EU and Mediterranean countries to a summit in Paris
Government Communications Unit
Press Release 193/2008
25 June 2008
The summit for the EU and Mediterranean countries will take place in Paris on Sunday 13 July. The meeting will be organised by France which begins its EU Presidency in July. The EU Member States, 12 countries participating in the Barcelona Process, and Libya, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Monaco have been invited to the summit. President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will represent Finland at the meeting.
The summit opens with a plenary session which is to adopt a declaration on the enhancement of cooperation between the EU Member States and the countries in the Mediterranean area. A dinner for the Heads of State or Government will follow the plenary session.
The current Euro-Med cooperation is based on the Barcelona Process launched in 1995 which aims at creating an area of peace, stability and shared prosperity through the enforcement of political dialogue and the promotion of economic and cultural partnership in the Mediterranean area.
Finland supports the development of Euro-Mediterranean relations. It is important that all EU countries can participate as equal partners. Ever since the early steps, Finland has actively participated in the Barcelona Process and its development.
Further information: Risto Veltheim, Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6031 or +358 40 748 2697
