Brussels, 10/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 6 December, the European Union announced additional funding to southern and eastern Mediterranean countries worth €105 million.
Further support of €84 million will therefore be allocated to regional policies through five programmes. The Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) will receive €32 million by way of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the private sector. The overall allocation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership will be €16 million for 2012-2013. It is expected to help develop a more flexible approach with regard to preparing action and projects in response to changing and unexpected circumstances, given the political and economic developments in the region. With €7 million, the political and economic women's empowerment programme will promote the participation of women who have been marginalised in economic and public life. GREENMED (€7 million in 2012, €17 million in 2013) will help companies to integrate environmental protection into their commercial activities and enhance capacity for protecting the Mediterranean Sea. The EUROMED programme will have an envelope of €5 million for: prevention, preparation and response to both natural and man-made disasters. It will also help to improve the quality of civil protection services and increase regional cooperation capacity for reducing disaster vulnerability and its ensuing costs.
29 million for culture, media and the private sector
On the same day, the Commission also announced approval of a new programme with an envelope of €17 million to strengthen the media and cultural sectors and a programme worth €12 million for helping develop the private sector. The private development sector programme is expected to help cultivate a business-friendly environment; put in place quality Euro-Mediterranean networks providing support and appropriate services for investing in micro-enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises; and highlight the potential of the cultural and creative industries in the promotion of inclusive growth. The programme on media and culture is also expected to help enhance media independence, support reflection on regulation and optimum legislation on the media and help reform cultural policy.
This funding will affect Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the occupied Palestinian territories. Cooperation with Syria is currently suspended. (CG/trans/fl)