European Parliament
A7-0104/2012
Vladko Todorov Panayotov  (ALDE ),
in writing.
– The Arab Spring had a strong negative effect on private investments in the region. Since January 2011, a lot of these investments have been transferred to other countries which were considered more politically stable, such as Turkey. The EU shares responsibility for this. Indeed, the slowness of its reaction and the lack of political will and coherence resulted in investors’ lack of confidence. Depending on the country, the post-Arab spring political situation is taking more or less time to stabilise, but we can be confident at this stage that the southern Mediterranean countries will find a way towards democracy. We should encourage this transition by boosting public and private investments in the region, through the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership, with emphasis placed on SMEs. That the EU manages to send the right signals at the right time is crucial. This is not just a matter of economics; this will define its credibility in a region where half the population is under 25 and which promises to be increasingly dynamic.

