6th Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Industry in Rhodes on 21-22 September

Up to twenty-five Ministers responsible for industry in 37 EU and Mediterranean countries will meet in Rhodes, Greece, on 21-22 September 2006. Representatives of industrial organisations and various research institutes will also be present.

The Conference of Ministers responsible for Industry is held every two years, on the present occasion in co-operation with Greece and during Finland’s EU Presidency.The discussions about globalisation and the textile industry will be chaired by Mr Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Trade and Industry of Finland, the country currently holding the EU Presidency. Mr. Dimitris Sioufas, Minister of Development of Greece, will focus on innovations and investments.

The challenges of globalisation faced by companies in the EU and the Mediterranean countries will be the umbrella theme for the sixth Euromed Conference of Ministers responsible for Industry.
The purpose of the Conference is to exchange opinions on the new European neighbourhood policy and its opportunities for Euro-Mediterranean co-operation, to discuss ways of increasing investment in the Mediterranean region and to decide on new initiatives aimed at enhancing co-operation between the EU and its Mediterranean Partners.

The Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held in Barcelona in 1995, marked the starting point of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, i.e. the so-called Barcelona Process, comprising the current 25 EU countries, nine Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey) and the Palestinian Authority. One of the key objectives of the partnership is to create a free-trade Euro-Mediterranean area by 2010.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/euromed/(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)

Ministry of Trade and Industry(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)