REPORT OF THE 4th
MEETING OF THE SMAP CORRESPONDENTS AND 2nd PREPARATORY MEETING FOR
THE 2nd EURO-MEDITERRANEAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
(Brussels, 23-25 April 2002)
A. SUMMARY
The Correspondents of the Euro-Mediterranean
Partners for the Short and Medium-Term Priority Environmental Action Programme
(SMAP) met for the fourth time, in Brussels, on 23-25 April 2002. Over 60
people including representatives of all 12 non-EU Partners including Israel and
the Palestine Authority attended the meeting. Members of environmental NGOs
Steering Committee, representatives of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), the
Mediterranean Environment Technical Assistance Programme (METAP), the Ramsar
Convention programme for the Mediterranean Wetlands (MEDWET) and the UN
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) attended as observers. In spite of
the tense political situation in the Middle East, political controversy was
largely avoided and instead there was a smooth discussion of the technical
issues foreseen in the agenda.
The main
objectives and results of this annual meeting of SMAP Correspondents were:
A productive exchange of information on national / regional SMAP (and related) activities
(2) Finalisation of the Report on 5 years of Implementation of SMAP, which will be published and submitted to the Euro-Mediterranean Environment Ministers for information and for consideration of its recommendations
(3) Finalisation of the related Country Profiles of the Mediterranean Partners, which will be put on the SMAP website; the July Ministerial is expected to confirm that countries are responsible for giving the Commission the material needed to update these Profiles
(4) Information from Greece on the organisational aspects of the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Environment Ministerial Conference taking place on 9-10 July 2002
(5) An intensive round of largely consensual negotiation on the Draft Ministerial Declaration prepared by the Commission.
The meeting was chaired by Mr F. Thurmes, Director of DG ENV.E.
B. DETAILS
OF THE DISCUSSION
1.
Review of implementation at regional and national levels since the
last meeting
In his
opening statement, Mr F. Thurmes
referred to the international context including the still on-going 5th
Foreign Affairs Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Valencia, the forthcoming
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, as well as the
Declaration for the WSSD and Recommendations adopted in November at the Monaco
CoP to the Barcelona Convention. These frameworks needed to be taken into
consideration when implementing SMAP and preparing the Environment Ministerial
in July.
Mrs Mourmouris (DG
ENV) presented a
brief report on the Commission's actions since the last Correspondents meeting
related to SMAP implementation (Presentation
available on request). Emphasis was put on environmental integration within
the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (reflected mostly in the new NIPs/RIP and
respective Strategies and in the Valencia papers), assessment of the
implementation to date of SMAP, preparation of the 2nd
Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial on the Environment, co-ordination, dissemination
of information and the SMAP web site. She referred to major meetings where the
SMAP Programme was presented (international fora, European Parliament, and
training courses for journalists and NGOs organised by RELEX). She also
mentioned, as an example of synergies and complementarity among different
Programmes, the inclusion in MEDSTAT II of the indicators for sustainable
development, developed by the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable
development (MCSD) and adopted by the CoP of the Barcelona Convention.
All Correspondents
made oral presentations of the major activities in their countries aimed at
implementing the SMAP over the last 10 months. Written National Reports, based
on the outlines suggested by DG ENV for each category of participants
(Mediterranean partners, EU countries, NGOs, observer Organisations), were
submitted by 12 of the 27 Partners: Algeria, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy,
Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Tunisia and Turkey. A synthesis note
reflecting the major points raised in these Reports has been prepared.
Major common points in the Correspondents'
presentations were the need for more visibility and awareness-raising, more
focused capacity building, stronger interlinkages between SMAP and other
Euro-Med regional programmes, and greater environmental integration at national
level.
All Correspondents agreed that the
Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade
Area (EMFTA) needs to be launched urgently, in line with the Valencia Action
Plan. This would contribute to making the trade and environment policies
mutually supportive in the region. There was very strong interest in consultation
on the Terms of Reference for this SIA/EMFTA by the SMAP Correspondents, MAP
Secretariat and the NGOs.
