ESC opinion: Commission communication on Mediterranean policy
On 27 November 1991, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) adopted an opinion on the Mediterranean policy of the European Community. In preamble: A Commission communication on "Redirecting the Community's Mediterranean policy (1992-1996)" (SEC(90) 812) was presented to the Council on 1 June 1990; subsequently the Council reached a "package" Decision on various aspects of the renewed Mediterranean policy. The present (20 page) ESC opinion discusses this policy, making a number of references to RTD-related topics. Inter alia, the Committee does not accept the exclusion, from both horizontal cooperation and Decisions concerning the new policy, of development of human resources, scientific and technological cooperation, and support for Community energy investment. There is no acknowledgement of the urgent need to make up the considerable delay in scientific and technical cooperation with the Mediterranean countries. Sectoral policy (research, energy, etc.) hence remains divorced from Mediterranean policy. The Committee considers that effective scientific and technical cooperation should be seen not as a secondary or optional aspect but as the first link in the wealth-creation process. Examining other horizontal cooperation fields, the Committee endorses the importance assigned to environmental action, and the support given to operations of regional interest (regional cooperation, and studies for regional infrastructure projects).