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8th Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs Conclusions

Tampere Conclusions

1. POLITICAL AND SECURITY DIALOGUE:

• One year after the Barcelona Summit and eleven years after the Barcelona Declaration, the Foreign Ministers of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership meeting in Tampere, under the Presidency of H.E. Erkki Tuomioja Foreign Minister of Finland, considering the current challenges, reaffirm their commitment to the objective of achieving a common area of peace, stability and shared prosperity in the Mediterranean region.

This objective requires a comprehensive approach to achieving peace, security and stability, strengthening democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, sustainable and balanced economic and social development, measures to combat poverty and exclusion, including wider access to education and the strengthening of social security systems, and the promotion of greater dialogue and better understanding between cultures and peoples. Ministers express their renewed commitment to implement the Five-Year Work Programme adopted by the Heads of State and Government in November 2005.

• Bearing in mind that the Barcelona Process is not intended to replace the other activities and initiatives undertaken in interests of peace, stability and development of the region, but that it will contribute to their success.

Partners reaffirm their commitment to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict consistent with the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference and its principles, including land for peace and based on the relevant UNSC resolutions and the Road Map. Ministers take note of the importance of recent regional developments and initiatives. Partners also call for the reinvigoration of efforts to promote progress in the Middle East Peace Process on all its tracks.

Ministers welcome the positive role played by the EU in the Middle East, particularly during the latest escalation in the region. They also encourage the parties to continue on the path of direct dialogue and negotiation in the fulfilment of the vision of two states, a safe and secure Israel and a viable, sovereign and democratic Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Final status issues, including border issues, have to be agreed by the two parties.

• Ministers reiterate their will to continue promoting dialogue and co-operation on political and security issues, conflict prevention, partnership building measures, crisis management activities, as well as implementation of and compliance with the relevant existing international obligations under multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation agreements to which Euromed Partners are party. They also welcome the principle of organizing in 2007 an ESDP orientation course with the European Defence and Security College open to participation to Mediterranean countries willing to participate.

• They emphasise the importance of co-ownership and co-responsibility of the Process, which remains the cornerstone of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. In this spirit, they agree to strengthen the Partnership and invite the Senior Officials to put forward recommendations to improve the working methods of the Barcelona Process by enhancing co-ownership, increasing efficiency and ensuring visibility. As a measure to reinforce the Partnership they agree to hold a regular Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the end of each year. The Foreign Ministers' Meetings will aim, inter alia, to agree on the priorities of the Euromed activities for the following year in the implementation of the 5-year Work Programme adopted by the 2005 Barcelona Summit. Futhermore, the Ministers note with appreciation the work of the Study Committee aiming at improving the working methods of the Barcelona Process. They also encouraged the Euromed Committee to achieve progress in this regard.

• Ministers consider the European Neighbourhood Policy as an important tool which contributes to reinforcing and complementing the Barcelona Process through the implementation of the Association Agreements and the Action Plans. It further enhances relations between the EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries, promoting and supporting reform based on a common commitment to universal principles and shared values, in accordance with national priorities and building on their national reform programmes in political, economic, institutional and social sectors. In order to support the partner countries in the implementation of the Barcelona 5-year Work Programme, Association Agreements and Action Plans, and in coherence with other relevant development strategies, the Community will provide appropriate financial and technical assistance specially through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, which will succeed the MEDA-programme in 2007.

• Ministers stress the importance, in accordance with their internationally agreed obligations, of strengthening democracy, political pluralism, expanding participation in political life, public affairs and decision making, and further strengthening the role of women in society, as well as enhancing respect and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression. In this context, Ministers also stress the importance of promoting respect for all religions, other beliefs and cultures. They are also committed to maintaining and ensuring the independence of the judiciary and expand access to justice to all.

• In this respect, the EU will establish a substantial financial Facility to support willing Mediterranean Partners in carrying out their reforms taking into account that successful reforms must develop from within the societies of the region.

• Ministers recognize the importance of fostering the role of civil society in accordance with national legislation, as appropriate, and enhance its capability through improved interaction with governments and parliaments, including through the promotion of dialogue between Parliamentarians within the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, contacts between civil society associations, youth, trade unions, business and professional associations and cooperation between regional and local administrations.

• Ministers take note of the contribution of the Civil Forum, which met in Marrakech on 4-7 November 2006, and look forward to further strengthening the ties with the non-governmental Euro-Mediterranean community in the spirit of deepening an open and mutually fruitful dialogue to the benefit of overall objectives of the Barcelona Process. They also welcome the continuing work of the Euro-Med and the Media initiative during 2006 as an added dimension to the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue. They look forward to the further progress of this initiative in 2007.

