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UfM - The impatience of business displayed in Barcelona

Gathered in Barcelona on 3 and 4 June 2010 at the iniative of Invest in Med EU programme and its partners (CEOE, IEMed, Acc1o etc.), the forces of the Euro-Mediterranean economic development (ANIMA, ASCAME, BusinessEurope, BusinessMed, Eurochambres, GUCCIAC and UEAPME) expressed their disappointment vis-a-vis the slowness of implementation of the UfM in the field of the business (download here the Joint Declaration indicating the priorities of the private sector ).

The so much awaited political summit was delayed. Announced for 2010, the Euromed free trade area should not exist before 2015. The countries are certainly doing progress in the field of reforms and economic co-operation, including in the framework of the Euromed charter for co-operation on industry, but less quickly than their Asian competitors. Fortunately, the Invest in Med programme from the European Commission could show all the pallets of its multiform and concrete action, focused in particular towards the provision of a toolkit for companies. This very positive assessment (download here E Noutary’s presentation ) was greeted by the participants and the major institutions, of which the European Commission and the EIB.
The Invest in Med conference was also the occasion of workshops on industrial sectors and transverse subjects such as entrepreneurship or the Mediterranean business development initiative, in order to promote and connect existing initiatives. Due to the success of this networking between donors and project leaders, Invest in Med decided to multiply this type of workshops in the future.

Focus on the workshops:
The workshops built on an interactive format gathered around 25 participants each from 9 to 15 countries. Every participant had the opportunity to present its actions and discuss ongoing projects in each area. Individual meetings have thereafter been conducted to establish contacts and foster partnerships among organisations.

•    The "Entrepreneurship'" workshop dedicated to support and access to finance for young entrepreneurs in the Mediterranean brought together businessmen specialised in venture capital and business support organisations (CCI, IPA, etc.). According to Veerle Geeraerts, from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Belgium, this workshop helped to "make a step towards (their) goal of creating a true Plato network (network of coaching of entrepreneurs by large companies) at the Mediterranean level, this idea being warmly welcomed by Moroccan, Syrian and Lebanese organisations".

•    Participants in the workshop dedicated to "Access to international markets" have exchanged their past experiences and their ideas of projects to improve access to international markets for Mediterranean products, design/creation, distribution and e-marketing, as well as logistics, certification and traceability. Some partnership projects have been outlined as UMAGRI and SEBC in the digital economy, under the watchful eyes of several donors (ACC10, Emergia partners, etc.).

•    The Eco-construction roundtable involved about energy efficiency agencies; EC-funded programmes; organisations in charge of industrial land development and investment promotion; consultancy, engineering & architecture companies and training organisations. All of them stressed the need to incorporate green conception and technical solutions into a great range of construction programmes from social housing to ecolodges, through industrial zones. A strong demand for capacity-building and training actions was identified.

•    The workshop dedicated to "sustainable industries" focused on projects aimed at improving water management, energy and waste in the world of industry, particularly for areas highly user of water or energy such as papermaking or plastics. Each person described the type of partners sought (companies, universities, clusters, economic development organisation and other institutional actors). Several donors (Inter-American Development Bank, ACC10, UNEP-MAP, Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production) and consultants specialising in these areas of expertise have actively participated in discussions.
 

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