Parliamentarians call on the Union of Mediterranean countries to come up with a time frame for establishing a Palestinian State, "possibly within 2 years", "comprising Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem", says the recommendation.

Israel should freeze all settlement activities, says the Assembly. "The continuing expansion of settlements is destroying trust between the partners, undermining the authority of the Palestinian negotiators and prejudging the outcome of the final status negotiations", says the recommendation, although the Israeli delegation publicly expressed its reservations.

In the debate on the peace process, Chair of the EP delegation to the Palestinian Legislative Council Pronsias De Rossa (S&D, IE), said "mutual trust is key to this conflict. Building trust entails putting an end to the siege of Gaza and finding a solution for Palestinian prisoners detained outside the constraints of the Geneva Convention".

"That’s why I believe that the recommendations of the Goldstone are important. If implemented, these recommendations could be the starting point for building the trust that this region needs", added De Rossa, who was backed by Hélène Flautre (Greens/EFA, FR).

"We should focus our political activity not only the advantages of peace but also on the risks and costs of non-peace for the whole region, for Israel, the Palestinians and the EU", said Rodi Kratsa (EPP, EL).

"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is casting a shadow over our meetings", said Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, SL) who welcomed the presence of the Israeli delegation. "You don’t have to feel encircled, we are aiming at securing a prosperous Israeli state and the same goes for building a Palestinian state. Please convey to Israel why we are worried about the population of Gaza", he added.

The recent Israeli decision to list sacred sites in Hebron, Bethlehem and Jerusalem in an Israeli national heritage restoration plan caused concern among MEPs and Assembly MPs. The parliamentarians decided debate this issue thoroughly at a joint meeting of the Political and Culture Committees in Istanbul in May 2010.

Value added of the Union for the Mediterranean

The UfM has given a "new impetus" and "greater political significance and economic effectiveness" to the Barcelona process via its project-based approach, says an Assembly recommendation on the value added by the UfM to the region's development (rapporteurs Raimon Obiols and Ivo Vajgl for the EP). The UfM is also "an asset for achieving institutional reforms in Mediterranean countries" and tackling issues such as water, energy and immigration", it adds.

According to Raimon Obiols (S&D, ES), "changing the name of the Assembly from EMPA to Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM should be the first step to enforce a real parliamentary dimension of the Union". On behalf of the EU's Spanish Presidency, Ambassador Jose Riera Siquier assured the Assembly that "The EMPA recommendations will be taken into account with a view to the upcoming June 2010 UfM summit in Barcelona".

"EMPA is a political bridge across the Mediterranean, a unique form of co-operation. It needs more than ever to give boost to the peace process and the economies of the region", said European Parliament President  Jerzy Buzek, who led the EP Delegation and who recently met the Israeli Foreign Minister and the President of the Palestinian Authority in Brussels.

No consensus on a Mediterranean Bank

The Assembly did not reach a consensus on the Tunisian proposal to transform the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) into a Mediterranean Branch of the European Bank of Investment (EIB). Some delegations from the EU national parliaments (including Sweden, Finland and Germany), opposed creating such a bank, arguing that existing facilities are better and that loans would be more expensive if the bank were to be set up.

The Assembly nevertheless asked that the "most efficient mechanism to support the UfM projects" should be studied, one option being "a Euro-Mediterranean Bank".

Charles Henri, of the UfM mission, presented to the Assembly the mandate of the working group, set up by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on the feasibility of a financial instrument for the Union, which should not interfere with existing institutions and mechanisms (African Bank of Development, Neighbourhood and Pre-Accession Instruments, EDF for Mauritania…). The 10-strong group will make public its recommendations 27 May, a few days before the Barcelona summit in June.

The Assembly also adopted recommendations on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs (rapporteur Hélène Flautre) and on the preservation and sustainability of the Common sea, including the Dead Sea (rapporteur Ioannis Kasoulides, EPP, CY).

Croatia and Montenegro joined the Assembly

EMPA decided to welcome, as new members of the Assembly, Croatia and Montenegro, which are also members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

EMPA brings together 280 parliamentarians. Of these, 130 represent EU members (81 members of the 27 EU national parliaments and 49 MEPs), 10 members from the parliaments of the European Mediterranean partner countries (2 members for each of the delegations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Monaco, and Montenegro), and 130 members of the parliaments of the ten founding Mediterranean partners, on the basis of equal representation, and 10 members from the Mauritanian Parliament.

Italian Presidency of the EMPA until March 2011

Gianfranco Fini, Speaker of the Chamber of deputies, highlighted Italy's priorities: promoting democracy and human rights ("democracy is not only about elections but is an everyday deed" he said), tackling the "environmental challenge of the Mediterranean Sea" and «immigration flows" and also "the way these populations can be integrated into the host countries". The Italian Parliament will hold the EMPA’s rotating presidency until March 2011, succeeding the Jordanian House of Representatives.

EMPA has matured, says Pittella

The Assembly endorsed a proposal to set up its own operational budget and permanent secretariat. Commenting on his budget proposal, Gianni Pittella (S&D, IT) said that "the EMPA has matured and is now a grown-up player in the Mediterranean region. Parliamentarians from the two shores will have the capacity to fully play their part in tacking issues of common interests such as peace, energy and migrations".

Jerzy Buzek paid tribute to Mr Pittella for chairing the working group that channelled that "significant proposal for the Assembly" through the plenary session. "The Assembly now has the necessary means to go ahead and fully play its role as the parliamentary institution of the UfM", said Buzek.