The Union of the Mediterranean was proposed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to unite all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Originally met with opposition, the plan has been scaled back and will now include all 27 EU nations and Mediterranean border countries. The partnership will focus on issues such as cleaning up the sea and increasing the use of solar energy. Critics suggest the revised plan lacks the original vision of unity proposed by Sarkozy.
The Union of the Mediterranean, or UMed, is a plan suggested by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to freely unite all the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Originally announced as part of his 2007 presidential campaign, the union would set policies and hold summits on issues relevant to the geographic region. After serious opposition from European Union members, plans for the Mediterranean Union have been significantly scaled back, and summit meetings between participating nations are scheduled for 2008.
Sarkozy’s initial project for the Union of the Mediterranean had several objectives. Geographically, the problems for countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea had little to do with the concerns of Northern Europe. Sarkozy suggested that the union would serve an important cause by uniting the interests of European, North African and Middle Eastern countries. By working together to discuss and compromise on issues affecting all three areas, the UMed could help bury the ideological conflict that has existed for thousands of years. Sarkozy also saw the plans as a means to help bring peace between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations.
Criticism of the proposed union has come from many directions. German opposition suggested that the plan was an attempt by France to gain power, as it would be the largest union state in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, Northern European nations believed it could subvert the goals of the European Union (EU), the international structure that oversees 27 European nations. Of primary importance to EU nations has been the admission of countries that do not meet the human rights standards needed to join the European Union.
After lengthy negotiations, plans for the Union underwent many changes. The union would now include all 27 EU nations, as well as all countries with a Mediterranean border. In July 2008, a three-day summit in France will outline several key goals of the partnership. Among the most pressing issues are cleaning up the Mediterranean Sea, building roads in North African countries, upgrading port facilities to fight terrorism and illegal immigration, and increasing the use of solar energy in Mediterranean climates.
Critics of the revised plan suggest that the original’s goals were diluted by bureaucracy. The initial problem of an organization dealing with specifically Mediterranean issues was destroyed by the addition of countries in vastly different regions. Some suggest that the Union of the Mediterranean will simply act as an umbrella organization for the already existing Euro-Mediterranean partnership. It is far from the grand vision of unity initially proposed by the optimistic Sarkozy, but only time will tell whether the scaled-down version will have merit of its own.
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