Breathing new life in the Mediterranean region?

While Europe was getting on with its own soul-searching in the aftermath of the referendum in France, Euro-Mediterranean foreign ministers held a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday to map out a work programme for the years to come.

This year has been designated as the 'Year of the Mediterranean'. In November the Partnership celebrates its tenth anniversary. The foreign ministers' discussions centred on the recent European Commission Communication outlining proposals to strengthen EU relations with the Mediterranean, including proposals in three critical areas: economic reform, education, and human rights and democracy.

Following the Luxembourg meeting, a new political agreement on the programme to be followed in the Mediterranean region is expected to be reached at the special 10th anniversary conference to be held in Barcelona in November.

The situation in the Middle East was also discussed in Luxembourg. At the margins of the meeting, there were two 'open troika meetings' with Israel and with the Arab partners.

Present for the Luxembourg meeting were the Foreign Ministers of the EU and of the 10 Mediterranean partners. Libya, Mauritania, the Arab League, the Arab Maghreb Union, Romania and Bulgaria attended as observers.

In addition to the main meetings, Commissioner for External Relations and the European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, held bilateral meetings with representatives of the EU partners present.

Before the start of the meeting, Ms Ferrero-Waldner said: "Europe's partnership with its southern neighbours is at a critical moment. Ten years in, we have some key decisions to take that will determine the future shape of our relationship.

"The work programme I have proposed for the next five years includes measures that require courage and determination. By agreeing to take up the challenges I have suggested, we can give this partnership a real boost, and ensure it makes a difference in the lives of people on both sides of the Mediterranean."

The Commission has proposed that the Partnership should achieve the Free Trade Area in industrial goods by 2010, and economic integration should be deepened further through moves towards free trade in services and agriculture.

Ministers also discussed ways of improving competitiveness in Mediterranean partner economies to stimulate a faster rate of economic growth, and to promote foreign and domestic investment.

The Commission has proposed that all partners commit themselves to work towards a target date of 2015 for the eradication of illiteracy in the region; full enrolment of girls and boys in primary school; and elimination of the gender gap at all levels of education.

The Commissioner sought the consent of all partners to work to increase the quality of education and ensure more equitable access to it.

The Commission also proposed a renewed focus within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership on the protection of human rights, empowerment of women, strengthening of democracy, pluralism and independent judiciary, and is creating a new Democracy Facility to support those partners who show a clear commitment to political reform.

The Barcelona Partnership was launched in 1995 as an innovative alliance based on the principles of joint ownership, dialogue and co-operation. The central objective is the creation of a space of peace, security and shared prosperity.

Through the establishment of a network of Association Agreements, the foundations for free trade across the region have been laid. More recently, the European Neighbourhood Policy has been introduced to reinforce and complement the Barcelona process.