Jorgo Chatzimarkakis:Union for the MediterraneanFailure, Reality or Vision?

April, 22nd, Luxembourg

Introduction:The Union for the Mediterranean in short

• Re-Vitalization of the EuroMed Relationship

• Inclusive & transparent partnership between the European Union and the Mediterranean Region

• Built on existing EU-Med partnership structures without duplication

A Stronger Partnership — Why?

• Mediterranean region is of strategic importance to the EU, in both economic and political terms.

• Challenges in the region must be met

• Example: 40 millions jobs needed → to maintain the current unemployment w. demographic increase in the South of the Mediterranean Basin

• US spends 20% of their Direct Investment in their Southern Region; the EU 2%

Structure of the future partnership

• Inclusive: non Mediterranean EU countries = "observer and partner"

• Joint presidency between a Southern and a Northern Mediterranean Country

• 20-strong secretariat & bi-yearly summit w. 43 invited countries

• The European Commission → administration of communal funds

Goals of the future partnership

• Political bridge betw. the African Union and the European Union

• Political & economic partnership and increased integration; regional and interregional

• Improving energy supply; 

• fighting pollution in the Mediterranean; esp. sea

• strengthening the surveillance of maritime traffic and "civil security cooperation";

• setting up a Mediterranean Erasmus exchange programme for students, and; 

• creating a scientific community between Europeand its southern neighbours

Building a better partnership

Improve where the EuroMed partnership was weak so far

•Amongst others health

•fight against drugs

Reinforce existing efforts and structures

•sustainable development,

•cooperation between SMEs

•strengthening of cooperation in theimportant field of civil protection

Examples of Good CooperationFEMIP

Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP)

•assist economic development of the Mediterranean partner countries

•Private sector support

•Creation of an investment-friendly environment

FEMIP - The Governance Approach:Technical Assistance• Additional Risk Capital Fonds

• Technical Assistance

- identification

- preparation

- realisation

- focus on private sector

• Special Facilitiy for High Finance(Special FEMIP Envelope - SFE)

• financing of „more risky“ operations by using standard products for the private sector

FEMIP - Governance ApproachFinancing the Partnership

• in 2004 and 2005 € 2,2 billion and in 2006 € 1,4 billion for the lasting development in the southern basin

• nearly half of the money for private sector investments

• From July 2003 on: 70 operations of technical help technique for about € 47,8 m, followed by 24 operations in 2006 for € 12,6 m

• in 2005 7 operations for about € 3.4 m, in 2006 7 operations for € 4,3 m

• Opening of local offices: Cairo (2003),Tunis (2004), Rabat (2005)

FEMIP - Governance Approach:

• FEMIP Trust Fund » - funding the creation of a better environment for private investments

• multidonor, multisector, multi-usage (AT, CàR)

• EUR 33.5m for the period from 2005 on

• Local representative offices

• Committee for the political dialogue:2 annual meetings of eperts supervised by ministers meetings

• FEMIP Committee for consulting and exchange with participation EU member states and Mediterranean Sea states

A first conclusion

• Achieve political and economic cooperation

• Sustainable development

• Political stability

Through

• Re-Vitalization of the EuroMed Relationship

• Inclusive & transparent partnership

• Better EU-Med partnership structures

More Information on Jorgo Chatzimarkakis

• www.chatzi.de