean, in its new guise, should enable what was a purely
intergovernmental cooperation system to become a project for
dialogue between the citizens of the three shores and in particu-
lar for cooperation between the countries of the southern and
eastern Mediterranean, bringing together their local and regional
authorities in a framework of practical and agreed projects as
part of an overall strategy based on citizens' needs and on soli-
darity;

10.
Also agrees with the Heads of State and Government of
the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership that to ‘increase co-owner-
ship of the process, set governance on the basis of equal footing
and translate it into concrete projects, more visible to citizens’
the
will
Mediterranean to be made ‘more concrete and visible through
additional regional and sub-regional projects, relevant for citi-
zens of the region’;

allow relations between the

shores of

three

4.
Considers that one of the conditions for successful coop-
a
eration between Euro-Mediterranean countries
stronger partnership through the Barcelona Process: Union for the
Mediterranean is that new catalysing issues be identified in order
to make the practical benefits comprehensible to citizens by
turning declarations of principle into tangible measures, which
entails strong involvement of local and regional elected leaders
and clear, active communication;

and for

Notes that stronger action on the part of

local and
5.
regional authorities and civil society in public policy is often
limited by the weakness of local democracy and the lack of any
real process of decentralisation in southern and eastern
Mediterranean countries;

Similarly, notes that decentralisation and participatory
6.
local governance do not always go hand-in-hand.
In some
States, both within the EU and beyond its borders, local and
regional authorities share the challenge of increasing participa-
tion in elections and of promoting public participation and
involving the associative sector in drawing up strategies and in
developing major urban or regional projects;

11.
Expresses the willingness and commitment of local and
regional authorities to enrich the Barcelona Process: Union for the
Mediterranean;

12.
Recalls experiences with introducing European policies,
most of which require the commitment, resources and action of
local authorities in order to implement them, and also high-
lights the solid experience and know-how of European local and
regional authorities in tackling and management urban and
rural matters concerning the environment, energy, transport,
civil protection, migration, economic development and many
other priorities for the Barcelona Process which remain valid,
such as intercultural dialogue, education and the human and
social dimension; therefore regrets that the development projects
accompanying the conclusions of the Paris summit were not
subject
to prior consultation with the regional and local
authorities, in spite of their necessary involvement in the future
implementation phase, and emphasises the need in the future to
correct
intergovernmental approach through the clear
involvement of all the levels of governance concerned;

this

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Official Journal of the European Union

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in particular

13.
In keeping with earlier opinions on this subject, stresses
the importance of involving local and regional authorities not
only during the implementation phase, but
the
throughout
implementation
cooperation process, from crafting strategies,
and through to monitoring and evaluation of results. This
applies
local and regional
to fields where
authorities have broad and direct powers, such as urban and
spatial planning, water management, waste management and
impact of climate
treatment, the environment and the local
change,
the management and
enhancement of the cultural and historic heritage, local tourism
development, basic public health, integration policies and social
cohesion;

local economic development,

14. Welcomes the imminent launch of the new CIUDAD
programme within the existing European Neighbourhood and
Partnership Instrument, which seeks to promote cooperation in
urban development and dialogue in the Mediterranean region;
agrees that the priority areas include environmental sustain-
ability, energy efficiency, sustainable economic development and
reduction of social disparities, fields where local and regional
authorities have broad and direct powers, and where solid
experience and know-how can be provided by the European
local and regional authorities;

that

Points out

the financial aspects of

15.
the Barcelona
Process: Union for the Mediterranean have not yet been specified
and that local and regional authorities can serve as technical
and financial as well as political partners in framing and imple-
menting strategies and projects that meet both the real needs of
citizens and the objectives of the Barcelona Process: Union for the
Mediterranean; also notes that the Barcelona Process: Union for the
Mediterranean makes no changes whatsoever to the program-
ming or financial aspects of the Mediterranean dimension of the
European Neighbourhood Policy;

16.
Recalls that the territorial level is a level of governance
from which solutions may be devised simultaneously adjusting
to and responding to the challenges posed by globalisation, in
close cooperation with other
levels. Local and
regional authorities, particularly in Europe, have increasingly
asserted themselves as a valid link in devising such solutions;

institutional

Consequently repeats its call

17.
local and regional
authorities to be recognised as key partners in the Barcelona
Process and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation;

for

and on-the-spot knowledge (1). For this reason, efforts must be
more shared and the objectives of decentralised cooperation
projects must be brought closer into line with those of the
to maximise the
Euro-Mediterranean partnership in order
results;

Restates its support for the declaration of the representa-
19.
tives of the local and regional authorities of the Mediterranean
and Europe, meeting on 23 June 2008 at the Forum of local
and regional authorities of the Mediterranean in Marseille;

