The Barcelona Declaration was adopted 28 November, 1995 by Foreign Ministers of 15 Member States of the European Union and 12 southern and eastern Mediterranean states (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey). Association agreements are now linking the EU with nearly all Mediterranean countries. Since 1 May 2004, Cyprus and Malta have become members of the ten new states of the European Union. Turkey, which was linked to the EU through a customs union since 1995, is officially in negotiations for accession to the EU since 3 October, 2005. Relationship with these three countries are now managed by the Directorate "EU enlargement" of the European Commission.

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, launched by the Barcelona Conference in November 1995, replaced the previously existing bilateral agreements by  association agreements that have a global and multilateral approach in three areas:
- The definition of a common area of peace and stability by strengthening the political and security dialogue (Political);
- The establishment of an economic and financial partnership and the gradual establishment of a free trade area by 2010 (Economic);
- The binging together between peoples and exchanges between civil societies (Social, cultural and human).

As for trade relations, the objective is the creation of a free trade zone to be established through the Euro-Mediterranean agreements and free trade agreements to be concluded between the MED countries themselves (South-south). The year 2010 was chosen as the target date for the gradual establishment of this zone that must cover substantially all trade in compliance with the obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Thus, the tariff and non tariff barriers to trade in manufactured products will be phased out according to timetables to be negotiated between the partners. Progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products is also envisaged, as well as trade in services, as defined in Article V of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

Anticipating the changing borders of the European Union after enlargement on 1 May 2004, the European Commission has initiated on 11  March 2003, the definition of a new Neighbourhood Policy (NPV) expected to strengthen ties with neighbouring countries of the enlarged EU: it offers its neighbours new opportunities for economic integration in return for concrete progress demonstrating the the respect of shared values and the implementation of political, economic and institutional reforms, including harmonizing their legislation with the community acquis.

In this perspective, the EU offers its neighbours in the East and the South of the Mediterranean the opportunity to benefit from the European internal market, and thus the free movement of goods, services, capital and people (four freedoms). .

The European Council, together with each country having already an existing agreement with the EU, approved in June 2004 the principle of adoption of action plans to make progress in these agreements implementation. Seven action plans, for a period of 3 years, were adopted in late 2004 (5 MEDA countries: Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and the Palestinian Authority and Ukraine and Moldova) and discussions are ongoing with Egypt and Lebanon.

The action plans provide operational tools developed with the Mediterranean partner countries which identify priorities for political and economic reforms and enhanced cooperation. The existing EU financial instruments (MEDA, TACIS) supported (j’ai mis au passé...) the action plans implementation until the end of 2006.

One of the objectives of the ENP is to enhance cooperation between countries participating in the Barcelona process and promote regional and sub-regional cooperation. From 2007, the Commission envisages the creation of a single European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) covering both the EU support to the ENP countries and cross-border cooperation with these states members. The amounts devoted to ENPI and the division between its components depend on the negotiation of the next financial perspective of the EU for 2007-2013.

Other policy guidelines include: the Doha summit and trade, issues of justice and home affairs, a better governance promotion, human rights and democratisation in the MED region, and environmental initiatives agreed Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development.

For more information, refer to the document Euro-Med Regional Indicative Programme 2005-2006 of the European Commission at the following address: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/euromed/rsp/meda_nip05_06_fr.pdf