Several Correspondents referred to the limited
involvement of Environment Ministries in the Euro-Mediterranean activities at
national level and all agreed that there is much room for environmental action
in this context. They expressed the view that it would be of great help if the involvement of Environment Ministries in
the meetings organised in the context of the Association Agreements (Association Councils, Working Groups etc)
and in work to prepare the next round of
NIPs could be encouraged.
Mr L. Salazar
(European Environment Agency / EEA) presented relevant activities of the Agency,
referred to on-going co-operation with the MAP and noted that the EEA had the
capacity to provide more environmental information to the MEDA context and to
contribute to fulfilling the SMAP objectives.
A representative of the NGO Steering Committee presented the joint statement of the NGOs,
which was very supportive to the SMAP activities. The main concerns expressed
by the NGOs were the slow Euro-Med procedures and the lack of funding
opportunities for small actors representing civil society.
Mr A. Hoballah
(Mediterranean Action Plan / MAP) expressed the MAP Secretariat's wish for close co-operation with SMAP.
He put emphasis on the Recommendations and Declaration of the Contracting
Parties (Monaco, November 2001) calling for more synergies with the
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. He referred to the intention of the MAP
Co-ordinating Unit to prepare two Reports as a contribution to the Athens
Ministerial: one on MAP experience regarding environmental integration (in
co-operation with EEA) and another on possible synergies between MAP and
SMAP/EMP. It is to be noted that MAP had long and successful experience in
environmental protection and actions for sustainable development in the region.
He suggested that the Euro-Med Committee might wish to invite
the Co-ordinating Unit of MAP to present specific aspects of common interest on
an ad hoc basis at some E-MC meetings, as a response to the universal desire
for greater synergy.
Mr Sherif Arif
(Mediterranean Environment Technical Assistance Programme / METAP), having arrived on the second day,
disseminated his report to participants, putting emphasis on water, waste and
capacity building. Efforts to improve synergy with MAP and SMAP are a key issue
of the METAP Partners.
The MEDWET
and UNCCD representatives,
attending a SMAP meeting for the first time, briefly presented their
activities, highlighted the points of common interest with SMAP and stressed
their willingness to co-operate with the SMAP Network.
Mr A. Bassols (DG
RELEX), on his
return from Valencia on 24 April, updated the participants on the outcome of the
Foreign Affairs Ministerial Conference and disseminated the Presidency
Conclusions and the Valencia Action Plan adopted by the Ministers. He stressed
the fact that the Presidency Conclusions and the Action Plan referred
explicitly to sustainable development and environmental integration, which are
of particular interest for the SMAP Correspondents and their work. He also noted that the Association Agreement
with Algeria had been signed.
Many Correspondents considered that the lack of
any SMAP material in Arabic hampered visibility. The Commission explained that
translation had been done for the basic brochure but could not be verified.
Syria and Egypt volunteered to check and finalise the translation.
At the end of the discussion, the Chairman drew
the following conclusions:
·
All members of the SMAP Correspondents
Network (including the NGO Steering Committee) would continue presenting their
Annual Reports following the suggested outline formats;
·
All members of the SMAP Correspondents Network (including the NGO
Steering Committee) would continue systematic efforts to enhance visibility of the SMAP activities.
·
The offer of Egypt and Syria to verify
the Arabic version of the SMAP brochure was very welcome and would be followed
up.
·
The feasibility of ad-hoc
presentations to the Euro-Mediterranean Committee by the Co-ordinating Unit of
MAP would be explored.
2.
Report on the 5-year Implementation of SMAP and Country Profiles
Mrs Mourmouris briefly presented the major
differences between the current version of the Report and the previous version
discussed in Malta on 19-20 February. Comments made during that discussion and
others received in writing had resulted in a restructuring of the 2nd
and especially the 3rd chapter referring to evaluation and lessons
learnt. Small updates were made also on the Country Profiles of 4 Mediterranean
Partners. Given the volume and nature of the information included in the
Profiles, she proposed that they be printed separately for information at the
Ministerial Conference and put on the SMAP website. The Profiles had value as a
tool if they were updated annually, since they would contribute to assessing
progress made.
