REPORT OF THE 4^th MEETING OF THE SMAP CORRESPONDENTS AND 2^nd PREPARATORY MEETING FOR THE 2^nd 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 2^nd 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 5^th 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 2^nd 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 2^nd and especially the 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 13^th 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 2^nd Euro-Mediterranean Environment Ministerial Conference

The Greek representative presented the proposed agenda of the 2^nd 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 3^rd 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 7^th 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.