The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean in response to the Commission Communication on this subject.
The resolution had been tabled for consideration in plenary by the PES, Greens/EFA, UEN, EPP-ED and ALDE groups.
It welcomes the Communication and the aim of this new initiative to give fresh impetus to the multilateral relations of the EU with its Mediterranean partners by upgrading the political level of relations.
The resolution underlines the fact that enhancing democratic legitimacy is necessary, as is strengthening the role of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA), the only parliamentary assembly uniting 27 EU Member States and all the parties involved in the Middle East peace process. The EMPA, a consultative body, should have the right to make proposals and assessments. Parliament supports EMPA participation by the parliamentary representatives of countries which are not part of the Barcelona Process.