The evolution of EU macro-regional strategies: present practice and future prospects, especially in the Mediterranean
The EU Common Strategy for the Mediterranean was launched in 2007, long before the Arab Spring, and was conceived as a way of expanding economic and political links to the Union's neighbours south of the Mediterranean Sea.
The strategy combines EU regional policy in Member States with EU Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), for which EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and the Union's External European Affairs Service (EEAS) are responsible.
It does not have any direct links to Nicolas Sarkozy's former proposal to form a Mediterranean Union.
What was the Greens' position?
The Greens believe that macro-regional strategies, like the one on the Mediterranean, work best when they include actors from civil society and other stakeholders and should be systematically coordinated with other strategies and similar policies because that could help to improve the efficiency of funding.
Consistency also matters in the Mediterranean, given the region's importance and political fragility.
Did other MEPs accept the Greens' position?
The Greens succeeded in securing majority support for our proposals on more effectively integrating civil society and improving the coordination of macro-regional strategies.
We also managed to ensure that cooperation on energy, environmental protection, good governance, research and cultural networks were explicitly listed as subjects of macro-regional cooperation.
Which points did the Greens lose?
Procedure:Own-initiative procedure
Reference(s):2012/2075(INI)
Lead MEP:François Alfonsi (Greens/EFA)
Green MEP responsible:François Alfonsi
Voted:03.07.2012
Staff contact:Frank Ingelaere (Email)
Outcome of the vote
Below you find the results of the final vote in plenary. How did the political groups vote? What about national delegations? And what was the position of your MEP?