Barcelona, 12/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The Euro-Mediterranean economic and social committees (ESC), which gathered in Barcelona on 11 November for a two-day meeting, welcome the fact that, from the very start of the session, there was a result - the recognition of their role as representatives of civil society within dialogue between the two sides of the Mediterranean, and the promise of structured cooperation with the Secretariat General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Cooperation will focus on employment, a subject of common concern both north and south of the Mediterranean, and also on immigration, improving the role of women, the promotion of business culture and, in other fields, the management of water resources and the environment in general.
The meeting held in the Catalan capital, the 19th meeting since this specific dialogue was launched between social players, took place under the aegis of the UfM and was organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), which holds the presidency.
José Maria Zufiaur Narvaiza, who is the president of the EESC external relations section, Pedro Narro, who chairs the follow-up committee for Euromed issues within the EESC, and also Marcos Pena, the president of the Spanish ESC, took the floor in succession at the opening of the meeting to underline the “strategic” nature and “centrality” of EU Mediterranean policy, despite the problems from which it is suffering and which must be overcome. A general call was launched for a “shared diagnosis” of achievements and a diagnosis of what remains to be accomplished for “rational governance” of affairs relating to the region.
Although most participants in turn highlighted the value of including civil society, represented by the ESC and similar institutions of 43 UfM member nations, some bemoaned the fact that the EU, as such, is not showing a positive resolve in this respect and only consults civil societies as an afterthought. Delegates from both the southern countries and the EU were adamant that consultation with civil society must come first.
The secretary general of the UfM was equally enthusiastic about seeing the civil society mobilised to give further impetus to Euro-Mediterranean policy. Today, there must be an end to the barriers between governors and civil society and between public and private, he said. He called for “synergies” and “complementarity” and affirmed it was a duty to be “guided by the instinct of results”. It is time, he added, to give content to regional integration in the Mediterranean basin, which is “one of the least integrated regions of the world”. UfM is there as an “institutional platform” to gradually build the common area, beginning by “building bridges” whenever possible. One of the first major tasks will be to create jobs to alleviate the frustration of the younger generations.
This was even one of the major themes of the meeting, which had to give a progress report on implementing the recommendations adopted during the Istanbul session in November 2011. The young are considered as the main actors calling for change throughout the region and, according to a report presented, employment is not only important for the partner countries but also for the Mediterranean countries that are members of the EU. There are highly relevant and common features on both sides of the Mediterranean for establishing a diagnosis of the problem, it states.
One of the key things would be to promote a social and solidarity economy, the report indicates. Another is to step up the joint effort made for education and training which, according to the opinions expressed, should be adapted to the new requirements resulting from the persisting crisis and demands made by young people on both sides of the Mediterranean. “Despite diversity”, it is desirable to have “a global strategy”, it was said. (FB/transl.jl)