The Euro-Mediterranean partnership: trade and political balance in a changing geographical space

The European strategy regarding the internal and international governance expressed in an incomplete way, not corresponding to the expectations. The various measures introduced by the Community institutions in recent years towards the Mediterranean area are evaluated in the light of the contradictions that have characterized the Euro Mediterranean politics on the level of coordination between local economic needs and political action. The economic and financial crisis and the global political instability call for a whole challenge and at a maximum stress on the many issues to be addressed in the Euro Mediterranean area: migration, terrorism, security, crisis of the nations, identity, border closures. The changes in this area put the need to assess what has been achieved in terms of policies to rethink about a model that takes in consideration the best elements of the initiatives that, from the 90s to present, have been realized in the Mediterranean region (Barcelona Conference, Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM). However today, talking about the common area of peace and stability, the strengthening of political dialogue and security, economic and financial partnership and social and cultural cohesion means to overcome physical and ideological barriers for the presence of factors that undermine the certainties, destabilize society and make the route complex and uncertain. Economic exchanges between the North Shore of the Mediterranean and the South Shore, for example, have shown dialogue and common interests. However today, in this transitional phase, one wonders what remains of mediation, agreements, policies. The contribution, having an observatory like Italy, will focus on these aspects and on specific examples arising from the changes occurred in the Mediterranean area.