C 498/8
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
30.12.2022
17. maintains that the Mediterranean macro-region can also serve as a coordination tool for management of migratory flows which especially affect regional and local authorities on the external borders of the EU; 18. reminds that, in view of the attack of Russia on Ukraine, the Mediterranean has a key role to play to mitigate the effects of the war, the greeting of displaced populations, while keeping its efforts to ensure progress toward peace building across its riparian territories; 19. in the face of these challenges, affirms the need to bring together all three shores in a more integrated way in order to strengthen cohesion, increase the region’s Europe-wide and global weight and its innovation potential and contribute to human well-being and preservation of the environment; 20. in this process, recognises the essential role of local and regional authorities, which are strongly mobilised through initiatives and networks such as the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), ARLEM (the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly) and the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance (MedCoopAlliance) as well as the Inter-Mediterranean Commission of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR); 21. points out that all challenges the Mediterranean area is facing (climate change, erosion, desertification, plastic pollution, migration, excess tourism, etc.) are concentrated in archipelagos and islands, and, for this reason, they represent ideal pilot territories for the implementation of integrated sustainable development policies in the Mediterranean and urges the European Commission to move forward with a basin-adjusted island strategy; 22. agrees with the European Commission that the objectives of the European Green Deal should be reflected in close cooperation with neighbouring countries facing the same climate and environmental challenges; 23. points out that local and regional authorities on the three shores, which play a major role in addressing climate change effects, have called for a ‘Mediterranean Green Deal’ (5); 24. acknowledges the key role that local authorities (must) play as allies to regions and countries in the implementation of global and regional agendas; 25. stresses also that a macro-regional strategy, promoting the strengthening of political dialogue, is essential for the implementation of the new Agenda for the Mediterranean, as set out in the European Commission’s communication of February 2021 For a renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood (6); Towards an integrated strategy for the entire Mediterranean basin 26. welcomes the positive results and increased cooperation made possible by the commitment of stakeholders in the Mediterranean, and in particular local and regional authorities; calls these stakeholders, in particular local and regional authorities, to increase this cooperation in order to prepare the ground for the creation of a macro-regional strategy in the Mediterranean; 27. appreciates the great progress made towards integration in the Mediterranean through the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Regional Strategy (EUSAIR) and the WestMED Sea Basin Strategy; 28. calls on the European Commission to progress further with the WestMED initiative as a matter of urgency, equipping it with resources, a solid structure and a long-term consolidation strategy, facilitating macro-regional integration in the western Mediterranean; 29. stresses that the existing cooperation initiatives programmes and key players across the scale of multilevel governance must be better coordinated so as not to dilute their efforts and impact.
It is therefore necessary for Mediterranean territories to finally have an operational instrument enabling them to develop and implement an integrated strategy, a concrete action plan, and joint projects, in response to common priorities identified in existing institutional frameworks for cooperation such as the UfM, ARLEM and initiatives as the MedCoop Alliance or BLUEMED among others;
(5) (6)
Plenary meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM), 23 January 2020.
JOIN(2021) 2 final.
See also the Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions — Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood — A new Agenda for the Mediterranean (OJ C 440, 29.10.2021, p. 19).