Dr. Volker Perthes, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, D-82067 Ebenhausen • Zeller Weg 27, Fax: (49) 8178 / 70-312 • Phone: (49) 8178 / 70-0, E-mail: perthes@swp.extern.lrz-muenchen.de

EURO-MEDITERRANEAN PARTNERSHIP

 

EURO-MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION IN RTD

6th Monitoring Committee meeting

Bremen, 18-20 April 1999

Draft Agenda

11.45 Presentation, discussion and approval of the assessment report on the Committee's work evolution

12.30 Presentation of the Euro-Mediterranean S&T Web site
(Joint Research Centre/IPTS – Seville)

16.30 Establishment of Working Groups: introduction by the Chairman

WG1. Enhancing synergies between the Framework Programme of the Community and National RTD Programmes: exploiting the opportunities for complementary actions;

WG2. Investing in research capacity and excellence: updating the action plan in the context of regional integration and cooperation

18.30 Chairmen and rapporteurs meet to draft a summary for the final discussion and the next day's conclusions

20.00 Reception and dinner hosted by the Bremen Senate

21 April 1999

12.15 Arrival at Bremerhaven
Joint lunch on board of the museum ship "Seute Deem"

14.00 Guided tour of the "Deutsches Schiffartmuseum"
(German Maritime Museum)

17.15 Arrival at Bremen

EXPECTED OUTCOME

• Action plan for the next 18 months

• Consolidation of synergies among national RTD programmes and the Community RTD Framework Programme

• Adoption of the assessment report concerning past achievements and the Committee’s future role and activities

• Recommendation on appropriate means and tools for valorisation and utilisation of RTD results in the Region

Contact persons: Mr. G. Borsalino - European Commission/DG XII - Tel. +32.2.2959865; fax: +32.2.2966252; e-mail: giuseppe.borsalino@dg12.cec.be. Mr.Andre Schlochtermeier - German Aerospace Centre - Tel.: +49.228.4492230; fax: +49.228.4492222, e-mail: Andre.Schlochtermeier@dlr.de)

 

European Commission, DG IB A4, March 1999

EURO-MEDITERRANEAN PARTNERSHIP

General Framework of the meeting

The Barcelona Declaration and its work programme reaffirmed the need for a regional approach and increased cooperation in the Mediterranean. Cooperation in the Water sector enters in the realm of the Economic Chapter of the Euromed Partnership and is one of the priorities in Euromed cooperation. The Euromediterranean Conference of Marseilles of November 1996 represents an important step for Euromediterranean cooperation in the water field and recommends to take into account the operations and structures that already exist and the use of existing structures and networks, specifically the Mediterranean Water Network. This Euromediterranean Water Directors meeting will explore the transformation of the Mediterranean Water Network created in the framework of the Rome Water Charter of 1992 into the Euromediterranean Water System.

Object of the Meeting

- Prepare the Ministerial Conference of Turin of the 2^nd semester 1999.

- Study the prospects and proposals for Euromediterranean Cooperation in the local water sector in preparation of the Ministerial Conference of Turin.

- Discuss technical recommendations related to Capacity Building and sustainable local water management.

Character of the meeting

- The discussions will be structured around the conclusions and proposals resulting from the preceding General Assembly of the Mediterranean Water Network.

- The presentation of technical key note papers will structure the technical discussions on Capacity Building.

The participants in the Meeting

The meeting is directed and open to all the 27 Water Directors of the Euromediterranean Partners. Technical presentations could be made by the representatives of international organizations with programmes and projects in the Mediterranean and the European Commission , as well as water experts for specific presentations.

The organization of the meeting

This meeting will be organised jointly by Tunisia and Spain. The Tunisian Government have created and organisational committee with the participation of the Ministries of Environment an Agriculture and the main public companies in charge of water, wastewater and environmental management, in order to organise this meeting. The meeting will be hosted by Tunisia at the highest level with the participation of both Ministers of Environment and Agriculture. Spain as organiser of the meeting will coordinate the preparation of the framework documents and will liaise with the European Commission and the interested countries in the organization of the meeting.

