Luxembourg, 07/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - Countries on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean are moving closer to European countries, and the figures collected by the MEDSTAT statistical office (a programme linked to Eurostat, the EU's statistical office) show a narrowing of relative development gaps, described by MEDSTAT as a moving closer together. MEDSTAT feels that the right direction has been taken although much work remains to be achieved in terms of living standards, and economic and social standards. MEDSTAT says that increasing literacy levels, increased trade and the connections established by tourism are perceptible.
In most of the EU's Mediterranean partner countries (MPCs), growth outstrips 5%, reaching 8% in Morocco, comments MEDSTAT. All the same, with the exception of Israel, which is at the level of Slovenia and Portugal, per capita GDP in the MPCs is lower than in Bulgaria, which has the lowest EU27 GDP, explains MEDSTAT. It notes that the recent figures show a significant increase in trade in goods, with MPCs accounting for 7.3% of the EU27's imports, and exports to the 10 MPCs accounting for 9% of the EU27's total exports to the rest of the world. (F.B.)