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FOLIA GEOGRAPHICA 2013 (21), LV., pp. 5-20


Vzťahy EÚ s Krajinami Blízkeho Východu

Relations of the EU with the Countries of the Middle East


Anton Fogaš A*

Received: November 15, 2012 | Revised: January 8, 2013 | Accepted: March 1, 2013

A* University of Prešov, 17. novembra 1, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
anton.fogas@gmail.com (corresponding author)


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Abstract

The Middle East, due to its strategic geographic location and its political, economic, and cultural significance, is considered one of the macro-regions critical to the European Union (EU). Evidence of this importance is seen in the cooperation between countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean (EUROMED, the Union for the Mediterranean) and other European and Middle Eastern countries (EU and GCC). These unions have agreed on several mutual agreements focusing on economic, technological, environmental, and cultural cooperation, ensuring the continuation of these processes into the future.

Key words: EU, The Middle East, Mediterranean, EUROMED

Summary

Relations of the EU with the Countries of the Middle East

The European Union (EU), like other global centers, is actively engaged in international economic and political integration, participating in an extensive network of multilateral, regional, and bilateral trade relations with partners worldwide. EU countries aim to align their global cooperation activities with the world’s most promising regions. One such promising region for close collaboration is the southern and eastern Mediterranean, which connects to the Mashriq and Maghreb regions and the broader Middle East macro-region.

In the first half of the 1990s, the European Council meetings formulated the objectives of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EUROMED), presenting it as a new form of cooperation and a strategic eastward direction. This partnership built on previous bilateral agreements between the European Community (EC) / EU and Mediterranean territories. A significant milestone toward establishing a Mediterranean free trade area and enhancing the EU’s political role in the Middle East was achieved at the First EU-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona in November 1995. The Barcelona meeting aimed to intensify cooperation in the Mediterranean, boost trade, and eliminate commercial, religious, political, and social barriers. Through economic and social partnerships, the countries sought to create a politically stable and economically prosperous region at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In July 2008, representatives from 43 countries, including Slovakia, met in Paris to sign an agreement establishing the institutions of the Union for the Mediterranean, thereby revitalizing the Barcelona Process to some extent. The new Union for the Mediterranean continued to build on previous initiatives. Its primary objectives, projected until 2020, include improving the ecological conditions of the Mediterranean, constructing new and upgrading existing infrastructure, developing solar energy, promoting education and research, and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Participating states are also committed to enhancing cooperation on legal migration, preventing illegal immigration, and providing mutual assistance during natural disasters.

Additionally, EU member states from the southern and eastern Mediterranean are expanding their activities and cooperation in the Arabian Peninsula, post-war Iraq, and other Middle Eastern countries. These mutual agreements focus on industrial, commercial, energy, environmental, and customs cooperation, as well as security, development, and humanitarian aid. Despite the wave of revolutions in the Arab world, known as the “Arab Spring,” which began in 2012 and continues to affect the region (e.g., Syria and Egypt), there remain prerequisites for ongoing and mutual cooperation between the participating countries.

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