• Ministers, keeping in mind the importance of political and security cooperation, underline their support to the ongoing partnership building measures notably the EuroMed Malta seminars, the EuroMeSCo network of foreign policy institutes and the cooperation on civil protection in particular in the framework of the EuroMed Intermediate Bridge project. In this context, Ministers take note of the extension of activities under the current Euromed Bridge Programme on Civil Protection (March 2007 to March 2008). They welcome this regional programme as an important political measure to strengthen trustful relationships by promoting cooperation and interaction between regional and local authorities, civil population and civil society. Ministers take note with satisfaction of the preparatory work undertaken to establish a Long Term Programme aimed at fostering an effective, sustainable Euro-Mediterranean system for the mitigation, prevention and management of natural and man-made disasters, with a specific focus on sub-regional cooperation open to all interested parties.

• At the Barcelona Summit, Euromed partners were committed to meet internationally agreed standards in the conduct of elections. They also agreed to discuss the possibility of developing, on a voluntary basis and upon request of the country concerned, joint co-operation and exchange of experience in the field of elections. In this context, Ministers mandated Euromed Senior officials to launch a discussion to take these issues forward.

2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT ON COUNTERING TERRORISM:

• Ministers reaffirm their commitment to fully implement the Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism in order to enhance the security of all citizens within a framework that ensures respect of the rule of law and human rights, particularly through more effective counter-terrorism policies and deeper co-operation to dismantle all terrorist activities, to protect potential targets, to manage the consequences of attacks. They emphasize the need to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without qualification, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. In this context the Ministers welcome the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted in September 2006. They also reiterate the complete rejection of attempts to associate any religion or culture with terrorism, and confirm their commitment to do their utmost effort with a view to resolving conflict, ending occupation, confronting oppression, reducing poverty, promoting human rights and good governance, improving intercultural understanding and ensuring respect for all religions and beliefs.

• Implementing the Euromed Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism, Ministers agree to hold a Euro-Mediterranean Seminar in 2007 on the role of the media in preventing all forms of incitement to terrorism through effective and professional communication. Existing frameworks of dialogue and co-operation in this field, such as the 'Euromed and the Media' initiative, can be used as an input for the planned seminar. Ministers also stress the need of preventing the use of all means of communication, including the Internet, for terrorist purposes, without prejudice to freedom of expression.

• In line with the shared value of the respect for Human rights and the Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism, Ministers also agree to hold a regional Euro-Mediterranean Seminar in 2007 on ensuring respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism in accordance with international law aiming at reaching common ground for future cooperation in this field.

3. FREE TRADE AND INVESTMENT:

• Ministers endorse the results of the Euro-Mediterranean Trade Ministers Conference held in Marrakech on 24 March 2006, and reiterate their commitment to achieving a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area by 2010 in accordance with the provisions of the Association Agreements. In this context, the agenda for 2007 will focus on negotiations on the following:

The overall objective of the negotiations is the sustainable development of all Euro-Mediterranean partners. To take stock of the progress made in these areas, Ministers invite Euro-Mediterranean Trade Ministers to envisage a Ministerial meeting in 2007.

• Ministers also endorse the results of the Euro-Med Conference of Ministers for Industry held in Rhodes on 21-22 September 2006, stress the need to pursue regulatory convergence with particular emphasis on the approximation of technical legislation, as well as to reinforce cooperation on competitiveness, market access, innovation, textiles & clothing sector and investment, underline the importance in tackling non-tariff barriers to trade. The Ministers encourage further progress in the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for the Enterprise. They welcome the opening of the EU's Competition and Innovation Programme (CIP) to the Mediterranean partner countries. Ministers also welcome that Mediterranean partner countries will receive assistance in order to accelerate reforms and regulatory convergence with particular emphasis on the approximation of technical legislation.

• The Five-Year Work Programme provides for the establishment of an ad-hoc group to examine ways and means of enhancing investment flows into the Mediterranean region. Ministers invite the Commission to call the first meeting of the ad hoc group during the first half of 2007, in consultation with the relevant Euro-Mediterranean authorities. In response to the high priority Mediterranean Partners attach to investment as a cooperation sector, the Commission announces its intention to include a cooperation programme on investment in the Regional Indicative Programme for 2007-2009.

