21.4.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 140/17
3.2.
This is grounded in the conviction that only by working together and in a spirit of partnership can the strategic challenges of the future be successfully addressed in the interests of both sides.
The Agenda includes a bespoke economic investment plan to support the Mediterranean Neighbourhood’s socioeconomic recovery in the period 2021-2027.
The shared goal, as announced by High Representative Josep Borrell, is to build a peaceful, secure, more democratic, environmentally friendly, prosperous and inclusive Southern Neighbourhood.
3.3.
Bridging the Sea (2), a recent study published by the Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality, found that almost 63 % of civil society organisations operating in the Southern Neighbourhood dealt with issues such as the consolidation of democracy and rights, while more than 53 % dealt with, among other things, grappling with socioeconomic inequalities.
Their awareness of and attention to ecological and environmental issues is increasingly important.
These figures confirm that a solid foundation exists and that support to civil society needs to be ramped up to better address the challenges of the future.
3.4.
Civil society in the Southern Neighbourhood has increased its presence over the last two decades.
Its active approach has enabled mitigation of the social and health consequences for the population, but at the same time brought to prominence the need for action to reinforce the capacity and skills of civil society to function better.
3.5.
The Mediterranean area, like the rest of the world, has undergone a severe economic and social shock as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The social and health consequences have been aggravated by the lack of adequate public health infrastructure, especially in the most fragile countries.
The pandemic crisis has compounded the crises that already existed in a number of countries, the result of a series of factors such as already precarious economic and social trajectories, high unemployment and the consequences of conflicts in certain areas, such as Libya and Syria.
3.6.
Governments in the Mediterranean region reacted immediately, albeit in very different ways, to contain the spread of the pandemic by putting support measures in place for workers and businesses, including in collaboration with the social partners and civil society organisations, although they were often insufficiently involved and in some cases not at all.
To contain the effects of the pandemic, almost all countries in the Mediterranean area imposed lockdowns, like in Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, curfews and travel restrictions.
3.7.
In the wake of the pandemic crisis, many governments in the area have put in place expansionary policies to address the economic crisis and support particular sectors by stimulating production and introducing tax and economic benefits and measures to attract investment.
3.8.
The pandemic has engendered adverse economic consequences across the Mediterranean region, not just because of factors such as reduced internal and external demand and falling consumption, but also because of the worsening financial and public debt situation.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic crisis, the region’s governments have allocated additional resources to the health and economic systems to support certain sectors.
The public deficits of almost all the countries in the Mediterranean region will increase considerably as a result.
3.9.
The transport sector has been hard hit by the restrictive measures that have prevented or reduced international travel, making tourism one of the sectors worst affected by the pandemic.
The OECD has estimated a contraction in the sector of between 45 and 70 %, and a drop in international tourism of between 60 and 80 % (3).
Tourism is one of the prime economic sectors for the Mediterranean countries and, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), Egypt and Morocco will be among the countries most impacted worldwide (4).
3.10.
Micro and small- and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed are one of the important components of the economy of the countries on the southern shore.
They have seen a significant reduction in their turnover and most of them have been forced to reduce the number of employees.
In this regard, structural measures will be needed to help SMEs emerge from the crisis and to grow and innovate by addressing the dual challenge of digitalisation and decarbonisation.
(2) (3) (4)
https://meddialogue.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Publication-Bridging-the-sea.pdf.
https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=124_124984-7uf8nm95se&title=Covid-19_Tourism_Policy_Responses&_­ ga=2.143901749.1647750476.1622806508-1692148678.1622806341.
https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditcinf2020d3_en.pdf.