Union for the Mediterranean, disunity for the EU?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s “Mediterranean dream” of a Union linking its two shores has sparked controversy within the EU, forcing Paris to scale down its ambitions. This Policy Brief by Rosa Balfour and Dorothée Schmid analyses the proposal in depth, explains why the President’s enthusiasm is not shared by many, and warns that while there is ample scope for improving EU policies towards the South Mediterranean, it is essential to avoid a creeping fragmentation of common policies.