The Organising Committee of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union publishes the programme of the second Spanish Presidency of the European Union (first semester of 1995) entitled ‘Priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union’. The four major areas for action are the economic revival of Europe in a socially integrated framework, citizen participation, external relations and the planning of the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference.

Conclusions of the European Council held in Madrid on 15 and 16 December 1995 to close the second Spanish Presidency of the European Union, in which the major themes covered include employment, the single currency, the holding of an Intergovernmental Conference in 1996 for the revision of the Treaties, and the enlargement of the EU towards Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Fabián Alarcón, President of Ecuador and Chairman of the Andean Presidential Council (on the left), meets Manuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for External Relations.

On 17 March 1998, Miguel Burelli, Venezuelan Foreign Minister (on the left), and Rafael Caldera, President of Venezuela (second from the right), are received by Manuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for External Relations, and Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission.

On 27 October 1998, Manuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for External Relations (on the left), meets Jorge Quiroga, Vice-President of Bolivia.

On 10 November 1998, Alberto Pandolfi, Peruvian Prime Minister (on the left), meets Manuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for External Relations.

On 8 March 1995, the European Commission sends a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament in which it submits a series of proposals for the implementation of a Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

On 8 March 1995, in Brussels, Manuel Marín González, Vice-President of the European Community in charge of External Relations with Southern Mediterranean Countries, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia (except Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), holds a press conference on the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean partnership, in anticipation of the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference due to be held in Barcelona on 27 and 28 November 1995, and emphasises the importance of developing global multilateral political cooperation in the Mediterranean.

Meeting in Barcelona on 27 and 28 November 1995, the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference adopts a joint declaration which establishes the aims and working methods of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

On 20 November 1995, the Spanish daily newspaper El País analyses the objectives of the Barcelona Conference of 27 and 28 November, during which the European Union lays the foundations for the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean Association

In November 1995, the French monthly newspaper Le Monde diplomatique analyses the implications of the Barcelona Conference due to be held on 27 and 28 November, which would lay the foundations for the Euro-Mediterranean Association initiated by the European Union.

On 21 May 1996, the Brussels Declaration sets out the decisions taken at the ministerial Euro-Mediterranean Conference on industrial cooperation, held in Barcelona.

On 31 May 1996, the conclusions of the Euro-Mediterranean ministeral conference on the information society held in Rome emphasise the importance of strengthening cooperation between the Euro-Mediterranean partners in the fields of telecommunications and information technology.

In this interview, Manuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission from 1993 to 1999, mentions the success of the bilateral agreements concluded in connection with the European Union’s Euro-Mediterranean policy, developed from 1995 and regrettably ‘curbed’ by the tensions resulting from the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He also discusses the current project for a Union for the Mediterranean and the challenges and prospects with regard to Euro-Mediterranean dialogue.