Brussels, 05/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - The EIB, European Investment Bank, is to hold a conference in Brussels on 10 June, on development of the private sectors in the Mediterranean partner countries. The objective is to raise awareness among the industrial and financial sectors and professional associations with representation in Brussels, about the opportunities offered by its new Euro-Mediterranean financial partnership instrument (FEMIP) to strengthen the private sector in the EU's partner countries in the Mediterranean. FEMIP was launched last October, and is managed by the EIB. According to the Bank, between 8 and 10 billion EUR will be made available to development of the region over four years. It is worth noting that FEMIP was presented as an alternative to setting up a Euro-Mediterranean Bank, or as a transitional instrument whilst it was being set up; but the project does not at this stage have the unanimity of the Fifteen.
Furthermore, a seminar bringing together the investment promotion agencies (IPAs) of the Mediterranean countries will take place in Marseilles from 2 to 6 June. It will deal with the training of the economists working in these agencies, under a regional programme- ANIMA- which is funded by MEDA. The aim of this programme, which was devised for a period of 36 months, is to organise co-operation between IPAs of Member States and of partner countries, with a view to creating a network between them.