Within the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EuroMed transport cooperation builds on the cooperation framework launched in Barcelona (1995) and evolved, since 2008, into the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) according to the Joint Declaration adopted at the heads of state or government meeting.
The Mediterranean members of the EuroMed partnership are: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya (since 2012 Libya is an eligible country for EuroMed partnership and has observer status in the UfM), Morocco, Palestine (This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue), Syria (cooperation is suspended) and Tunisia. The UfM members include, together with the all EU Countries, also the following Mediterranean partners: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro and Turkey.
The key priority of this cooperation is achievement of a safe, sustainable and efficient transport system in the Euro-Mediterranean area.
The activities cover:
- Regulatory reforms and convergence strategy covering all modes of transport (maritime, road, rail, aviation as well as urban transport) and defined by Regional Transport Action Plans (RTAP). In particular, actions conducted through EU-financed technical assistance cover maritime security and safety and prevention of pollution; intermodal project on motorways of the sea; aviation safety and security and air traffic management; road, rail and urban transport.
- Aviation agreements - the EU has signed Aviation agreements with Morocco, Israel and Jordan, and is ready to negotiate and conclude such agreements with other partner countries. Aviation agreements open the air services market between the EU and the partner countries that, in parallel, converge with the EU aviation standards (safety and security, air traffic and airports management, environment).
- Establishment of the future Trans-Mediterranean Transport Network and its connection with the TEN-T, as well as promotion of maritime links (along the concept of Motorways of the Sea);
- Regular dialogue in a policy framework steered by the Transport Ministerial Conferences (held in 2005 and 2013) and implemented by the EuroMed Transport Forum.
Policy and other related documents
Joint Declaration of the Union for the Mediterranean – UfM (2008)
Links
Euromed website in DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR)
The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership website in the European External Action Service
The Barcelona Process website in the European External Action Service