IEMed publish Euromed Forum recommendations on four key UfM projects

The European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) has published the recommendations and proposals that emerged from the first Barcelona Euromed Forum on four of the main projects of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

The European Commission in conjunction with the Spanish Foreign Ministry, appointed IEMed to coordinate four working groups on the main economic projects of the UfM - De-Pollution of the Mediterranean; Maritime and Land Highways; Alternative Energies: Mediterranean Solar Plan; and the Mediterranean Business Development Initiative.

According to the publication, the multinational and multilevel nature of these projects requires a strong effort of coordination, analysis and sharing of priorities among state governments and public institutions of various levels. It also requires extensive participation of the private sector, independent and academic experts, as well as international organizations, finance institutions and intermediate authorities or agencies with competences in the different projects involved.

"By creating a framework of debate among all these high level multinational experts and actors involved in each sector, the Barcelona Euromed Forum has delivered a document based on the main ideas and proposals expressed by the participants that will be useful for the decision-makers in the Union for the Mediterranean process."

The publication will be distributed to the 250 participants of the investors' For'UM in Marseille on 27 May, a one-day meeting dedicated to the funding of projects under the UfM, organised by the Franco-Egyptian co-presidency of the UfM.

The IEMed acts as a centre for study and analysis in the identification and interpretation of the challenges of the Mediterranean area and in the production of proposals to face them.