Meeting for the 5th Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Energy in Cyprus, the 37 countries pledged to gradually harmonise their energy legislation and policies, and improve gas and electricity interconnections among themselves. The joint declaration also foresees the integration, in the longer term, of other countries, including Libya and sub-Saharan nations, into the Euro-Mediterranean energy market.
Ministers further agreed to work together to diversify energy sources, including through the development of low-carbon sources and renewables, and support the deployment of energy-efficient technologies.
The EU and Mediterranean countries have been involved in a dialogue on energy issues since the launch, in 1995, of the "Barcelona Process", aimed notably at creating a Free Trade Area by 2010 (EurActiv 22/11/05). However, progress has been slow due to low ambitions from the EU's side and a lack of willingness from the Union's southern partners, which include Palestine and Israel, to co-operate with each other.
However, amid growing concerns over security of energy supply and continued failure to reach agreement with Russia over a new Co-operation and Partnership Agreement that would formalise often fraught energy relations between the two, the EU is intent on developing closer ties with other energy-rich countries in its neighbourood (EurActiv 29/11/06).
The bloc already imports almost 15% of its oil and gas from Africa and it is believed that this figure could be substantially increased by investing more in infrastructure, such as offshore pipelines to Spain and Italy.
As part of the Action Plan, the EU has said it will spend more than €3.2 billion on infrastructure projects of common interest over the next four years. Some notable projects include the establishment of a Maghreb-Europe pipeline and of a trans-Saharan pipeline that would allow Europe to import Nigerian gas via Algeria. Setting up electricity interconnections between Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey and their EU neighbours Spain, Italy and Greece will also be a key focus.
Earlier this year, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed beefing up the Euro-Mediterranean partnership by creating a "Mediterranean Union", which would also include Turkey (EurActiv 16/07/07). Sarkozy is expected to push forward with the plan when his country takes over the EU Presidency in July 2008, but it has been strongly criticised by Ankara, which sees the move as an attempt to back out from offering Turkey full EU membership.