Place and date of the meeting

The proposed meeting will take place in Tunis, hosted by the Tunisian Government. It will take place during the second quarter of 1999 after the General Assembly of the Mediterranean Water Network

Contact Point:

Josefina Maestu, General Secretary, Mediterranean Water Network, Ministry of Environment, Modesto Lafuente 63, Madrid 28003, Tel +3415350640, Fax +34915333663. E-mail: 106173.2041@compuserve.com.

EURO-MEDITERRANEAN PARTNERSHIP

SECOND EURO-MEDITERRANEAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

ON LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT
Turin, 2^nd semester 1999

General Framework

This initiative of Algeria and Italy has the purpose of making an in-depth evaluation of the results of the Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Local Water Management which was held at Marseilles on 25-26 November 1996 and of taking a decision on new perspectives in the priority sectors of the Partnership.

On the occasion of the Marseilles Conference the Euro-Mediterranean Water Information System (EMWIS) was launched. The Project was discussed and approved on 9-10 December 1997 at Naples by the Conference of the Directors-General for water of the 27 Euro-Mediterranean partners.

Since then the considerable importance of water has been confirmed from the environmental standpoint, for its economic value and in view of its role in all aspects of the development process. Water is also a vital and essential resource having implications on the social side, particularly in the Mediterranean.

These factors will stimulate in the near future large scale activities, with the possible creation of new entities for integrated water management, both at regional and sub-regional levels.

The experience gained with EMWIS has contributed to the identification of a number of priorities for the improvement of the management of water resources specifically institutional strengthening training of managers and technical staff, improvement of integrated water cycle services and the allocation of water resources among different uses. The experience gained after three years’ concertation and collaboration, as well as the resulting indications, will be on the table of the Ministerial Conference, which should also express itself its views the possibility of taking into account the potential of the Mediterranean Water Network, which is specifically mentioned in the work programme annexed to the Barcelona Declaration,

Specific objectives of the initiative

- The developments that have taken place since the Marseilles Conference will be submitted to the 27 Water Ministers.

- The results achieved by EMWIS at mid-point will be assessed.

- The guidelines for future cooperation for the improvement of water management in the Mediterranean will be defined, with reference also to new sources and recycling.

Contents of the initiative

Organisation of a Conference, three years after the one held in Marseilles, in order to examine and define at political level the future course of enhanced cooperation on water resources, in the Mediterranean. The conclusions for the Conference could be embodied in a Plan of Action on Water of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Thought will be given to the possible incorporation of the Mediterranean Water Network in EMWIS.

Participation and scope of the initiative

The Conference is envisaged at Ministerial level (Ministers of Environment or Public Works, who could be assisted by their Directors-General for Water). The participation, in an observer capacity, of institutions responsible for water management and the provision of services will be welcome. The Conference should be planned in a way to facilitate the cooperation of these institutions with a broad range of entities operating in various fields of the Water Sector.

Organizational aspects

Algeria and Italy as sponsors of these initiatives, strongly wish that all concerned countries be associated with the preparatory activities. Italy will be the organizer and host of the Conference in cooperation with the host city. In keeping with their role as initiating parties, Algeria and Italy will

maintain close contact with the European Commission as well as with all interested countries. Italy and Algeria also express their gratitude to those countries which already have contributed actively to progress in this sector and which have indicated their availability to participate in the preparatory activities for the Conference. Specifically, these are the countries which are members of the Steering Committee created at Marseilles and which play a very active role in the implementation of EMWIS, namely, in addition to Algeria and Italy, Cyprus, France, Jordan, Malta, Morocco, Spain and the Palestinian Authority.

Date and venue

It is proposed that the Conference be held in Turin in the course of the second half of 1999, taking into account the wish of the city to inaugurate during the same period a new Regional Integrated Training Centre in this field.

Algerian authorities will be officially represented by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Land Management in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Italian authorities will be officially represented by the Ministry of Public Works in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Contact Point: Mr Walter Mazzitti, President of the EMWIS Steering Committee and of Italy’s Inter-Ministerial Commission for EMWIS C/o Ministry of Public Works, 2 via Nomentana - 00 198 Rome tel ++39 06 4426 7279, fax ++39 06 4426 7401 or 7362.

European Commission, DG IB A4, March 1999