Mediterranean policy: follow-up to the Barcelona Conference 1995

In adopting the report by Mr Jannis SAKELLARIOU (PSE, D) on the follow-up to the Barcelona conference Parliament called on the Council to take joint actions to facilitate real political partnership and to contribute to improved security. With regard to human rights Parliament stressed that these principles should be fully respected in this region and considered that a closer and institutionalized cooperation was needed with all the participants with a view to monitoring the proper application of these principles. It proposed the establishment of a body to ensure respect for the agreement. The Commission would also submit each year a special report on the human rights situation in the twelve non-EU countries that signed the Barcelona Declaration. With regard to security Parliament called on the Council to draw up and propose to the partner countries agreements on conflict-prevention which would rebuild confidence. It called on the Council to consider the possibility of establishing a European Civil Peace Corps to strengthen humanitarian action. This corps would be responsible for achieving peaceful resolution of conflicts and preventing the outbreak of new conflicts. It also raised the possibility of the establishment of a joint peace-keeping force involving all the partners to the Conference. It would have a mandate to resolve regional conflicts without recourse to external assistance. Parliament also called for institutionalized form of dialogue and political intervention in the crises affecting this region and called on the Council to step up cooperation with the countries concerned in order to stabilize the region. Action should also be taken with a view to limiting arms and encouraging disarmament in the Mediterranean region. Parliament therefore called for the follow-up Conference to advocate the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the region. With regard to economic and financial cooperation Parliament called on the Union to act within the relevant international organizations to reduce the debt of Mediterranean countries. Everything possible should be done to modernize and develop the financial system of the Mediterranean countries (development of the stock exchange, of collective financial products, of merchant banks and of capital market banks, transfer towards the south of the capital of immigrants, etc.). Other actions should be considered with regard to energy and environmental protection. Parliament also wished to see the Mediterranean region play a full part in the world economy without this entailing any disruption of the social balances of the countries themselves. It stressed in particular the importance of financial cooperation to limit the adverse effects on the population of the reform process underway in this region. The Commission was also asked to submit a draft multilateral agreement covering an appropriate institutional structure for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and supplementing current bilateral agreements. Parliament also called on the Member States swiftly to ratify the Euro-Mediterranean partnership agreement. An annual report should be submitted to Parliament on the projects undertaken in connection with the partnership. With regard to cooperation on social, cultural and human activities, the Commission and Council were called on to act resolutely against racism and xenophobia in the Union. It called for the establishment of a contractual framework for immigration and the drawing up of a charter of the rights of immigrants. Parliament also called for an action programme concerning the Mediterranean social area and a series of initiatives in the cultural area (in particular promotion of the Euro-Mediterranean artistic heritage). Lastly, with regard to continuing the Barcelona process, Parliament hoped that measures would be taken so that it could play an appropriate part in the Conference of Malta (next stage in the process). �