• Ministers endorse the results of the meeting of Ministers of Economy and Finance in Tunis 25-26 June 2006, and welcome the fact that the Mediterranean countries have achieved considerable progress in improving the business climate and reiterate the need to continue along the same road. Ministers note the critical importance to improve access to credit, contract enforcement and investor's protection procedures to start business, and to alleviate labour market rigidities. They underline that the Euromed ECOFIN Ministerial meeting is the forum in which partner countries will continue to address broad economic policy issues confronting the region. They take note that the next Euromed ECOFIN Ministerial meeting is planned for May 2007 in Cyprus.

• Ministers further agree to hold the 11th Euro-Mediterranean Economic Transition Seminar 2007 in Brussels.

• Ministers note with satisfaction that FEMIP, after its launch in 2002, has been instrumental in channelling substantial amounts of funding to the region, under conditions adapted to long-term investments. Building on this positive results, they underlined the importance of further strengthening FEMIP's support to the private sector (notably to SMEs), as well as strengthening the involvement and ownership of Mediterranean Partners countries through an enhanced advisory mechanism.

4. ENERGY AND TRANSPORT:

• Ministers take note of the results of the Euro-Mediterranean Energy Forum held in Brussels on 21 September 2006 and the priorities agreed by the Forum for the Euromed Energy Partnership 2007-2010; to work for the continued gradual integration of Euro-Mediterranean Energy Markets, the development of energy projects of common interest and of sustainable energy in accordance with national development plans and programmes. They also welcome its recommendation to hold the next Euro-Mediterranean Energy Ministerial Conference in 2007 with the aim of agreeing on the priorities for energy cooperation in the period ahead.

• In this context, Ministers emphasise the need to further reinforcing co-operation in securing energy supplies in the Euro-Mediterranean region. To this end, the Ministers emphasize the importance of examining means aiming at the diversification of energy resources, including renewable energy, as well as promoting energy efficiency and conservation measures, institutional capacity building, the development of new technologies, Research & Development activities and studying ways for enhancing the financing opportunities for energy projects of common interest in the Euro-Mediterranean region, including the participation of private finances, and promoting well functioning markets and stable legal conditions for investments.

• Ministers endorse the results of the first Euro-Mediterranean Transport Ministerial conference that took place in Marrakech in December 2005 and take note of the priorities agreed by the Ministers that are based on the Blue Paper on Transport in the Mediterranean Region and on the Final Report of the High Level Group on the extension of the Trans-European Transport Priority Axes to neighbouring countries. They also welcome its recommendation to hold in the coming months of the Euro-Mediterranean Transport Forum with a view to adopting a Regional Transport Action Plan for the next five years.

• Ministers encourage the Partners to cooperate on issues relating both to energy security and to the prevention of global warming through, inter alia, broad based collaboration on developing advanced scientific and technological solutions.

5. ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM:

• Ministers endorse the results of the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Environment, held in Cairo on 20 November 2006 and welcome the adoption of the timetable, which sets out the steps for implementing Horizon 2020, the Mediterranean de-pollution initiative. They underline the importance of integration of environmental concerns into other relevant sectors in order to contribute to the development of sustainable production and consumption across the region.

• In 2007 implementation will start on the Horizon 2020 initiative for the de-pollution of the Mediterranean with the identification of priority projects for pollution reduction, and a start on the priority capacity building measures in partner countries as agreed in the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Environment. A steering group will be established to coordinate the Horizon 2020 initiative.

• Ministers encourage the Partners to cooperate on issues related to environmentally friendly waste disposal.

• Cooperation between the Community and Mediterranean partners for the sustainable management of fisheries resources in the Mediterranean will be intensified, in particular within the relevant regional bodies.

• Ministers underline the importance of the contribution of tourism in the economies of the Euromed Partners. They recall that in the Barcelona Summit, the Heads of States and Governments agreed upon "co-operating to enhance the impact of tourism on job creation, infrastructure development and intercultural understanding, while ensuring environmental sustainability". In this respect, they welcome Morocco's offer to host a Euromed Ministerial meeting on Tourism and mandate the Senior Officials to work on its preparation.

6. EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

• Following the Barcelona Summit Conclusions, Ministers reiterate their commitment to increase significantly funding devoted to education in the Mediterranean region through EU assistance and Mediterranean partners' national plans and raise education as a priority sector within the ENPI. Ministers welcome the proposal made by Egypt to host a Euromed Ministerial Conference on Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2007. They also invite competent authorities to convene this conference with the participation of universities, scientific research and technology centres, and representatives of the private sector from all Partner countries. Its aim will be to examine ways and means of developing co-operation in the fields of scientific research, the up-grading of the quality of higher education and vocational training in Southern Mediterranean countries, as well as standards of University education. The objective of the conference will be to reinforce and support the efforts of all countries in the region to meet the Millennium Development Goals in the areas of education, taking into account the complementarity between Education, scientific research, innovation and industry (SMEs) and given the significant impact of human development and knowledge-based societies to modernisation based on competitiveness and innovation.

