29/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - Defence ministers of five EU Member States (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Malta) and five Maghreb states (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya) launched an action plan in Paris on 21 December for stepping up security measures in the Mediterranean, focussing on combatting terrorism, air and sea surveillance and civil protection in the event of disasters. The action plan aims to improve cooperation between the armed forces of the counties in question for tangible and rapidly achievable action. This 'G+5 meeting' will be organised once a year for defence ministers. This particular meeting was the first time that Libya has been involved in an initiative of this nature.