Istanbul, 18/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EuroMed Social Summit continued its discussions, turning its attention on Thursday to the stated need for enhanced social dialogue and for social and economic councils throughout the region. Also in the spotlight were rural development and the need for policies on energy efficiency and to promote renewable energy.
The high point was the speech delivered by European Neighbourhood Commissioner Stefan Füle, who came with the message that the Commission wanted to become more involved in the work of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Euro-Mediterranean meetings organised through the EESC. The Committee has, indeed, oft-times being critical of the Commission's lack of involvement. The commissioner also welcomed the “unique opportunity” offered him by the summit to meet representatives of Euro-Mediterranean social partners and also of the civil society of Europe's southern neighbouring region. Füle said that such dialogue was necessary at a time when peoples were giving “unprecedented expression” to their desire to live in a society which respects the fundamental values which are, too, the cornerstones of the European Union. The Arab Spring, he said, offered a “historic opportunity” for deep democracy and inclusive economic development in the Arab world. It is very much in the interest of the EU, he went on, to see successful transition and to support the countries whose leaderships seem committed to reform. As a result, the European Union has had to take a very fresh look at its approach to the region and, in March and May of this year, it issued important communications in which it pledged to focus more on democracy and well-being, he added. However, the most urgent has been the granting of direct aid. €350 million is available under the SPRING programme. To date, only Tunisia, which has received €20 million, has accessed this money. The remainder awaits allocation to any and all of the countries moving towards democracy. It is not known at this point if Libya wishes to be involved. Redefinition of the neighbourhood policy is not among the most urgent priorities, the commissioner noted. He did not make any comment either on the Mediterranean policy as such, even though current (European) institutional confusion and uncertainty over the finances of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) reign.
For the moment, Füle said, the move is largely to enhance the role of civil society and he launched a call for direct dialogue. Civil society representatives from the southern Mediterranean responded immediately to the call, with the Tunisian Human Rights League recommending that the EU look back and take stock of its support for dictatorships, a representative of a Palestinian NGO calling for the Arab Spring to be encouraged in the occupied territories, too, and a representative of a Jordanian organisation seeking stronger commitment to job creation, particularly for young people and women. (FB/transl.rt)