2nd Standing Committee on Economic, Social and
Environmental Cooperation
PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean
Sectoral Group on Finance
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION
Lisbon, Portugal
29 June 2012
Extraordinary political events in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean have raised expectations on the region’s future growth and the process towards sustainable economic development. At the same time, the effects of the financial crisis on the Mediterranean and beyond, have equally put important pressure on Governments to reduce public spending, whilst at the same time reviving growth in their economies.
Across the Mediterranean a special need is felt to modernise the region’s economies by stimulating the economic reform agenda and improving the regional investment climate and business environment. This is even more relevant as social and demographic dynamics are putting more pressure on Governments for the near future. In the absence of a Free Trade Area in the Mediterranean there is an urgent need for regional parliamentary co-operation to promote economic growth through measures such as facilitating the development of SMEs, encouraging the creation of employment and increasing trade in the Mediterranean region.
At the kind invitation of the Portuguese Parliament, the Finance Group of the PAM Panel will meet in Lisbon, Portugal, to hold a parliamentary debate on the theme: “Towards a sustainable economic development in the Mediterranean Region” from a financing perspective. This high-level Conference will address also the issue of capital markets, as the financial instruments for long term financing and for sustainable economic development of SMEs in the area.
At the meeting, Mediterranean MPs, along with regional Financial Institutions, UN and Agencies, and the private sector, will meet to discuss strategic approaches for the financial sector and parliaments, on how to achieve sustainable growth.
Background:
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), is the inter-state organization where the Parliaments of the region meet to reach common objectives towards the creation of the best political, social, economic and cultural environment for the fellow citizens of the member states. PAM enjoys the status of Permanent Observer at the General Assembly of the United Nations.
The PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean is a high level think-tank created by PAM in the framework of its 2nd Standing Committee, launched in Lisbon, Portugal on 27-28 May 2010 with the aim of gathering parliamentarians and representatives of the economic and productive sectors at large, in order for the MPs to better contribute to the economic processes through their legislative actions. It works in cooperation with major international and regional economic institutions such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the World Bank (WB), Chambers of Commerce and Industrialists Unions from the Euro-Mediterranean area, along with the most relevant Multilateral Development Banks in the Region.