MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
7.3.2007
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Roberta Angelilli, Adriana Poli Bortone, Salvatore Tatarella and Ryszard Czarnecki
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Euro-Mediterranean relations
B6‑0090/2007/rev.
European Parliament resolution on Euro-Mediterranean relations
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the conclusions of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly meeting in plenary session in Brussels on 26 and 27 March 2006,
– having regard to the conclusions of the 8th Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Tampere on 27-28 November 2006,
– having regard to the Council interim report of December 2006 on the European Union's strategic partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Euro-Mediterranean relations,
– having regard to the Commission Communication on the priorities for implementation of the work programme in 2007,
– having regard to Rules 33 and 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Mediterranean policy should, in view of the serious political, economic and social implications mainly determined by the proximity of this area to the European Union, remain a strategic priority in the external relations of the European Union,
B. whereas the Barcelona Process, launched in November 1995, formed an innovative alliance based on the principles of joint ownership, dialogue and cooperation in order to build together an area of peace, security and shared prosperity,
C. whereas this process has been successful in creating the basis and establishing the political, economic and institutional conditions for closer links between Europe and the Mediterranean partners,
D. whereas with the Neighbourhood Policy working in complementarity with the Barcelona Process an added impetus has been given to bringing about a qualitative change in Euro-Mediterranean relations,
E. whereas in November 2005 the Heads of State and Government adopted a Five-Year Programme to reinvigorate the Barcelona Process which failed to reach deadlines and goals ten years after the start, partly because of new and unexpected turmoil in the Middle East,
F. whereas political pluralism, the expansion of participation in political life, public affairs and decision making, and a further strengthening of the role of woman in society, as well the enhancement of respect for and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms must constitute the objective of all Mediterranean countries and accompany their economic development,
1. Regrets the fact that Barcelona's three main objectives (establishment of a common area of peace and stability, creation of a free-trade area, and cooperation in social, cultural and human affairs to promote a dialogue between cultures) are still far from being achieved;
2. Is aware of the difficulties of these challenges which are delaying the achievement of the Barcelona Process objectives; nevertheless reaffirms its commitment to the ongoing Process, which is not intended to replace the other activities and initiatives, undertaken in the interests of peace and development, but which can contribute to their success in a multilateral framework;
3. Reiterates, in this context, its call on institutions and governments of the EuroMed region to adopt policies that can effectively relaunch the Barcelona Process, by implementing the Five-Year Work Programme, adopted in November 2005;
4. Reaffirms its commitment to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, consistent with the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference and its principles, including land for peace, and based on the relevant UNSC resolutions and the Road Map;
5. Considers the European Neighbourhood Policy as an important tool which contributes to reinforcing and complementing the Barcelona Process through the implementation of the Association Agreements and the Action Plans, aiming at promoting political and economic reforms in accordance with national priorities in a multilateral framework;
6. Reminds all Euro-Mediterranean governments of their commitments under the Barcelona Declaration of 1995 to the principle of respect for diversity, other beliefs and cultures, promotion of tolerance and the principle of respect for fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression;
7. Reaffirms its commitment to fully implement the Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism in order to enhance the security of all citizens; emphasises the need to condemn the spread of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without qualification and reiterates the complete rejection of attempts to associate any religion or culture with terrorism;
8. Stresses the need to prevent the use of all means of communication, including the Internet, for terrorist purposes, without prejudice to freedom of expression, and welcomes the decision of the EuroMed governments to hold a regional Euro-Mediterranean seminar on the role of the media in preventing all forms of incitement to terrorism through effective and professional communication;
9. Believes that the Free-Trade Area will be able to offer a genuine opportunity for sustainable development for the Mediterranean countries only if it is planned on a concerted, gradual basis in the context of a rational, predictable partnership which reflects the socio-economic realities of all the countries concerned and promotes economic growth and deeper regional integration;
10. Stresses the need to pursue regulatory convergence with particular emphasis on the approximation of technical legislation, as well as to reinforce cooperation on competitiveness, market access, innovation, and the textile and clothing sectors, and underlines the importance of tackling non-tariff barriers to trade;