The Conference will also examine ways and means to support and develop scientific research and human resources in the region. In addition, the Ministers welcome the results of the Euromed Universities' Rectors in Tampere 9-11 October 2006 and the plans agreed to create a permanent Euromed University Forum. Ministers also welcome the launching by the Commission of a scholarship scheme in 2007 open for university students from Partner countries.

• Ministers welcome the proposal to hold in 2007 a Euromed workshop on employment policy and on practical measures to enhance employability of job seekers and create decent employment opportunities. The proposed Workshop would pave the way for a Euro-Med Ministerial Conference on Employment to be held in 2008.

• Ministers invite competent authorities to hold a Euromed workshop in 2007 on surveillance and control of communicable diseases. The proposed workshop would serve as a preparatory step towards a Euro-Med Ministerial Conference on Health, which could deal among other things with health systems and practical measures and activities for reconciling quality, sustainability and equity of health care.

7. STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY:

• Ministers welcome the results of the First Ministerial Conference on strengthening the role of Women in the society, held in Istanbul on 14-15 November 2006 and endorse the adopted Ministerial Conclusions, urging for its full implementation with a view to promoting the full participation of women in the economic, political, civil, social and cultural life in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

• Ministers take note of the proposals made in the Marrakech Civil forum on gender equality and encourage civil society actors, notably through the Euromed Non-governmental platform, to continue working with the Euromed institutions to strengthen their participation in all sectors of the partnership.

8. VIII INFORMATION SOCIETY:

• The 1st Euro-Mediterranean Information Society Conference in Dundalk (Ireland) in April 2005 established the Euro-Med Dialogue on the development of the Information Society including electronic communications regulation. Ministers welcome the proposal made by Egypt to host the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Information Society Conference in 2007. The meeting will assess, inter alia, progress on regulatory harmonisation and cooperation between regulatory authorities, opening of telecommunication markets, and exchange of experience in e-education and e-government.

9. IX DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES

• Ministers underline the need to further strengthen the intercultural dialogue, including through the work of the Euro-Mediterranean Anna Lindh Foundation for dialogue between cultures and through the development of the Cultural Heritage programme. They agree to intensify efforts by launching a series of initiatives for combating discrimination, racism and xenophobia, as well as rejecting extremist views, preventing all forms of incitement to hatred, violence and terrorism, which divide peoples across the Mediterranean. They also undertake to promote the culture of dialogue, ensuring a better knowledge, mutual understanding, freedom and respect for all religions, other beliefs and cultures among Euro-Mediterranean peoples, embracing their cultural diversity. The 35 networks of the ALF (which now include more than 1000 organisations) and the Euromed Heritage Programme should play an important role in this regard.

• Ministers take note of the ideas/proposals put forward at the meeting of Heads of Networks. The ALF is invited to contribute in the preparations of the '2008 EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue'. Ministers invite Euromed Ministers of Culture to hold a meeting in Greece, to discuss the Barcelona Process intercultural agenda, examine the results of the first 3 years of the Anna Lindh Foundation as well as the possibility of creating synergy with other initiatives such as the follow-up to the adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and the UN Alliance of Civilisations. Furthermore, Ministers invite Euromed Partners to reflect on the possible creation of a Euromed Youth Parliament, which could hold its first meeting in 2007. Ministers also take note of the designation of Algiers as the capital of Arab culture in 2007.

• Ministers also give their support to the need to strengthen youth exchanges, e.g. the launching of a scholarship scheme for the academic year 2007-2008, as a valuable tool to realise these objectives as well as to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue to take place in 2008. It is most beneficial for mutual understanding that such exchanges take place between all Euromed countries.

• Ministers also take note of the Alliance of Civilisations initiative co-sponsored by Turkey and Spain and of the report issued by the High-Level Group on the Alliance of Civilisations on 13th November 2006 to the Secretary General of the UN.

• Euromed and the Media initiative will continue its work in exploring ways of, inter alia, enhancing the role of the media for the development of intercultural dialogue. To this end the task force will meet again in 2007 to analyse the work done in the national media consultations. They will prepare practical proposals on this subject, and others in the fields of assisting independent information providers and increasing access and quality of information for Euromed citizens. These results will be presented and discussed at the Senior Officials level in preparation to a Euromed conference on the media in 2007.

