Second Mediterranean Competitiveness Day

The Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (UMCE), of which the FOI is a founding member, jointly organised the second Mediterranean Competitiveness Day with the Confederation of Spanish Employer Organisations (CEOE) and the Confederation of Employer Organisations of the autonomous region of Valencia (CIERVAL), on February 27-28.

Many Spanish personalities attended the event, including Francisco Camps, president of the Autonomous Government of Valencia; Gerardo Camps, Regional Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment of the Autonomous Government of Valencia; Justo Nieto, Regional Minister of Enterprises, Universities and Sciences of the Autonomous Government of Valencia; and Rafael Ferrando, vice-president of the Confederation of Spanish Employer Organisations (CEOE).

The main focus of the competitiveness day was the economic and business situation in the Mediterranean countries. The conference aimed to reinforce economic integration in the region, as well as strengthening the interest of Spanish enterprises towards their Mediterranean neighbouring countries, namely Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

The presidents presented, through speeches during the plenary sessions, the economic situation and a table of FDIs in their respective countries.

In his speech, Jacques Jean Sarraf, UMCE president, insisted on the importance of such events as a step towards the creation of a stable, peaceful and prosperous Mediterranean. Competitiveness remains the main challenge in the era of globalisation, especially vis-à-vis the new emerging economic areas.

He also highlighted the need for more North-South and South-South integration within the framework of the Barcelona Process and the New European Neighbourhood Policy.

Many Spanish and Mediterranean enterprises were present during this second Mediterranean Competitiveness Day, which gave them the opportunity to participate in one-to-one meetings. The business meetings remain a first step towards the creation of joint ventures and partnerships, as well as the creation of more foreign investment in the Mediterranean.

A meeting was also organised by UMCE with representatives from the Milan Chamber of Arbitration. Stefano Azzali delivered a brief presentation of the chamber project aiming to create an arbitration instrument at the Mediterranean level for the settlement of disputes and conflicts between partners from north and south Mediterranean countries.