Mediterranean free trade ‘for end of decade’

Date: 02/06/05

The EU and its neighbours on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean this week reaffirmed their commitment to creating a free trade area by the end of the decade.

On Tuesday (31 May) foreign ministers from the EU and ten states of the southern and eastern Mediterranean agreed to produce a road map to work towards the creation of the long-promised free trade zone.

The EU25 met in Luxembourg ministers from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey to prepare a review of the Barcelona Process, which underpins their relations. Critics say little progress towards creating a free-trade zone has been made, ten years on.

Senior advisers have been asked to come up with concrete proposals to promote the free trade area in time for a summit in Barcelona on 27-28 November, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the process. Special emphasis was put on measures to create growth, jobs and increase prosperity, as well as on the need to strengthen legal systems and 'south-south' co-operation. There was also a restated commitment to boost Mediterranean transport links and create a common energy market to bolster growth.

But major impediments remain, not least Europe's massive subsidies for its farmers. In a joint statement, ministers acknowledged that many of the original aims of the process have not been met and pledged to redouble efforts, describing the process as "more relevant than ever."

The 35 pressed for Libya to join the process and for other countries to ratify already agreed commitments.

But the aim of bringing the Mediterranean closer together remains a delicate balancing act. On many issues vast differences between the north and south Mediterranean still exist.

Dozens of references to political reform and democratisation where stripped from the final joint statement at the insistence of Arab countries, as was an EU attempt to boost the role of the Euromed parliamentary assembly in promoting democracy.

References to the resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara were removed in a bid to reinforce the importance of the Arab-Israeli dispute. But despite major differences over the definition of terrorism a common 'Code of Conduct' for fighting terrorism is to be developed as well as a regional strategy against racism and xenophobia.

Report from the Euromed Ministerial in Luxembourg, 30-31 May 2005, where EU25 Ministers met with their colleagues from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey to prepare a review of the Barcelona Process, which underpins their relations.

European Commission: DG External Relations: Regions: Mediterranean and the Middle East: The Euro - Mediterranean Partnership http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/euromed/news/ip05_630.htm

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