European cross-Mediterranean trade has increased by between four and 10 percent since the year 2000, according to Brussels' data. European funding to encourage trade integration and liberalisation with these partners will reach €12 billion by 2013.
Yet critics say that although standards and rules have converged, enthusiasm has dropped off. After the Brussels summit, President Sarkozy defended his proposal for a new political 'Club Med', saying "Everyone says that Europe pays into this part of the world and yet is not present enough politically. Here's the chance, for the Union for the Mediterranean to convey the vision of a politically committed Europe".
In practice, insiders say the Union for the Mediterranean will be little more than a new political umbrella over the existing Euro-Mediterranean partnership launched 13 years ago in Barcelona.
The Turkish government in Ankara has said it will "look warmly on new cooperation projects", after it was assured that 'Barcelona II' is not meant as a substitute for Turkey's eventual membership in the EU. Analysts blame the disappointing results of the process so far partly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also on Mediterranean governments' poor record in using the EU funds on offer.
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