The Correspondents
welcomed the new version of the documents and focused mostly on the Conclusions
and Recommendations of the Report. Led by the Palestine Authority
representative they attached particular importance to putting a reference to
peace and stability upfront in the Report. They also underlined the need to
bring forward the next financial commitment and related Call for SMAP regional
projects to 2003, provide potential applicants with clear guidelines regarding
preparation of project proposals, promote better environmental integration in
the agriculture and tourism sectors in addition to the ones already foreseen by
the Partnership, as well as clarify the Terms of Reference of the Monitoring
Unit and the Focal Points (national institutes, which have still to be
selected, that will assist the Correspondents in playing their role).
At the end of the discussion, the Chairman drew
the following conclusions:
An updated version of the Report on Implementation, taking on board amendments agreed upon during the meeting, will be sent to the SMAP Network by the Commission by the 3rd of May;
· Correspondents wishing to do so should send their comments and suggestions on the Report and their Country Profile to DG ENV by the 13th of May;
· On the basis of the comments, the Commission will finalise the Report and the Country Profiles. The Report will be then printed in English and French for distribution at the Athens Ministerial. The Country Profiles will be put on the SMAP website and will also be presented for information at the Ministerial. Decisions on updating the Profiles would depend on countries providing the information, since the Commission would not have the resources needed to maintain the information unaided.
3.
Organisational aspects of the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean
Environment Ministerial Conference
The Greek
representative presented the proposed agenda of the 2nd Euro-Med
Ministerial Conference on the Environment (See Annex 1: Agenda of the Ministerial), to be convened in Athens on
9-10 July 2002. A 3rd Preparatory Meeting will take place in Athens
on 8 July. The Greek representative explained their intention to organise a
Forum of stakeholders on 9 July to participate in round-table discussions on
synergies and integration policies. The morning session on synergies would be
for officials and would be expected to concentrate on technical issues.
Environment Ministers as well as some other key Ministers of Mediterranean
countries would be invited to participate in the afternoon round-table
discussion on integration policies, which, while informal, would be more
political in character. The actual Ministerial Conference would take place on
10 July.
The NGO
Steering Committee informed the participants of the intention of NGOs to
organise a meeting on 7th of July in Athens, with the support of the
Greek government, in order to have a broader NGO dialogue and better prepare their
input to the Ministerial.
4.
Draft Ministerial Declaration
The draft English text prepared by DG ENV with
agreement from DG RELEX and AIDCO, based on the preparatory discussions held in
Malta in February, was discussed by section. The Commission will prepare a
French version of the negotiating text, while Egypt and Algeria offered to
prepare a final version of the Declaration in Arabic. The latter would not be a
negotiating text and only the English and French would be considered as
authentic.
Correspondents and
observers welcomed
the structure and content of the draft Declaration in principle. Initially,
some Correspondents wished to prepare a full Sustainable Development Strategy
for the region in the Euro-Mediterranean context and to use the draft Declaration
as a framework for that exercise. However, it was agreed that such a Strategy
is already being prepared in the context of the MCSD/MAP for completion by
2003. This exercise will involve all the countries of the Mediterranean region
and will allow for the consultation with stakeholders. The Environmental
Integration Process within the EMP, as described in the draft Declaration, is
meant to be a contribution towards the overall Sustainable Development
Strategy. Accelerated implementation of SMAP would also assist it.
During a very productive discussion,
participants agreed on a number of concrete amendments to the Declaration text,
including on the need to update it in line with the outcome of the Valencia
Conference.
The French
representative raised their proposal for an initiative for the
Mediterranean, already presented in the context of the preparations for the
WSSD. Correspondents appreciated the intention but found the proposal very
general and not easily usable in the context of the draft Declaration.
At the end
of the discussions, the Chairman set out a timetable for the completion of the
preliminary work on the Declaration:
All in all, the meeting was very fruitful and
reached the initial objectives. The July Environment Ministerial should be able
to take stock of actions and experience to date, draw the necessary conclusions
and make commitments to reinvigorate SMAP and to further promote sustainable
development in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in practical terms.