Theme of the day of 14 November 2000
Euro-Mediterranean conference in Marseille
Two oral questions to the Council and to the Commission on the Euro-Mediterranean conference in Marseille, tabled by Elmar Brok (EPP-ED) on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, are debated today at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Brok is concerned that funding for the EU-Mediterranean policy must restore the balance between resources allocated to Central and Eastern Europe and those allocated to Mediterranean countries, as it was decided by the European Council in Cannes.
ORAL QUESTION O-0126/00
pursuant to Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure
by Elmar Brok, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy
to the Council
Subject: Euro-Mediterranean conferences in Marseille in November 2000
The Feira European Council of 19 and 20 June 2000 adopted an EU common strategy on the Mediterranean region, which focused on Union policies and actions to strengthen the Euro-Mediterranean partnership established by the Barcelona Declaration and the follow-up thereto, both at bilateral and regional level. This strategy seeks, among other things, to make significant and measurable progress in attaining the objectives laid down in the Barcelona Declaration and the follow-up thereto and to encourage and assist Mediterranean partners in their efforts to introduce free trade between their countries and with the EU and maintain dialogue between cultures and civilisations so as to combat intolerance, racism and xenophobia.
As regards the Charter on Stability and Security, can the Council explain the reasons for the repeated delays in the Charter's negotiation process? Does the Council agree that cooperation in the field of security cannot be dissociated from the region's economic and commercial development, nor from its social and cultural development? Does the Council consider the existing budget resources for the implementation of the new common strategy's ambitious objectives to be adequate? As one of the arms of the budgetary authority, is the Council prepared to ensure that funding for the EU Mediterranean policy is such as to restore the balance between resources allocated to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and those allocated to Mediterranean countries, as decided by the European Council in Cannes?
ORAL QUESTION O-0127/00
pursuant to Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure
by Elmar Brok, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy
to the Commission
Subject: Euro-Mediterranean conferences in Marseille in November 2000
In the communication it presented on 6 September 2000 in preparation for the fourth meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Ministers for Foreign Affairs, the Commission called for a new impetus to be given to the Barcelona Process. The Commission's recommendations refer to certain aspects of association agreements, trade issues, the MEDA programme and cooperation in political and security matters; the improvement of cooperation with regard to respect for human rights and democracy, sound management of public affairs, the rule of law and a new information and communication programme. However, many of Parliament's demands are not even given consideration.
Could the Commission therefore indicate where it sees a quantum leap that can help reactivate the Barcelona Process, as advocated in the communication in question, in relation to the previous situation? Does the Commission consider the present balance between the three areas of the Barcelona Process to be adequate? Does it consider the staff and budget resources currently available to reactivate the Barcelona Process to be sufficient? Is the Commission prepared to return to the global approach defined at Barcelona, taking due account of certain priorities which have so far been neglected to the benefit of the economic transition and structural adjustment, such as investment support, support for decentralised cooperation, support for a common policy on management of migration flows and support for employment? Will the Commission inform Parliament about the latest developments regarding association agreements with the various countries in the region?
Finally, what concrete steps have been taken to date by the Commission to increase political, economic and financial support for the integration of subregional areas, in particular the Maghreb and the Middle East, by means of subregional association agreements, and to ensure that funding provided by the regional programmes introduced as part of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is more substantial than that currently made available by the MEDA programme?
