Over these six years, relations between Marseilles and Europe changed the face of the city.

• The most visible change: 17 major infrastructures were built, with EUR 13.6 M in funding, secured by Marseilles Mission Europe, under the European Union’s regional policy. This figure accounts for nearly one-fourth of the budget needed to build Cité des métiers, the Belle de Mai Media Hub or the Château Gombert Technological Hall.
• The most promising: Marseille was chosen by the European Commission to carry out ten cooperation projects across the world, often as lead party. Our city secured over EUR 6M in Community programme funding for action on urban management, healthcare, the environment, urban planning and ­social action.

  Dates

Marseille, over 20 years of European history

Ten years before the Barcelona Process was instituted, Marseilles was already opening up Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, to develop economic, political and cultural exchanges between the two sides of the Mediterranean.

• 1985
  In Marseille, the European Commission opens its only representation office in the French provinces, and the Mediterranean Integrated Programmes (PIM) are founded – the first Euro-Mediterranean cooperation initiative
• 1993
  The City of Marseilles creates a municipal structure dedicated to European Affairs and receives its first European funding under the Urban Pilot Project.
• 1997
  Marseilles inaugurates the first “New Start School”, Ecole de la deuxième chance, in Europe. This example was followed, in Europe, by the creation of 12 other schools.
• 1998
  Marseilles becomes the headquarters to Femise, network grouping over 70 independent economic institutes from 27 Euro-Mediterranean countries responsible for economic analysis of the Barcelona Process.
• 2000
  Marseilles becomes home to the only Regional Information Bureau at the European Parliament and hosts the Fourth Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
• 2004
  Marseilles hosts the European Investment Bank (EIB) conference dedicated to sustainable investment in the Mediterranean.
• 2005
  Several high-profile international meetings are held in Marseilles: les Rendez-vous de la Méditerranée, the Euro-Mediterranean Media Colloquium and the Euro-Mediterranean Investment Summit.
• 2006
  On Thursday 9 November 2006, the City of Marseilles is unanimously voted President of the Euromed Network of Cities.
  Two Vice-Presidencies are also granted:
  One to the City of Fez in Morocco, and the other to the City of Jdeidé in Lebanon.
• 2007
  Marseilles, Economic Capital of the Mediterranean
  From 19 to 24 November 2007
  The City of Marseilles and Provence – Alpes – Côte d’Azur Region organised, with the Euro-Mediterranean Public Development Establishment, the first “Mediterranean Economic Week”. Through fourteen large-scale events, economists, experts, entrepreneurs, elected officials and local and national public leaders from different countries were able to broach the major issues conditioning the consolidation of the Mediterranean partnership and regional economic integration
• 2008 : French Presidency of the European Union
  
   

  Marseille plays host to many major events

1 – 2 July The Anima network launches the Invest in Med programme. It is a new European project, aimed at fostering, from Marseilles, investments in the Mediterranean Basin.

2 July First Ministerial Meeting organised by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Euromed Commerce Conference brought together 27 EU Ministers in Marseilles and 13 Mediterranean partners.

3 – 4 July This Ministerial conference was followed by the "Med Business Days" meeting on the topic “Enterprises, driving the Mediterranean”.