EC Targets Pollution, Transport, Renewable Energy as UpM Priorities

July 13, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS

Work will focus on removing pollution from the Mediterranean Sea, maritime and land highways, renewable energies, higher education and research, and supporting investment in businesses.

With this new contribution, the total European Community budget dedicated since July 2008 to the priorities identified by the UpM amounts to €90 million.

Frequently asked questions about the UpM and its priority projects are answered in this document.

What is the Union for the Mediterranean?
The Union for the Mediterranean, created at the Paris summit of Euro-Mediterranean heads of state and government on July 13, 2008, is the framework of multilateral relations between the European Union (EU) and the Mediterranean non-EU countries.

It includes all EU member states together with Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey, as well as the other Mediterranean coastal states (Albania, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Monaco) and Mauritania. The Arab League and Libya have observer status.

The UpM complements bilateral relations, which will continue to develop under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the pre-accession framework.

The UpM builds on the acquis and reinforces the achievements of the Barcelona Process, launched in 1995. While the Barcelona Declaration, its goals and its cooperation areas (Political Dialogue; Economic Cooperation and Free Trade; and Human, Social and Cultural Dialogue) remain valid, the UpM gives a new impulse to the Barcelona Process in three very important ways:

• Upgrading the political level of the relationship between the EU and its Mediterranean partners.
• Reinforcing co-ownership of multilateral relations with a system of co-presidencies (one from the EU and one from the Mediterranean side), by the setting up of a secretariat and a joint permanent committee.
• Making these relations more concrete and visible through additional regional and sub-regional projects, relevant for the citizens of the region.

During 2008, the co-presidencies on the EU side were France and the Czech Republic, and Egypt on the southern Mediterranean side.

What are the priority projects for the UpM?
Projects are at the heart of the UpM, chosen to have a visible impact on the life of citizens in the whole region by promoting growth, employment, regional cohesion and socio-economic integration and by supporting the creation of infrastructure for interconnections. The EC fully supports the UpM and is already working towards achieving the objectives of the priority projects.

At the Paris summit, six priority projects areas were identified:

• Cleaning up pollution in the Mediterranean - The Mediterranean is much more than a symbol for the region; it provides employment and pleasure for its people. However, its environmental quality has suffered serious degradation in recent times. The "depollution" of the Mediterranean, including coastal and protected marine areas, particularly in the water and waste sector, will therefore be of major benefit for the lives and livelihoods of its people. Activities will build on the Horizon 2020 Programme, launched in 2008.
• Maritime and land highways - Easy and safe access, plus the flow of goods and people, on land and sea, is essential for maintaining relations and enhancing trade in the Mediterranean region. The development of motorways of the sea, including the connection of ports, throughout the entire Mediterranean basin as well as the establishment of an efficient and integrated Euro-Mediterranean transport network, will increase the flow and freedom of the movement of people and goods. Attention will also be devoted to maritime security and safety.
• Civil protection - The global landscape is littered with examples of the devastation caused by man-made and natural disasters. The effects of climate change are evident for all. The Mediterranean region is particularly vulnerable and exposed to such disasters. Therefore, a joint civil protection scheme on prevention, preparation and response to disasters, linking the region more closely to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, should be one of the main priorities for the region.
• Alternative energies and the Mediterranean solar plan - The recent activities of energy markets, in terms of both supply and demand, confirm the need to focus on alternative energy sources. Market deployment, as well as research and development of all alternative sources of energy, are a major priority in efforts towards assuring sustainable development in this area. The creation of a Mediterranean solar plan is one of the key priorities identified in Paris.
• Higher education and research - A Euro-Mediterranean University can contribute to the understanding among people and encourage cooperation in higher education. Through a cooperation network of partner institutions and existing universities from the Euro-Med region, the Euro-Mediterranean University in Portoroz, Slovenia will develop postgraduate and research programs and thus contribute to the establishment of Euro-Mediterranean higher education, science and research.
• Supporting business - With a view to developing Mediterranean business, an initiative will be launched to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by assessing their needs, defining policy solutions and providing them with technical assistance and financial instruments.

What projects has EC funded?
Despite some political problems, the EC has implemented several projects identified as priorities at the Paris summit and has since provided or earmarked almost €90 million to achieve its goals. To this amount was added a contribution of more than €50 million from the European Investment Bank and from the funds of the European Neighbourhood Facility.

