The First two Parliamentary Fora of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: an assessment. JMWP No. 40.02, May, 2002

Stavridis, Stelios (2002) The First two Parliamentary Fora of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: an assessment. JMWP No. 40.02, May, 2002.

Abstract

This paper assesses both the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP or Barcelona Process) and its parliamentary dimension. It discusses various problems that the EMP has encountered. However it also shows that there are a number of different limitations which are specific to its parliamentary dimension. It also confirms that the Forum suffers from the same, more fundamental, contradiction that is already visible within the EMP: on the one hand, there is the EU’s stated objective of democratising the Southern shores of the Mediterranean; on the other, there is its de facto policy of stabilising existing undemocratic regimes. The paper also concludes that the Parliamentary Forum has faced problems that have more to do with internal EU politics than the changing international situation in the Mediterranean basin. This is a specific element to the parliamentary dimension of the Barcelona Process.