Greening the UfM

PRESENTATION

In preparation of the EuroMed Summit that will take place in Barcelona on 20th and 21st November 2010, the conference will first focus on the state of play, current and future challenges of the UfM and then on two major socioeconomic aspects of the partnership: the implementation of a sustainable energy policy and a gender equal development for the Mediterranean.

Emphasis will be put on the needs of the Southern and Eastern shores as well as in identifying some key elements that should be developed within the framework of the UfM for a sustainable UfM and EuroMediterranean Partnership implementation. The present technocratic approach of UfM should give way to a broader approach based on the potentials of the region.

The meeting is aimed at supporting the formulation of arguments for a positioning towards the UfM Summit, while at the same time identifying key issues to be addressed by the European Parliament in future in the areas of sustainable energy, gender and the UfM overall. The reflections should be an analysis of the performance on the original objectives and tools to present and the expectations ahead.

Reflecting on gender equality, it has been more than 10 years after the creation of Euro Mediterranean Partnership the 2006 Ministerial conclusions for “Strengthening the Role of Women in Society” currently known as the Istanbul/Marrakech process, created a lot of expectations among civil society. What has the IAP achieved in the last 4 years? What are the institutional challenges? What can one expect on the implementation of gender equality from the new UfM Secretariat based in Barcelona?

On the other hand, the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) is one of the new flagship initiatives of the UfM. It aims inter alia to develop 20 GW of new renewable production capacity and to achieve “significant energy savings” in the region by 2020. It will also contribute to the development of electrical interconnections. However, as depicted by the report “Heliosthana", issued by WWF with HBS in June 2010, there are many gaps in the current situation. What are the involvement requirements for its development and implementation by the different stakeholders, including the civil society? How can be ensured that the MSP, as a regional initiative, builds on sustainable energy policies in every Mediterranean country?

PROGRAMME

9.30-10.00 The UfM of today, the UfM of tomorrow

Welcome by Raül Romeva, MEP

• State of Affairs of the UfM, Bruno Fulda, UfM Secretariat
• Future developments, Guillermo Ardizone, Spanish Permanent Representation in the EU (tbc)

10.00-11.30 Euromediterranean sustainable energy policy: achieving soverignity through clean sources

Chair: Margrete Auken, MEP

• The Mediterranean Solar Plan, Antoine-Tristan Mocilnikar, French government, UfM co-Presidency
• The sociopolitical role of energy in North Africa, Francis Ghilès, CIDOB researcher expert on energy in the Euromediterranean
• Clean energy opportunities for the Euromediterranean, Emmanuel Bergasse, WWF energy expert, coauthor of 'Heliosthana'
• Investment challenges on clean energies in the Euromed, Christopher Burghardt, FirstSolar
• The role of the EU, Simone Rave, European Commission

11.30-12.45 Gender equality for a full-potential socioeconomic development

Chair: Franziska Brantner MEP

• EuroMed Partnership and UfM, have they fulfilled the expectations? Alya Cherif Chammari, Lawyer, Collectif 95 - Maghreb Egalité
• State of affairs of gender equality in the Mediterranean countries, Leila Rhiwi, Programme Management Specialist officer in charge, UNIFEM in North Africa (tbc)
• Europe's role towards a more equalitarian Mediterranean societies, Magali Thill, Responsible for Gender of the Euromediterranean Human Rights Network

12.45-13.00 Conclusions

Hélène Flautre, MEP
Nicole Kiil-Nielsen, MEP

REGISTRATION

Please confirm your participation until November 10th 2010 with the attached reply form to: marc.gimenez@europarl.europa.eu. Indicate “Greening the UfM" in the subject matter.