Mediterranean region: common strategy of the European Council of 19 June 2000, Feira

PURPOSE : to present the Common Strategy of the European Council on the Mediterranean region. CONTENT : the Mediterranean region is of strategic importance to the EU. However, it continues to be faced with political, economic, judicial, ecological and social challenges. The EU and the Mediterranean partners must work together with a common vision. This Common Strategy builds on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership established by the Barcelona Declaration and its subsequent acquis the Berlin Declaration and the European Unions's long-standing policy towards the Mediterranean with its bilateral and regional components. This strategy covers all the EU relations with all its partners in the Barcelona process and Libya. The European Union has the following goals in its policy towards the Mediterranean region: - to make significant and measurable progress towards achieving the objectives of the Barcelona Declaration; - to establish a common area of peace and stability through a political and security partnership; - to create an area of shared prosperity through an economic and financial partnership; - to establish a partnership in social, cultural and human affairs; - to promote the core values embraced by the EU and its Member States, including human rights, democracy, good governance,etc, - to encourage and assist Mediterranean partners with free trade; - to strengthen cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs; - to combat racism and xenophobia.