The aim of the 10th anniversary summit of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - to be held on 27-28 November in Barcelona - is to review progress and to set co-operation and development guidelines for the next five years.
The summit will also approve a code of conduct for the participating states for the fight against terrorism.
Prior to the anniversary summit, the EU's foreign ministers have authorised the Commission to open talks with the Mediterranean partners on the liberalisation of services and investment in the region. The talks - which will draw on the Istanbul Framework Protocol adopted in July 2004 - are expected to open in early 2006. This preferential process is meant to be complementary to the ongoing WTO negotiations.
In the Mediterranean countries, services account for some 60% of GDP. At the same time, these countries account for only 3.5% of the EU's total services trade. For the moment, services exports from the Mediterranean are focussed heavily on tourism but the partners see vast untapped potentials in the financial services, telecommunication, energy, environmental services and transport sectors.
The 20-21 November EMPA summit has called on the EuroMed heads of state and government to enhance the role of civil society in the process and to agree on the financial targets for the fiscal years 2007-2013.
