The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the New Pact for the Mediterranean, a month ahead of its official launch by the European Commission. The Committee calls for bottom-up processes ensuring that the Pact has a direct, positive impact on all people, especially young people.

The opinion was adopted at the EESC September plenary session, after the debate on the state of play of the new pact for the region, with the Director of the Commission’s Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf, Stefano Sannino.

Mr Sannino explained that the New Pact is based on three pillars: people; economic cooperation and security; resilience and migration management.

EESC member and rapporteur for the opinion, Thomas Wagnsonner, said: ‘We regard the New Pact as a development model with joint partnerships on equal footing and business opportunities that should lead to sustainable economic growth and innovation with high-quality jobs, especially for young people and women, in inclusive and socially stable societies in the Mediterranean region’.

Similarly, Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, EESC member and co-rapporteur, said: ‘For real impact, action is needed, including civic co-authorship, civic engagement and monitoring carried out with communities – where prosperity is human-centred, accountability is collective and solidarity is lived, not just words."

Young people at the heart of the New Pact

The Pact seeks to focus on people and develop a people-centred agenda so that it can bring tangible results for societies. Notably, almost half the population (47%) in the region are under 24 years old.

Pablo Pastor from the Anna Lindh Foundation and President of the Mediterranean Youth Council, a guest speaker at the EESC plenary debate, said: ‘We cannot afford to make the same mistakes as in the last thirty years. We cannot adopt a paternalistic view of the Mediterranean. We cannot sign agreements that are not respected’.

The Pact envisages the establishment of a Mediterranean university. Through education, training and upskilling, more and better working opportunities can be offered to the region's young people, creating the conditions for a prosperous future. (mt)