Strasbourg, 03/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament hopes to speed up the establishment of macro-regional strategies and the Mediterranean Basin is a stage set for enhanced cooperation between the regions. On Tuesday 3 July, MEPs adopted the report by François Alfonsi (Greens/EFA, France), which calls in favour of reflection on the development of these macro-regional strategies and identification of priority areas.
Parliament wants more macro-strategies. Alfonsi's initiative enjoyed large majority support during the plenary vote in Strasbourg, with 610 votes in favour, 43 against and 48 abstentions. The Parliament is therefore ahead of the Commission when it comes to carrying out a series of recommendations for developing macro-regional strategies, after those initiated for the regions of the Baltic Sea and the Danube. On the subject of macro-strategies that he considers to be a “tool for bringing out projects created by local populations”, Alfonsi told Agence Europe that “it is not so much the means that are lacking but mature projects”.
After the Danube and the Baltic, the Mediterranean? In his report, Alfonsi seeks to promote the Mediterranean region by pointing out that territories on both sides of the Mediterranean Basin share the same climate, the same eco-types, and therefore similar environmental problems as well as maritime and migratory problems, etc. He said during pre-voting debate that the European side of the Mediterranean faces considerable difficulties and the regional development policy, especially its territorial cooperation section, is a fundamental tool for delivering sustainable solutions. He suggests beginning with the “Adriatic-Ionian strategy that covers the central Mediterranean area and the Adriatic Sea”, explaining that it is a largely collaborative and highly advanced project that will make the first step. It will entail similar approaches in the western and eastern Mediterranean and, through good coordination, will lead to an overall strategy for the whole Mediterranean area.
The Commission is not opposed. The European Commission may be open to the Parliament's initiative. Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, who attended debates prior to voting, acknowledged that, without wishing to prejudge the Council's position, the institution would be ready to support the efforts made for another macro-regional strategy. He nonetheless warned that this also depended on the multiannual financial framework (MFF) to be adopted at the end of the year. (MD/transl.jl)