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Committee Opinion | Doc. 12135 | 26 January 2010
Euro-Mediterranean region: call for a Council of Europe strategy
(Former) Committee on Economic Affairs and Development
A. Conclusions of the committee
(open)The Committee on Economic Affairs and Development warmly welcomes the report prepared by Mr Denis Badré on “Euro-Mediterranean region: call for a Council of Europe strategy”, and to a great extent shares the main conclusions and suggestions contained in the draft resolution and draft recommendation tabled by the Political Affairs Committee. The amendment submitted in this opinion supports the approach adopted by the Political Affairs Committee and attempts to clarify and complete the draft resolution from an economic point of view.
B. Amendment proposed by the committee
(open)Amendment A (to the draft resolution)
In the draft resolution, add the following phrase at the beginning of paragraph 5:
“While not forgetting that the achievement of economic and socialdevelopment is also a fundamental necessity,”.
C. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Kumcuoğlu, rapporteur
(open)1. I thank Mr Denis Badré for his report which includes
a draft resolution and a draft recommendation for adoption by the
Parliamentary Assembly. It mainly focuses on the questions which
arise concerning the Council of Europe’s role with regard to the
Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). In general, I agree with Mr Badré’s conclusions
and proposals.
2. It should be noted that the emphasis put on the interdependence
of Europe and the Mediterranean region, as well as the strong “historical,
cultural, economic and human links” between the two are well founded and
realistic. The further emphasis placed by the report on the need
for co-operation between Europe, the southern Mediterranean, the
Middle East and central Asia, including matters such as intercultural
and inter-religious dialogue, could be useful in order not only
to consolidate and preserve long-standing relations but also to
establish a stronger connection between these regions with the aim
of promoting democracy and human rights. Therefore, we should strongly
endorse this perspective and recall once more that the role of the
Council of Europe is to preserve, consolidate and disseminate values
and principles such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
These values are at the core of and complementary to the long-term
development of the UfM as also foreseen in the European Union’s
strategy.
3. We believe that it would be improvident for the Council of
Europe to establish parallel structures which would compete with
the European Union’s activities with respect to the UfM’s actions.
I think the rationale behind the potential division of labour between
the Council of Europe and the European Union should be such that
the former would concentrate on promoting values and principles,
whilst the primary objective of the latter would be to ensure stability,
security, peace and prosperity in the region. Although the European
Union is also concerned with the promotion of human rights, democracy
and the rule of law, these values and principles should be considered
as having secondary importance in the context of relations between
the EU and the UfM. The Council of Europe’s role should also be
supportive of and complementary to the European Union’s actions in
all possible fields, and it should share its full experience in
all fields in which its achievements are extensively recognised.
This perspective requires that economic and social progress and
development in the Mediterranean while safeguarding fundamental
values and principles should be recognised as an essential component
of the process. The Council of Europe’s potential contribution to
the Union for the Mediterranean should be seen primarily in terms
of the intertwined nature of peace, security, stability, welfare,
the rule of law and democracy. Therefore, it would be useful to
adopt a step-by-step approach, setting the priorities first and then
focusing on them.
4. Accordingly, the participation of Mediterranean states in
the Council of Europe’s conventions and partial agreements can be
considered as a first step towards implementing the Council of Europe’s
values. However, there is no peace and stability without prosperity.
Therefore, a free trade area agreement which includes all interested
parties could be another important step towards improving trade
relations and strengthening the economic base in the region. Moreover,
the rule of law, as an intrinsic feature of democracy, is essential
to ensure peace, stability, security and of course welfare in the
countries concerned. Moreover, I would like to stress that bilateral
relations between the Council of Europe and countries in the region
with the aim of promoting democratic standards and institutions
should be conducted in parallel with the multilateral developments
within the Union for the Mediterranean.
5. The goals of the European Centre for Global Interdependence
and Solidarity (North-South Centre) and the rationale behind them
should be considered as complementary to the aim of narrowing the
gap between Europe, the southern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Solidarity from economically better off countries is indispensable
in order to ensure cohesion in view of the north/south, east/west
and centre/periphery cleavages inside and around Europe. In this
context, the general structure and requirements of the North-South
Centre should be revised constantly in order to ensure the participation
of all member states of the Council of Europe as well as the European
Union so as to further support other projects and institutions like
the UfM.
6. As far as these cleavages and huge economic, political, social
and cultural differences are concerned, the countries which might
play a considerable role in the UfM in achieving security, stability,
peace and welfare and in resolving the conflicts across this vast
region should be given sufficient political support. A task-based approach
could be useful in urging and supporting the countries which are
historically or geographically closer to the conflict areas to be
more active in helping to solve existing problems. Other countries
should be expected to act in a spirit of solidarity. Settlement
of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (with the involvement of other neighbouring
countries) is considered to be the key to the UfM’s success. Therefore,
all interested parties should strive to do their best to help solve
the problem.
7. To conclude, although the UfM is mainly a European Union strategy,
its core is also based on the mutual understanding, interdependence,
reciprocity, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and multidimensional approach
promoted by the Council of Europe in fostering its values and principles.
The creation of a free trade area and the strengthening of economic
relations in parallel with the establishment of a secure and stable region
in accordance with the UfM goals should be accompanied by the consolidation
of the rule of law, human rights and democracy, as strongly emphasised
by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
***
Reporting committee: Political Affairs Committee
Committee for opinion: Committee on Economic Affairs and Development
Reference to committee: Reference 3420 of 14 April 2008
Draft opinion unanimously approved on 22 January 2010
Secretariat of the committee: Mr Newman, Ms Ramanauskaite, Mr de Buyer and Mr Pfaadt