Relations between the European Union and the Mediterranean countries

This Commission working paper comprises a proposal for reinforced regional partnership on the Barcelona Process. The proposal concerns the 2009 work programme to be adopted at the 10th Euro- Mediterranean Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Marseille, on 3-4 November 2008.

The 10th Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Marseille will take place at a crucial time for the development of the EU's relations with the Mediterranean. The purpose of the meeting should be threefold:

• to take stock of the progress made by the Partnership since the Lisbon Foreign Ministers' Meeting (5-6 November 2007), particularly in the implementation of the five-year work programme adopted at the 2005 Barcelona Summit;
• to discuss the future development of the Partnership, notably in the light of the 'Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean', and
• to agree on the institutional arrangements of the 'Barcelona Process.

Since the Euro-Med Ministerial Meeting in Lisbon (5-6 November 2007), important progress has been made in many areas of the Partnership, and regional cooperation has advanced in all four of its chapters (political dialogue; economic cooperation; cultural and human dimension; and migration, social integration, justice and security).

Most of the concrete initiatives agreed at the Lisbon Meeting have been implemented or will be before the end of 2008. Further steps need to be taken in 2009 to implement the five-year work programme in order to advance the regional integration process.

The paper details the meeting proposed for 2009 and discusses actions proposed under all four chapters.