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MEDITERRANEAN POLICY ACTIVITY REPORT 2009 - 2014 EPP GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E | 1 MEDITERRANEAN POLICY ACTIVITY REPORT 2009 -2014 EPP GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group and President of the EPP THE EPP GROUP and THE Mediterranean: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ur EPP Group faces the European elections of May The Mediterranean remains a strategic epicentre between 2014 with the satisfaction of having accomplished and for the two shores. It is not just our duty but also in our Oseveral tasks which gives more weight to our interest as Europeans because of our history and values, to political family with regard to international policies, believe in links with countries of the Mediterranean region especially in the Mediterranean region. and to work together for a prosperous future. Since we are the Group of values in the European The EPP Group is the largest force in Europe thanks to Parliament, we have given priority to relations with the its history, its values and its political activity. As a major democratic Parties of the Mediterranean, which are the player in terms of legislation and budget, the Group has partners with whom we wish to share so many common developed its activity in close collaboration with the points within the context of the neighbourhood policy and European Commission, the European External Action intercultural dialogue. Service (EEAS), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), There are several reasons for strengthening political ties in order to make the Euro-Mediterranean project even with the Mediterranean, namely strategic, economic, social, more coherent. and cultural and security. The EPP Group has maintained continuous political dialogue In order to address this issue, the EPP Group decided to with the institutional and parliamentary representatives of set up a Working Group chaired by our Vice-chairman civil society, especially in economic and academic circles Vito BONSIGNORE, who is charged with implementing an in all the countries of the Mediterranean. Special attention action programme and an ambitious strategic policy in the was paid to the countries that suffered serious turmoil Mediterranean. during the Arab revolutions that started 2011. Following these revolutions in Arab countries, there is a long way to The Euromed Working Group brings together all Members go with regard to our political dialogue, and the EPP family of the EPP Group who sit on the parliamentary committees will be more and more committed to reaching its aims in and delegations in relation to the Mediterranean. the new political, social and institutional context that will The Euromed WG with its high-level activities and relations, emerge in these countries. This challenge is a priority for has succeeded in giving the EPP high political visibility our Group. throughout the Mediterranean, and has been a reference for all the political and parliamentary actions of the Members of the Group. P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E | 5 Being these countries in a transition phase, our Group convictions on democracy, social market economy and has the historical opportunity of being at the centre of the cultural and religious openness. For this reason, we can dialogue and cooperation, so that their revolution leads confirm that during the 2009-2014 legislative periods, the to consolidated democratic systems and viable economic role of the EPP Group in the context of Euro-Mediterranean ones, avoiding the risk of sliding into totalitarian or relations has grown. fundamentalist regimes, which would endanger stability in the region with serious consequences at all levels in The EPP Group will always carry the flame of an open Europe. European Union, especially in the Mediterranean, and will always support peace, security, freedom, dialogue, This dialogue centres on our common values, which are cooperation and economic, social and cultural exchange based on respect for humankind and the promotion of in the interests of the well-being of all its citizens. individual rights. The EPP Group has always been an important player Joseph DAUL in setting up long-term political economic, social and intercultural dialogue with the countries of the Chairman of the EPP Group Mediterranean. It has worked to defend its values and President of the EPP 6 | P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E | 7 Vito Bonsignore MEP, Vice-chairman of the EPP Group 8 | P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E A NEW EUro-Mediterranean renaiSSANCE uring the last two legislative periods the EPP Under the Presidency of the EPP, the European Council Group has given absolute priority to the European was shelving the Barcelona Process, whereas in Paris in DNeighbourhood policy, as it was conscience 2008 the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) was being that the Mediterranean would become of increasing launched. This was a new institutional framework with as importance. The Group entrusted the responsibility of many new strategic objectives. Now six years on, with the this task to its Vice-chairman. The ambitious aim was to Mediterranean being characterised by revolutions, which guarantee coherence between the legislative activity and are not over yet, and a European economic crisis once the political initiatives of the EPP Group, as well as to again very marked, the results do not really come up to extend the political influence of the Group in all areas of expectations, even with the rolling out of approximately 10 the Mediterranean. billion Euro for common programmes and 14 billion in the Following the previous decade which was marked by the form of loans from the EIB since 2007. However, we have poor results of the Barcelona Process, we thought that no doubt that the future economic revival will allow us to the European political and economic growth of the 2000s seize the great opportunities that the Mediterranean offers could favour the emergence of a new and more ambitious and that Europe will revive its ambitions. Europe and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Mediterranean constitute an extremely promising political The facts speak for themselves. The last decade not only and economic reality, of worldwide significance. marked the beginning of a new era in economic relations between the North and the South, but also that of a period Initiating a political dialogue There was also the of upheaval of all the certainties that we were used to. challenge of introducing the EPP in all the Arab countries In 2011 the Arab revolutions began and the stability that of the Mediterranean and initiating a dialogue with the had been guaranteed for decades by the regimes in these existing parties, most of whom, at least the parties in countries, gave way to the determination of citizens who power, were members of the International socialist and so went onto the streets in search of freedom and democracy. traditionally connected to other European political families. Now, thanks to all Group’s initiatives, the EPP has become I accepted this mission, conscious of the numerous a recognised and credible political partner, that the new challenges that awaited me. political forces arising out of the Arab revolutions observe with growing interest. We must now walk the walk and, Setting up a new North-South partnership The once these parties have been recognised by the EPP family, biggest challenge was to form a new Euro-Mediterranean the Euro-Mediterranean Assembly should be transformed partnership. This also required revision of the European into a political Assembly organized by political groups and programmes and their refinancing. At that time I attended not on national level. That would give a real impetus to the ministerial meetings representing the European Parliament. forging of Euro-Mediterranean unity. P O L I T I Q U E M É D I T E R R A N É E N N E | 9 Promoting the adoption of a common foreign policy For If today the EPP Group has managed to achieve important now, the greatest challenge is still that of uniting European objectives, it is mainly due to the unfailing commitment of action in terms of foreign policy. Today, the common many Members of the EPP, the Secretariat of the Group and european foreign policy is weak, because of its numerous the support which has been given over recent years by the decision-making centres. We have 28 Ministers of Foreign presidents of the Group Wilfried MARTENS, Joseph DAUL Affairs, a High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Hans-Gert POETTERING, as well as the EPP Party and Affairs and Security Policy and we are present individually the invaluable support of the EPP Foundation “Wilfried throughout the European Union as well as at international Martens” and our national foundations. The challenges decision-making forums, both political and military. ahead are numerous but very promising. Hundreds of However, subjects such as the arrival of illegal immigrants millions of citizens of third countries of the Mediterranean from North Africa, security, terrorism, and also economic are looking towards Europe with hope in their hearts – the development and integration of our economies require the hope of being able to write a new chapter of history with commitment of the European Union as a whole.