United by the same sea” “

A plan of action for dialogue between the cultures and civilizations in the Mediterranean will be presented in Brussels on 5 and 6 November, to coincide with the meeting of the 27 foreign ministers of the “Barcelona process” (see the fact file on the following page). The plan of action envisages a series of specific measures in the youth, education and media fields aimed at promoting dialogue and reciprocal understanding between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean. The 15 countries of the European Union and 12 other maritime countries that do not belong to the EU are involved in the process. We interviewed on the subject Philippe Cichowlaz , head of the “community regional policy” and “development of Euro-Mediterranean partnership” dossier at the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CRPM), based in Rennes, in France, an institution that is very active at the community level in the defence and promotion of the interests of maritime areas. What stage has been reached by the Barcelona process? “The process was begun several years ago and has gone through various phases. When, in the 1990s, the European Commission inaugurated the Euro-Mediterranean (Euromed) partnership scheme, the aim was to facilitate cooperation between the local communities and civil society on the two shores of the Mediterranean and to promote the rapprochement of citizens with the institutions through a joint programme which would directly involve them. Today, we realize that it is difficult in practice to implement all this because the hoped-for role of the Regions and the local communities in bringing peoples closer together has not been respected. This objective, repeatedly expressed in EU documents, has never been backed up by effective executive measures: the MEDA programme has not been able to respond to the needs of partnership and is now in a situation of stalemate. In spite of that, the Regions of the Mediterranean still want, indeed increasingly so, to engage in cooperation in many sectors: tourism, culture, environment, just to mention a few. Unfortunately, the impression is that the Commission is dragging its feet”. What is the role of the Regions in promoting cooperation and dialogue between the different shores of the Mediterranean? “I may reply by citing an example that concerns one of Italy’s Regions. As part of the Euromed programme, Tuscany is helping to implement excellent tripartite projects in partnership with Israel and Palestine. In spite of the different priorities of diplomacy, the local elected representatives and the citizens have succeeded in promoting and practising cooperation. The Regions involved have shown they can overcome the diplomatic difficulties and set an example of partnership. This is a source of hope, because today’s local elected leaders will probably be tomorrow’s national politicians. A second aspect of the regional role is the greater capacity for formulating and implementing projects. In a historic moment when local authorities are gaining added prerogatives within States, the Regions are showing they now have better planning capabilities and greater financial flexibility”. What impulse may the events of 11 September give to the Euromed partnership? “There are various opinions on this point. On the one hand, the pessimists believe that the substantial freeze of the MEDA programme has aggravated the tensions in the southern basin of the Mediterranean. The crisis following the terrorist attacks in America could represent a further obstacle on the road to reviving the Barcelona process. On the other hand, there is hope that the EU will realize the inadequacy of the traditional diplomatic method and that to achieve progress in Euro-Mediterranean relations all the players at all levels need to be brought into association. However, to make any forecast of the future development of the partnership is risky today, even though it seems legitimate to entertain some fears. The Union cannot permit itself to ignore the role of the local communities”. G.A.G.