Brussels, 24/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - Foreign ministers of the EU and the Mediterranean rim countries will be gathering on Monday and Tuesday in Tampere, Finland, for their 11th annual session in the context of the Barcelona Process. The meeting will be held in a troubled context, not only due to the virtual standstill of the peace process between Israel and Palestine but also in the aftermath of the Lebanese crisis and, more generally, due to the persistent doubts over Europe's resolve to strengthen a process which the Commission tends to substitute with European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). This is a policy that is not well understood, either by the partner countries or by the European Parliament or even some Member States, because of the information deficit on the content of the policy. Several partner countries have signed action plans but others are circumspect about committing themselves or refuse categorically to do so. Algeria is the main example of a country that prefers above all to fully apply the provisions of its association agreement before becoming involved in a new approach.
Whether it is conceived as a replacement or as an enhancement to the Barcelona Process, the ENP is becoming the reference for relations with the Mediterranean as well as with the countries of Europe that are not likely to join in the foreseeable future. Next Wednesday, the Commission will be presenting a new communication to take stock of what has already been achieved in implementation of the action plans and ENP, and it is also due to forward its proposals, with figures, to the Council as soon as possible regarding a successor neighbourhood policy as of 2007 under the MEDA financial programme, which would entail around €12 billion not yet distributed between the southern and eastern partners. The distribution would tend more towards the eastern countries but it will be more of a “catching up operation” rather than real disequilibrium, Community sources say.
The ministerial session in Tampere will mainly aim to take stock of actions since the summit for the 10th anniversary (five-year action plan and code of conduct against terrorism), in Barcelona in November. Some aspects have been put forward such as transport, energy, the environment, dialogue with civil society, support for investment (mainly due to FEMIP managed by the EIB), on which ministers will hold discussions. The future of FEMIP will be raised and there will be discussion on its possible transformation into a structure that could be that of a bank.
On the sidelines of the session, the traditional meetings of a political nature between the European troika and the Israelis, Palestinians, Secretary General of the Arab League and other foreign ministers of Arab countries (Lebanon, Syria) will allow the EU to state its opinion on the situation in this region of the world. Indeed, everything revolves around the drafting of a final text and on its various detailed chapters mainly on the Middle East, terrorism, the question of weapons of mass destruction, human rights, etc. - all controversial issues that have now become a classic. (fb)