Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 15 December 2020 - Brussels

25 year anniversary of the Barcelona Process and the Southern Neighbourhood (debate)

  Tonino Picula, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, Mr High Representative, yes, the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona declaration creates a momentum for an in—depth reflection on European Union strategic objectives and engagement in the region. This anniversary also comes at a time of great disruption for the region, compounded by the unprecedented global health crisis with severe economic and social impacts.

The COVID—19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the need for tangible and coordinated cooperation across both shores of the Mediterranean. In this context, it’s crucial to relaunch and strengthen strategic relationships with the Southern Neighbourhood countries. We are looking forward to the joint communication on the renewed partnership for the Southern Neighbourhood. It’s crucial to reinforce common bridges and elaborate solutions to transform traditional and new challenges into opportunities for both sides of the Mediterranean.

Lastly, we have to create strong synergies with the NDICI instrument and to ensure that this instrument will be able to provide adequate support for shared priorities and creation of area of prosperity.