Strasbourg, 26/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a joint EPP, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA resolution on the Euro- Mediterranean partnership adopted on Wednesday 25 November in plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament deplored the fact that despite “certain progress”, the main partnership objectives, including the setting up of a free trade zone (FTZ) by 2010, are “far from being attained”. On the eve of the eighth Euromed ministerial conference on trade on 9 December in Brussels, Parliament called for “more efforts and convergence” from all Euro-Mediterranean partners, as well as increased participation from civil society on both sides of the Mediterranean, in an effort to “create a single entity of peace, development, justice, equality, freedom, plurality, democracy and respect”. Parliament deplored the many economic and political problems that had “seriously” undermined progress with the process (the FTZ and UfM in particular) and called for a tightening of political relations and a deepening in the economic relationship between the two sides of the Mediterranean. Parliament also appealed for tangible progress to be made in the resolution of ongoing conflicts, particularly the one between Israelis and Palestinians, and in the domain of democracy and human rights, as a means to facilitate the Southern side of the Mediterranean's regional integration. The EP is also highlighting the need to prioritise social and environmental concerns in the partnership. It also points out that the FTZ must be based upon a regional approach including the setting up of North- South and South -South networks and free trade agreements. In this connection, regional integration of southern Mediterranean countries and the fostering of South-South trade by way of the Agadir agreement are essential. The EP is therefore calling for ministers to elaborate a new roadmap for Euro-Mediterranean trade, which includes revision of agriculture, services, investment and regulation, intellectual copyright laws and the fight against counterfeiting, competition and public procurement, rules of origin and defence instruments, and discussions about a new mechanism for facilitating trade and investment in the region. Any new liberalisation in agriculture and fisheries will, nonetheless, have to take into account the need to protect sensitive goods and evaluate the social impact on rural populations. Euro-Mediterranean partners are also called on to rethink the idea of an integrated Euro-Mediterranean agricultural policy based on a viable policy for water and prioritising imperatives of food autonomy over commercial considerations. In the domain of industry, North-South cooperation must remain a central element in the sectoral strategy aimed at preserving competitiveness in the textile and clothing sector. Liberalisation of services must operate in a concerted fashion with Southern Mediterranean countries and accord them the right to phase in and control the opening up of sensitive and fragile sectors in their economies by establishing a distinction between commercial services and public services (services such as health, education, water and energy must be excluded from the framework of negotiations). (E.H./transl.fl)