11. Insists on examining ways and means of enhancing investment flows into the Mediterranean region; calls, in this respect, on the governments of the southern and eastern shores to fully assume their responsibilities and promote such reforms in their countries in order to bring their economic and social structures into line with the requirements of a free-trade area; encourages them to put into practice the rules of good governance and calls on the European Union to provide technical assistance to the countries which require and request it;
12. Stresses the importance of the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) which, since its launch in 2002, has been instrumental in channelling substantial amounts of funding to the region; endorses its strengthening in order to provide major support to the private sector, notably to SMEs; calls on the Commission to establish enhanced cooperation and coordination procedures between FEMIP activity and the European Union's financial aid programmes in order to boost the effectiveness of EU action, both at strategic level and in the management of specific projects; wishes it to be transformed into a real Euro-Mediterranean Bank for Investment and Development of the Area;
13. Stresses the importance of working for the continued gradual integration of Euro-Mediterranean Energy Markets, and the development of energy projects of common interest and of sustainable energy in accordance with national development plans and programmes;
14. Emphasises, in this context, the need to further reinforce cooperation in securing energy supplies in the Euro-Mediterranean region and therefore the importance of examining means aiming at the diversification of energy resources, including renewable energy, and promoting energy efficiency and conservation measures, the development of new technologies, research and development activities;
15. Encourages all the partners affected to strongly cooperate on issues relating both to energy security and environmentally friendly waste disposal and on the prevention of catastrophes linked to global warming in the Mediterranean area through broad-based collaboration on developing advanced scientific and technological solutions;
16. Welcomes the Horizon 2020 initiative for the de-pollution of the Mediterranean Sea and wishes a prompt start of its implementation in 2007 with the identification of priority projects for pollution reduction and for increasing capacity building with appropriate measures;
17. Encourages the intensification of cooperation between the Union and the Mediterranean partners for the sustainable management of fisheries resources in the Mediterranean, in particular within the relevant regional bodies;
18. Stresses the importance of tourism in the economics of the EuroMed Partners and supports major cooperation to enhance the impact of tourism on job creation, infrastructure, development and intercultural understanding, while ensuring environmental sustainability;
19. Points out that more than 30% of the population in the eastern and southern Mediterranean countries live on less than US$ 2 a day; considers education and social development as a key issue in the growth of these countries and in their fight against poverty, and therefore reiterates its commitment significantly to increase funding devoted to education in the Mediterranean region;
20. Welcomes, in this context, the holding of a EuroMed Ministerial Conference on Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2007 with the objective of reinforcing and supporting the efforts of all countries in the region to meet the Millennium Development Goals in the area of education, by involving the complementary sectors of scientific research, innovation and industry;
21. Supports the plans agreed to create a permanent EuroMed university forum and the launching by the Commission of a scholarship scheme in 2007 open to students from the partner countries;
22, Urges the strengthening of the role of women in society and encourages civil society actors to continue working with the EuroMed institutions to strengthen their participation in all sectors of the partnership and to support the associations and foundations which promote the participation of women in the Mediterranean area;
23. Supports the promotion of the culture of dialogue, aiming at ensuring a better mutual knowledge and understanding, freedom and respect for all religions, other beliefs and cultures among Euro-Mediterranean peoples; points out, in this context, the role played by the work of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for dialogue between cultures and by local associations, and supports their further development;
24. Supports the promotion of a series of initiatives for combating discrimination, racism and xenophobia and anti-Semitism, as well as rejecting extremists views and preventing all forms of incitement to hatred, violence and terrorism; stresses, in this context, the role of the media in developing intercultural dialogue;
25. Stresses the need to strengthen the management of migratory flows in a comprehensive and balanced manner beneficial to the peoples of the whole Mediterranean region, by promoting the intensification of cooperation on all aspects of migration, in the fields of legal migration, migration and development, illegal immigration, including the fight against trafficking in human beings and negotiations on readmission agreements;
26. Stresses the role played by the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly in the partnership, as the democratic body which brings together members of parliament from both shores of the Mediterranean in support of the three pillars of the Barcelona Process; calls, finally, for stronger cooperation between the EMPA, the Commission and the Council of the European Union in the economic field;
27. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and to the Commission