Main Topics
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The EU policies in the Mediterranean |
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1. Official documents |
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2. Critical analysis |
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The Union for the Mediterranean |
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1. Official documents |
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2. Papers and documents |
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A new role for sub-state authorities: the analyses on Macro-Regions |
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Towards a New Governance in the Mediterranean
Medgovernance (2008-2011)
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The project Nicolas Sarkozy’s launch of the project for a Mediterranean Union, during the French presidential campaign of 2007, had the merit to start a debate on a necessary rethinking of the governance in the area. The Mediterranean member States have long considered the European Union as a privileged channel to overcome the limits (inherent to bilateral action) in dealing with issues related to lagging development and security in the area. But do they still consider the EU as the main channel for action in the Mediterranean? Should this role be found to be weaker, could Sarkozy’s proposal represent an instrument to voice those countries’ worries and demands, and push for concrete answers to the area’s problems? A recent new proposal has emerged inside the EU for territorial development governance which – although it primarily concerns the social cohesion policy – is relevant for neighbourhood countries, and therefore the Mediterranean area, as well. It is the new Macro-regional strategy which has been first applied to the Baltic area. Can a Mediterranean Macro-region be devised? And on what size scale? Could the Italian initiative for a Macro-region in the Adriatic-Ionian area be accompanied by a longer-term process regarding the Western Mediterranean area? In order to contribute to the ongoing debate, CeSPI has been carrying on a research started thanks to a contribution from the Regione Lazio, which is now being developed in the framework of the Medgovernance project, and is particularly focused on the two following topics: 1) What contribution could come from the Mediterranean member States (France, Spain and Italy)? How far do their political stands correspond to actual engagement towards the area? What is the EU’s real weight in those countries’ foreign policy towards the Mediterranean? Are there coherence and complementarity between their interests and actual policies, or – in a number of cases at least – are we looking at a conflict between them? 2) What contribution can be given by sub-state authorities of those countries? The need has been emphasized that the new governance structure in the Mediterranean should be multilevel. In a context of labour division and complementarity of actions, the scope of the possible contribution of those authorities to the future Mediterranean governance should be explored. The sections will allow for a more in-depth analysis on a few key issues of the ongoing debate regarding the necessary rethinking of the Mediterranean governance. In particular, the analysis will focus on the following topics: 1. The EU policies in the Mediterranean (Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, EMP, and European Neighbourhood Policy, ENP). This section will consist of two sub-sections: one will contain official documents, the other will propose articles and papers offering a critical analysis of those documents. 2. From the project of Mediterranean Union to the Union for the Mediterranean. This section will collect some of the main political declaration and analyses on the Union for the Mediterranean. 3. A new role for sub-state authorities: the analyses on Macro-Regions. This section is devoted to the RIM and the follow-up process of the CPRM Final Declaration of Mediterranean Regions. 4. Related topics. This section will contain documents for a more in-depth analysis of the above-mentioned issues, such as papers or articles on the foreign policy of France, Spain and Italy towards the Mediterranean. 5. Links. |