Continue and intensify our relations with Community authorities

The City of Marseilles proposes to carry forth the action undertaken and conducted by the Cities of Bordeaux and Turin so that the European institutions give real consideration to the role of cities in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

This recognition must give rise to the institution of a financial instrument specific to decentralised cooperation, aimed at the local authorities, and with adequate financing. Thanks to the efforts of Alain Juppé, first President and founder of our Group, we were able to secure the creation of a pilot project, Med-Act, the deliverables of which have been deemed very positive, whether by the participating cities or the European Commission’s agencies. This year, a new Med-Pact project bid was offered to us. We hope to ensure that this new decentralised Euro-Mediterranean cooperation tool is expanded and made a lasting part of the MEDA Programme, echoing what the Committee of Regions has already said on this topic.
The recent dramatic events in the Middle East make it more necessary than ever that European cities support the local authorities of the countries affected by these conflicts.

It also appears essential to promote better integration of cities and recognition for their role, pursuant to the European Neighbourhood Policy and new instrument set up in 2007.

More effective coordination between the various existing financial instruments will emerge at this time and we want the cities to play a substantial part in implementing them and, in particular, pursuant to the new Target 3, which will incorporate the previous Interreg Programmes, which – it must be acknowledged – were so complex and cumbersome that they did not always allow the local authorities wishing to take part to actually benefit. We ask that special attention be paid to the participation of MEDA cities in these programmes.

To this end, our working group will be able to rely on the support of the second Deputy Mayor in charge of Relations with European Institutions, European MP and Member of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, as well as her colleagues in Strasbourg, whom she will mobilise for these undertakings.
 

Broaden and consolidate

Our partnership between Eurocities member cities and cities from Mediterranean countries not part of the European Union.

Marseilles has proposed that our working group be enhanced by bringing in new members, in particular cities from the South and East Mediterranean. The local authorities from the regions, often already involved in partnerships with our European cities, will be educated about the benefits of combining our aspirations and strengths, and their active participation will be encouraged.

Likewise, we propose that the Vice-Presidencies from the South and East Mediterranean become even more involved in our group’s work, following in that respect the example of the Vice-Presidencies previously held by Jbeil-Byblos, Casablanca, Mahdia and Jdéidé so that our structure can ultimately enjoy a real joint presidency, and assert real North-South partnership, as well as our legitimacy in playing a prominent part in the success of the Barcelona Process.

In this spirit, we wish to stir our partners to develop South-South cooperation and help them in this direction.

Marseilles also undertakes to carry on the action initiative by the City of Nice with regard to communication and enrich our website by:

• disseminating selected information
• setting up a “project fair” so that Member Cities can report their
  requirements and specific expertise, with the aim of fostering
  beneficial, successful cooperation projects. We do not all have
  the same needs, nor do we have similar expertise. It is important
  that we work more closely together, for the benefit of our
  objectives.

Build up our partnership drawing upon the action of other networks, organisations and institutions and involve an even greater number of citizens.

First and foremost, Marseilles would like our working group to make an even more beneficial and concrete contribution to Eurocities in order to enhance the position and influence of our network of cities where Euro-Mediterranean policy is concerned. This aspiration must take on concrete form in the months to come, through close cooperation with the Eurocities working group on the new neighbourhood policy.
A number of other players are working toward objectives that converge with those of our network and we have often had the opportunity, at the meetings held over the past six years now, to see just how valuable the various participants’ contributions can be: the Committee of Regions, World Bank, Technical Bureau of Lebanese Cities, A LINDH Foundation, United Cities and Local Governments, United Nations
Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – European Investment Bank (EIB) – French Association of the Council of Municipalities and Regions of Europe (AFCCRE), MedCités, COPPEM, the Latin Arc, and others still…
Marseilles is home to the Mediterranean Commission of United Cities and Local Governments, the World Bank’s urban network Europe-MENA, the ANIMA network (European programme aimed at fostering direct investments in MEDA countries), chairs the Morocco Country group in Cités Unies France and is a member of many networks.
It also supports a very large number of initiatives run by associations involved in cooperation: the Tethys Virtual University Network in the Mediterranean, headed by the University of Aix-Marseilles; the Mediterranean Institute managed by FEMISE. The Mediterranean Water Institute, and World Water Council. It is home to a United Nations outpost for Industrial Development, the French Agency for Development (AFD) and UBIFRANCE offices, the French Agency for the International Enterprise Development, covering the structure’s activities aimed at Mediterranean countries.
Marseilles has proposed that the members of our working group mobilise the aforementioned players alongside us, so as to facilitate our work, strengthen our ties with civil society and with universities and pool our resources.
 

Our working group now needs to be able to provide very functional services to its members. We know how complex it is to “put together” a cooperation project and manage it successfully. If we want our aspirations to be recognised (and funded), we must manage those projects flawlessly, ensure that they yield concrete and lasting deliverables and build strong partnerships.
To this end, we propose to set up special training programmes: the skills exist within our working group, where several European cities are very proficient in project engineering techniques and we can also use the skills of our partner networks.
Marseilles proposes to organise, with its volunteer partners, specific training sessions on these aspects (how to build a project budget? Etc.)
We also propose to work toward identifying funding sources in addition to European funds: we need to bring Consular Chambers, private enterprises with a stake in the economic development of the Southern and Eastern banks of the Mediterranean, as well as attract major donors to our projects.
We also wish to work in close connection with universities.
 

Marseilles wishes to propose that our working group keep the same major focus areas for its initiatives, as set out in the “Mayors’ Declaration” of September 2003, namely:
promoting intercultural dialogue and heritage conservation and promotion
ensuring social mainstreaming for immigrants
working toward sustainable management of the urban environment
strengthening local governance
building urban mobility
fostering economic development
using new information and communications technologies as tools for local development
focusing on urban planning and housing
In each of these focus areas, we feel it would be beneficial for the Mayors belonging to our working group to encourage and suggest civil servant exchanges between our cities, in accordance with the priorities and know-how of available on either end.
Marseilles proposes to establish a reference framework aimed at structuring this activity.
 

For several years now, the City of Marseilles has been equipped with a municipal structure dedicated to European Affairs. The structure is placed under the direct responsibility of Secretary General of the City of Marseilles and its objectives are set out by the Deputy Mayor in charge of Relations with European Institutions, Ms Madame Dominique VLASTO, also European MP since 1999.
A director and five project managers, an accountant and two secretaries make up the Marseille Mission Europe team.
The structure’s supervisors are specialised in international-level activities and European procedures.
Marseilles proposes that our working group’s technical secretariat be handled by this structure, which will include a bilingual project manger more specifically in charge of this aspect and supervised by a director.
Our group will also be able to rely on the support of the International Relations Department of the City of Marseilles, which develops a large part of its activities toward the Mediterranean.
As representative of the Mayor of Marseilles, Madame Dominique VLASTO will be deeply involved in steering this process. 

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