Brussels, 24/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Valencia was a success, Council President Josep Piqué said on Wednesday afternoon at the European Parliament plenary session, first of all because it took place despite the circumstances, and also because it was able to take decisions by consensus (he recalled three occasions when this happened). The Barcelona process needed a "roadmap"; it was "languishing", and needed "fresh impetus". Valencia gave it just that, said the Spanish Foreign Minister, who placed emphasis on a series of positive results of the ministerial meeting on Monday and Tuesday which, he stressed, are the result of work by all Euro-Mediterranean partners, and of high quality preparation: - the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary assembly (see below), dialogue between civilisations, "a Euro-Mediterranean social contract", the opening of the Galileo project to southern Mediterranean partners, and conclusions on terrorism (it was the first time this was discussed in the context of the Barcelona process, recalled Mr Piqué). The Barcelona process is "very, very resistant. It has resisted the crisis in the Middle East peace process", the EU Council President said.
This "resilience of the Barcelona enterprise" was also stressed by European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten, who welcomed the "excellent Action Plan" adopted in Valencia and the progress made in dialogue between civilisations. He noted, however, that Europeans are enthusiastic about this idea but "apparently for some people one million euros is too high a price to pay" for setting up a Euro-Mediterranean Foundation. Mr Patten also criticised the EU Member States because they are dragging their feet in ratifying the Euro-Mediterranean agreements. Here too, "it is slightly embarrassing" that one should express enthusiasm for these agreements but not ratify them, he said, hoping there would be "more parliamentary dynamism".