We, Parliamentarians coming from 15 different Mediterranean countries, present at the 6^th Annual General Assembly of the Circle of Mediterranean Parliamentarians for Sustainable Development (COMPSUD) held in Corfu, Greece (3-4 May 2007), adopt unanimously the following declaration:

1. While overviewing the achievements of the first decade of the 21^st century, acknowledge that, despite the vision and framework set by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) seven years ago and despite the initiatives and efforts invested by international organizations and the Governments of the region, there is still a considerable gap between the time-bound tasks and targets of the various relevant processes and the achievements realized.

2. In particular, we express our anxiety about the deterioration of living conditions in parts of the Mediterranean region due to the exacerbation of armed conflicts as well as the high pressures exerted on natural resources resulting, among others, from increasing population, higher climate variability, expansion of desertification and unsustainable models of production and consumption.

3. We are convinced that the promotion of Sustainable Development in the countries of the Mediterranean Region depends on a set of prerequisites that still need to be fulfilled, among which of priority are:

a) The removal of the root causes of armed conflicts and wars through the honest implementation of the UN resolutions, conventions and declarations..

b) The coordinated action of governments and their increased cooperation on issues of management of shared and national resources in consultation with competent stakeholders including the civil society.

c) The systematic provision of information on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with emphasis on education on sustainable consumption (ESC) to all concerned stakeholders, including elected representatives.

d) The creation of suitable conditions for women and the increased recognition of their role and participation in society, especially filling existing gaps;

e) The enhancement of the role and active involvement of MPs, acting beyond governments and political parties, in order to strengthen democratic processes in the countries of the region, particularly on issues important for development, employment, environment and education.

4. We are convinced that the major socioeconomic humanitarian problem of illegal migration to and through the Mediterranean is closely linked to serious problems and pressures on environment and natural resources in the countries of Sub Saharan Africa. We urge all Mediterranean countries and the EU to implement policies assisting the aforementioned countries in effectively address these problems. 

5. We emphasize that the effective management of national and shared water resources must become an integral part of all countries’ efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), an approach that takes account of competing water needs in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner, is recognised as the appropriate response to the challenges faced. IWRM should be reflected in all national development planning instruments and budgets as well as the plans of sectors such as agriculture, energy, industry, health etc. Activities within the Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative (MED EUWI), the GEF Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine Ecosystems, the joint Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process on Shared Water Resources Management and other processes, contribute to these objectives and should be strengthened. Water should be recognised as a critical area and should be placed higher in the EU agenda as well as in the operational programmes of EU and Mediterranean countries. Furthermore, acknowledging the Petersberg Africa Process (facilitated by UNDP/GEF) and recognizing the potential for exchange of experiences between COMPSUD and Parliamentary networks in Africa we express the willingness of COMPSUD to participate in the Petersberg Africa Process.

6. We call all countries to ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol and to participate in the international action for reducing pollutants causing climate change. To this end we strongly support the development of Renewable Energy Sources in the Mediterranean, which has sun and wind as some of its prominent features and encourage governments and the Commission to place renewable energies in the centre of their energy policies in the region as well as to enhance research on global warming effects on the Mediterranean.

7. We urge governments to introduce innovative instruments, including ‘green’ investment, in order to promote their policies and effectively protect the natural resources, in particular water and forests.

8. We strongly recommend enhancing regional cooperation to share visions, experiences and good practices that can bring societies and concerned stakeholders closer, increasing their synergies and speeding-up the processes towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the creation of a sustainable future for the Mediterranean and the continents surrounding it. In this spirit, we call for a more effective cooperation between parliaments and environmental movements.

9. To this respect, we applaud the relevant work of Parliamentary bodies, such as the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the Inter Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly etc., that promote a coordinated action of elected people from different countries and regions towards common goals and we recommend COMPSUD to strengthen the links with these bodies, particularly on issues related to Environment and Sustainable Development.

10. We endorse the efforts undertaken by the European Commission under the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and we expect that a sufficient level of funding within the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) should be earmarked for environmental integration both at regional level of implementation (Regional Strategy for the Mediterranean) and at the national level (National Action Plans).

11. We fully support the Horizon 2020 Initiative to de-pollute the Mediterranean and express our wish to see the proper implementation of the agreed operational programme, in cooperation with all relevant partners and in particular with UNEP/MAP, supported politically and with adequate funding from the EU and other sources. To this end it is crucial that all Mediterranean countries ratify the “Land-based Pollution Sources” Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. The role of civil society and other stakeholders in the Horizon 2020 programme should be instrumental. In this framework, COMPSUD should respond to the call of the European Commission and be involved actively in the Steering Group of Horizon 2020.

12. We reiterate our suggestion that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) as well as all countries and institutions involved, must be fully supportive of the relevant recommendations of the Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (SIA EMFTA).

13. We call on governments to introduce and discuss Trade Agreements in Parliaments.

14. We call that the provisions of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development are fully streamlined with those of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

15. We call for sub-regional cooperation of neighboring Mediterranean countries on designating Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) in specific parts of the Mediterranean Sea including in parts of the Adriatic-Ionian.

16. We welcome a Mediterranean Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) along the lines of the Strategy on ESD already agreed by the majority of the Mediterranean countries within the framework of the UNECE; such a strategy should pay particular attention to the growing unsustainable consumption in the region. This strategy should be considered as an addendum to the MSSD elaborated in the framework of the Barcelona Convention.

17. We urge that the role and work of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) being one of the rare regional examples of advanced form of consultation and governance needs to be upgraded, strengthened and enriched by inputs from the region’s Parliamentarians. It should be examined if MCSD could be used as a monitoring body of the EMFTA implementation.

18. In view of the Greek Presidency of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly in 2008, we recommend that COMPSUD becomes available and acts as think tank and supportive mechanism for the most in-depth and effective work of the EMPA in areas covering the protection of the environment and sustainable development.

19. We welcome the organisation, within COMPSUD activities, of Biannual Meetings of Mediterranean Parliamentarians in Corfu Island, under the aegis of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that would review progress achieved and identify ways for parliamentarians to assist such processes.

COMPSUD by its nature is firmly committed to work with all other relevant Parliamentary Bodies, International Organizations and networks and contribute to all regional initiatives promoting the Sustainable Development of the Mediterranean Region.