Since July 2008, the EC has financed or is about ready to launch the following projects:

• Environment - The Mediterranean Environment Reporting system and activities and projects within the Horizon 2020 Programme, aiming at the "depollution" of the Mediterranean by 2020, plus additional promotion of water policies and practices in the Mediterranean region (€22 million for 2009-2010).
• Renewable energies - Studies to identify the effective strategy to develop and implement a Mediterranean solar plant and how to support renewable energy in the Mediterranean region. Following the studies, the EC expects to launch the solar plant program before the end of 2009. Also a feasibility study for a concentrated solar power plant in Tunisia (€1 million from the Neighbourhood Investment Facility), and a 200-megawatt wind farm in the Gulf of El Zayt, Egypt (€1 million from the Neighbourhood Investment Facility).
• Transport - Mediterranean Motorways of the Sea and Integrated Mediterranean Maritime Policy (€7.5 million). Mediterranean Maritime Security via the SAFEMED Programme (€4.5). Support to the implementation of a regional Transport Action Plan, including the development of a Euro-Mediterranean Transport Network and associated infrastructure (€6 million).
• Civil protection - Development and reinforcement of civil protection in the region by building and strengthening reaction capacity. Activities are carried out by a consortium led by Italy and with participation by Egypt, France, the U.N., Balkans countries and Turkey (€5 million).
• Education and research - A contribution of €1 million to the Euro-Mediterranean University to facilitate the participation of students and academics from the Mediterranean countries.
• Business - The "Invest in Med" initiative, which supports investments in the region (€9 million).

For more information, see IP/09/1113 - Union for the Mediterranean: Commission increases its contribution to priority projects.

What is the current structure and functioning of the UpM?
As a follow-up to the Paris summit, foreign affairs ministers agreed at a meeting in Marseille Nov. 3-4, 2008 on the structure and functioning of the UpM and its secretariat, based on a proposal by the EC. The following were agreed upon:

Upgrading the Level, Quality and Intensity of the Dialogue
A summit of heads of state or government will be held every second year after the first summit of July 13, 2008 in Paris. Foreign ministers will meet between summits, review progress and prepare the upcoming summit agenda. The existing dialogues under the Barcelona Process, like the Euro-Med senior officials meetings and the experts' meetings, will be preserved and reinforced, where necessary.

Co-presidency
The UpM has a co-presidency, with someone from the EU and someone from a Mediterranean partner, which runs for two years. The co-presidency will apply to summits, annual foreign ministers' meetings as well as sectoral ministerial meetings, senior officials and joint permanent committee meetings. Currently the EU co-presidency is jointly held on the EU side by Sweden and France and on the Mediterranean side by Egypt.

Project-oriented Secretariat
The secretariat, based in Barcelona, makes proposals for joint initiatives to be decided by the political bodies and ensures the follow-up of project-related decisions of the summit. The tasks of the secretariat include gathering project initiatives - for instance, from civil society, the private sector or national or regional authorities - examining them and making proposals to senior officials (the clearinghouse). Once projects are approved by the summit, the secretariat is responsible for their follow-up by promoting the projects and searching for partners for implementation.

The secretariat is led by a secretary general and five deputy secretary generals, both from the EU and the south region. The EC is in the process of identifying the financial needs and possibilities related to the running of the secretariat.

Senior Official Meetings
High-ranking officials of all 43 partner countries and the EC take part in senior official meetings (SOMs). SoMs are tasked with the preparation of Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meetings, including projects to be endorsed, in particular those of foreign ministers; taking stock of and evaluating the progress of the UpM in all its components, and submitting annual work programs to the ministers of foreign affairs.

SOMs are held regularly to analyze the progress made towards the fulfillment of the UpM's objectives. SoMs also provide incentives for new initiatives. SoMs are assisted by a joint permanent committee.

Joint Permanent Committee
The joint permanent committee (JPC) assists the co-presidency in their duties and functions and ensures the increased co-ownership of the decision-making process by intensification of dialogue. The JPC comprises specifically appointed representatives from all EU member states and Mediterranean partners, and serves as a kind of standing committee.

It is responsible for preparing the meetings of senior officials and assisting the co-presidency in the preparation for summits and ministerial meetings. The JPC can also serve as rapid reaction mechanism in case of a crisis situation requiring consultation of Euro-Mediterranean partners.

Funding
It was recognized at the Paris summit that funding will need to be mobilized to implement the UpM's ambitious projects. The EC envisaged financial resources could come from:

• The private sector.
• Bilateral cooperation from EU member states.
• Contributions from Mediterranean partners.
• International financial institutions or regional banks.
• The European Community budget for the Mediterranean, such as the European Neighbourhood Policy south regional programs, the Neighbourhood Investment Facility and the Cross-Border Cooperation instrument, all of them within the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument.

Ministers in Marseille also adopted a considerably enhanced work program for 2009, which included, among other areas:

• Prevention, preparedness and response to natural and man-made disasters.
• Maritime safety and security.
• Energy cooperation and renewable sources, with the Mediterranean solar plant as key project.
• An integrated Euro-Mediterranean transport system and connections with the Trans-European Transport Network.
• Water strategy and environment, with a target to achieve the "depollution" of the Mediterranean by 2020.
• Establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area.
• Development of the social dimension of the partnership: health, research, education, intercultural dialogue, migration and gender equality.
• Identification of areas of common ground to strengthen democracy and political pluralism through expansion of participation in political life and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Source: European Commission (EC).