Brussels, 15/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - A few hours before the opening of the Euro-Mediterranean conference in Marseilles, the EU 15 reached a compromise on the allocation of the EUR 10 billion contribution, as part of the multiannual financial prospects for the EU in the 2000-2006 period. The allocation on which the agreement arose is as follows: a) EUR 5.35 billion for the MEDA 2 programme, b) EUR 4.65 billion for the CARDS programme.
Initially, a certain number of Member States (Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria and Sweden) were favourable towards a 50/50 split: 5,000 million for the first, 5,000 million for the Balkan countries. The Presidency (France) had proposed 5,600 million for the first and 4.600 million for the second. Spain underlined the enormous difference in population between the two area: 240 million people against 25 million. The solution takes into account the especially important needs, for a certain period, for the reconstruction of Serbia and in the areas close by, as well as the especially low level of use of resources that were already available to Mediterranean countries. The Community circles underline that the MEDA 2 budget is either way significantly higher than that of MEDA 1 (EUR 3,435 million for the 1995-1999 period).