• Who we are
• MEDA Programme
• Project Overview

• Outline
• Objectives
• Targeted Results
• Timeframe

• Team and Experts

• Project Secretariat
• Key Experts
• Country Legal Experts

• Alternative Dispute Resolution

MEDA Programme

The project Promotion of International Commercial Arbitration and Other ADR Techniques in MEDA Countries is made possible by the generous support of the European Union through its MEDA Programme. The MEDA Programme is the principal financial instrument of the European Union for the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership with the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. The aims of the Partnership are to: turn the Mediterranean region into an area of dialogue, exchange, and cooperation guaranteeing peace, stability, and prosperity; strengthen political dialogue; foster economic and financial cooperation; develop the social, cultural, and human dimensions; and establish a free-trade area by 2010.

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was launched at the 1995 Barcelona Conference between the European Union and its 12 Mediterranean partners, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia (Maghreb); Egypt, Israel, Jordan, West Bank & Gaza, Lebanon, Syria (Mashreq); Turkey, Cyprus and Malta. In addition, Libya currently has observer status at certain meetings.

The MEDA Programme offers technical and financial support measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the Mediterranean partner countries. The beneficiaries of support measures may include not only the Euro-Mediterranean partners but also local authorities, regional organizations, public agencies, local or traditional communities, organizations supporting businesses, sole proprietors, associations, foundations, and non-governmental organizations.

The MEDA Programme has bilateral and regional levels. At the bilateral level, the priorities for MEDA are:

• support to economic transitions: the aim is to prepare for the implementation of free trade through increasing competitiveness with a view to achieving sustainable economic growth, in particular through development of the private sector, and
• strengthening the socio-economic balance: the aim is to alleviate the short-term costs of economic transition through appropriate measures in the field of social policy.

Regional and multilateral cooperation complements and reinforces the bilateral approach, and reflects the progress made in the framework of the Barcelona Process. The regional Programme cover the three domains of the Barcelona Declaration, namely the political and security dimension; the economic and financial dimension; and the social, cultural and human dimension. At a multilateral level, the Programme takes action on issues of common concern and strengthens activities in support of decentralized cooperation.