(ANSAMed) - ROME, JULY 17 - ''The ENPI CBC Med program could be
the way forward out of the crisis, as its results appear very
encouraging so far,'' Sardinia Region Vice President Giorgio La
Spisa told representatives from local governments, universities
and chambers of commerce at Confindustria headquarters today.
He was the keynote speaker at the opening of the midterm
conference of the Cross-Border Cooperation in the Mediterranean
(CBC MED) program, which is part of the new European
Neighbourhood Policy and of its financing instrument (ENPI) for
the 2007-2013 period.
The program includes the European Union and 14 partner countries
placed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and its
objective is to promote harmonious and sustainable cooperation
in the Mediterranean, to face common challenges together, and to
leverage the potential of each of the 76 participating regions.
To date, 37 projects have been approved and 23 of these are in
the pre-financing stages, La Spisa said.
''Half way through the cycle, the balance is positive. The
possibilities for present and future implementation are good,
but we need to keep investing to keep the program going,'' said
La Spisa, whose region organized the conference and manages the
program. CBC MED also represents the possibility of spreading
shared values, respect and integration between all countries in
the area, he added. (ANSAMed).