10. MIGRATION, SOCIAL INTEGRATION, JUSTICE AND SECURITY:

• Ministers underline the need to strengthen the management of migratory flows in a comprehensive and balanced manner beneficial to the peoples in the whole Mediterranean region while respecting migrants' rights, and to intensify co-operation on all aspects of migration between all parties concerned, including the fight against trafficking in human beings and negotiations of different kinds of readmission agreements. In a spirit of partnership and on the basis of the Barcelona 5-year Work Programme the Ministers stress the need to increase cooperation in the fields of legal migration, migration and development, and illegal migration. The Ministers take note of the work of the FRONTEX agency.

• Ministers welcome Euromed Partners' contribution to the preparatory work of the Euromed Ministerial meeting on migration due to take place in 2007 in coordination with the Commission, aiming at agreeing on a series of further measures to promote co-operation on all issues pertinent to migration. In this context, an overview of existing bilateral and Community funded projects in the areas of migration and development, legal and illegal migration have been compiled on the basis of information provided by all Partners. Ministers also take note of the contributions from other international initiatives such as the EU-Africa Ministerial meeting on Migration and Development held in Tripoli on 22-23 November, as well as the Rabat Euro-African Ministerial meeting on migration. They also remind of the need to develop cooperation in social integration, justice and security issues as agreed at the Barcelona Summit.

• Expressing their renewed commitment to implement the 5-year work programme adopted by the Heads of State and Government in November 2005, Ministers commit to work towards the objectives contained in these Ministerial conclusions.

Summary of initiatives for 2007

• Orientation course on ESDP of the European Defence and Security College open to Mediterranean countries willing to participate.

• Euromed Senior officials will launch a discussion on joint cooperation, best practices and exchange of experience in the area of elections in order to take these issues forward.

• Euro-Mediterranean Seminar on the role of the media in preventing all forms of incitement to terrorism through effective and professional communication.

• Euro-Mediterranean Seminar on ensuring respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism in accordance with international law.

• Pursue negotiations on the progressive liberalisation of trade in services and the right of establishment, progressive liberalisation of trade in agriculture, processed agricultural and fisheries products, the establishment of a dispute-settlement mechanism. Invite Euro-Mediterranean Trade Ministers to envisage a Ministerial meeting in the second half of the year.

• Programmes and activities conducted in the EU to promote innovation to the participation of Mediterranean partners and start technical assistance in order to accelerate reforms and regulatory convergence with particular emphasis on the approximation of technical legislation.

• First meeting of the Investment ad hoc group during the first half of the year.

• Euro-Med ECOFIN/FEMIP Ministerial meeting is planned for May 2007 in Cyprus.

• 11th Euro-Mediterranean Economic Transition Seminar in Brussels.

• Euro-Mediterranean Energy Conference.

• Euro-Mediterranean Transport Forum and its working groups.

• The implementation of the Horizon 2020 initiative for the de-pollution of the Mediterranean. A steering group will be established to coordinate the Horizon 2020 initiative.

• Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Higher Education and Scientific Research in Egypt. Launching of the scholarship scheme open for university students from Partner countries.

• Euromed workshop on employment policy.

• Euromed workshop on surveillance, control of communicable diseases and health systems.

• A Euromed ad hoc meeting at expert Senior Officials level on the role of women in society.

• 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Information Society in Egypt.

• The Anna Lindh Foundation will launch a series of visible initiatives.

• First meeting of the Euromed Youth Parliament.

• Euro-Mediterranean conference to discuss proposals from 'Euromed and the Media' initiative.

• Euromed Ministerial meeting on migration.

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT AS ANNEXED TO THE TAMPERE CONCLUSIONS

- All members of the Barcelona Process have unanimously accepted the Tampere conclusions.

- This is an important achievement

- The Barcelona Process provides an important framework for building regional co-operation, confidence building measures, mutual understanding, expanding support for reconciliation and contributing to promoting progress in the Middle East Peace Process.

- Although it is not intended to replace other activities and initiatives undertaken in the interests of Peace, it provides an important political framework for 35 state the Arab states, Israel and EU.

- Nevertheless the paragraphs on the Middle East Peace were - as expected - discussed at lenght.

- as you understand it has not been easy to find common language and compromises had to be made

- after long discussions we have agreed also on common text on the Middle East

- we are in general terms referring to the recent developments in the Middle East

- We commend the tremendous efforts of the Arab states and institutions in finding creative and inventive solutions. Without their dedication there would not have been a commonly agreed text

- The Chairman notes that the initiatives mentioned in the second subparagraph of Paragraph 2, refer inter alia to the Arab peace initiative, the efforts of the Quartet and public commitments by Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas to a ceasefire of 26 November 2006.

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