Brussels, 04/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - The "MED" Committee gathers representatives of the EU Member States expressed during the last months of 1999 its favourable opinion for the financing of numerous co-operation projects with Mediterranean countries. The European Commission was consequently able to take decisions on:
- In Jordan an especially important promise of EUR 128.9 million was released to finance the structural adjustment and the industrial modernisation of the country, as well as the improvement of the distribution of water around Amman and the protection of cultural heritage.
- In Tunisia, EUR 40 million financing the reform of the heath insurance system.
- In the Palestinian Territories, a financing of EUR 25 million is targeted at the construction of a cargo terminal in the International Airport of Gaza. While the Palestinian entrepreneurs still confront many technical barriers, administrative or political to export their products this terminal will enable to stock the perishable foodstuffs before their transport by air.
- In Syria EUR 21 million are aimed at "Facilitating the institutional and sectoral modernisation." The aim is to help Syria prepare a modernisation strategy for the economy and to negotiate association agreements with the European Union in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
- The EuroMed Audio-visual programme has a financing of EUR 20 million to give preference to the transfer of technology and know-how in the audio-visual and film sector. Furthermore, these funds will finance a co-production of cartoons on the Mediterranean legends, subsidy to film houses, the development of an access service to the Mediterranean audio-visual archives, the organisation of a travelling festival of Mediterranean cinema in six European cities, a development fund for independent audio-visual company projects and the co-production of a television series outlining Mediterranean women's lives.
