Sarkozy beaming at birth of Mediterranean Union

The project – under its official name Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean – regroups 43 states, including all EU members, and will be co-presided over by one EU and one Mediterranean country – currently Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, and Mr Sarkozy himself.

The goal is to boost ties between the EU and its southern neighbours, while the aim of the co-presidency will be to "improve the balance and the joint ownership" of the Union, reads the final declaration adopted by the 43 leaders.

Details of the Union for the Mediterranean's institutional structure are still to be sorted out, but it will have a Joint Permanent Committee based in Brussels that will assist in the preparation of meetings of senior officials; and a joint Secretariat – whose "political mandate," location, as well as the nationality of its director, are to be decided by the Union's foreign ministers, who will meet in November.

A Union for the Mediterranean high-level summit will take place once every two years, while its foreign ministers will meet once a year.

The leaders unanimously adopted a declaration deciding to work on six "concrete projects" as initial activities, Mr Sarkozy said.

The new grouping will address the cleaning up of Mediterranean pollution; development of maritime and land highways; or setting up a joint civil protection programme on prevention and response to disasters.

The yet to be established Secretariat will also aim to "explore the feasibility, development and creation of a Mediterranean Solar Plan, looking into solar energy as an alternative source of energy."

A Euro-Mediterranean University, whose seat will be somewhere in Slovenia, hopes to "contribute to the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education, Science and Research area."

Additionally, a so-called Mediterranean Business Development Initiative will support small and medium-sized enterprises.