20.
And against this backdrop, shares the willingness of local
and regional elected representatives and their representative
associations to create an institutional instrument ensuring that
they enjoy permanent political representation and can contri-
bute actively to the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean,
a powerful instrument for territorialisation, thus reiterating the
call made by the Committee of the Regions in earlier opinions
on the subject;

21.
Intends in consequence to set up a Euro-Mediterranean
Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) made up of members
representing, on an equal footing, regional and local elected
representatives of the European Union and of the Mediterranean
the Euro-Mediterranean
partner countries, on the pattern of
Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA)
the
parliamentary dimension;

created to represent

II. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Urges the governance bodies of

22.
the Barcelona Process:
Union for the Mediterranean not only to grant political recogni-
tion to local and regional authorities, but to incorporate them
formally and effectively into the cooperation process and into
the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean;

Therefore calls for the definition,

23.
in the new working
documents, of the role of local and regional authorities as full
partners in the cooperation process under the newly relaunched
Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean;

24.
Strongly urges that local and regional authorities, along-
side central governments, take part if possible from an early
stage in preparing association agreements, strategic documents
and action plans that are conceived on a bilateral basis between
the
eastern
Mediterranean partner countries, and in particular within the
framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy;

European Union

southern

and

and

the

Recognises

the role and experience of

the various
18.
networks and associations of local, regional national, European
and
decentralised
Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, as well as their know-how

international

authorities

engaged

in

(1) Numerous networks, associations and centres are involved in practical
actions, studies and research on the Euro-Mediterranean countries and
cooperation. Their work should be catalogued so that it can become
known and lessons be drawn from it, in order to build all new initiatives
on the basis of these achievements. One example would be the ‘World
Report of United Cities and Local Governments on decentralisation
and local democracy’, describing the situation in the partner countries
of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.

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local governance and decentralisation in certain countries of the
southern and eastern Mediterranean, and to initiate decentralisa-
tion process in others;

30.
Proposes that priority be given to strategies for the insti-
tutional reinforcement of local and regional authorities and that
administrative modernisation programmes
and
and local
regional human resources training projects be introduced;

31.
Considers that giving greater responsibility to local and
regional elected representatives will contribute to the emergence
of multi-level governance bringing together different institu-
tional levels in the process of deciding, preparing, implementing
and evaluating public policies and development policies;

that

Suggests

local human,

32.
technical and academic
resources be mobilised when implementing projects, and that
public participation be maximised, so that they take ownership
of the cooperation process and the ensuing projects;

that

lastly,

Considers,

the dynamics of

33.
the Barcelona
Process: Union for the Mediterranean could offer all the actors at
the various levels opportunities for learning, for new relations
and for new means of mutual recognition, at the same time
helping the various actors involved (central and decentralised
administrations, local and regional authorities, civil society, etc.)
to get to grips with a new approach to development and local
democracy, and;

to submit

instructs its president

34.
this opinion to the
French Presidency of the EU, the Co-Presidency of the Union for
the Mediterranean, the European Commission, the European
Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee,
the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and to the
Heads of State of
the southern and eastern Mediterranean
countries.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE

25.
And therefore calls upon the Euro-Mediterranean govern-
ments to set up mechanisms for structured national dialogue
and consultation with sub-state (regional and local) agents, the
social partners and civil society, by bringing in networks and
associations of local and regional authorities;

of

the

and

establishment

promote
Regional

a
26.
to
Resolves
Euro-Mediterranean
Local Assembly
(ARLEM), made up of a number of members of the Committee
of the Regions, representatives of European and international
associations engaged in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, and an
equal number of representatives of regional and local authorities
from the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean, as a
permanent platform for dialogue, exchange and cooperation,
and calls for its recognition as a consultative body within the
future governance of
the
Mediterranean, on the pattern of
the EMPA with regard to
national parliaments;

the Barcelona Process: Union for

27.
Urges the European Commission to harmonise, coordi-
nate and closely link the new approach with the various Com-
munity programmes, projects and instruments (2) and with the
existing Euro-Mediterranean counterparts (3) in order to harness
the relevant experiences, avoid duplication of activities and
accumulate progress;

28.
Proposes a feasibility study on adjusting existing struc-
tural support instruments to the Mediterranean setting, which
would essentially comprise a policy of economic and social
cohesion through which cooperation between the local and
regional authorities of
the
Mediterranean countries would be based on a territorial
dimension;

the European Union and of

Urges the governance bodies of

29.
the Barcelona Process:
Union for the Mediterranean to take this opportunity provided by
the renewal of this process to move ahead with the reform of

Brussels, 9 October 2008

(2) For example, interregional cooperational funds, and EU enlargement
policy towards candidates for accession such as Croatia and Turkey.

(3) For example,

the European Neighbourhood Policy, Community
programmes such as Erasmus Mundus or the Framework Programme
for Research and Development;
the 5+5 dialogue between the
Mediterranean countries of the EU and the Maghreb countries.