Participants to the VII International Act of the Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas y Financieras (RACEF), which was held this afternoon in Barcelona under the title of “Decide today in order to create the future of the Mediterranean” coincided with the fact that the countries of the Mediterranean region and its area of influence, even outside the frontiers of the European Union and of Europe itself working together, would allow for an acceleration of the process of leaving the crisis behind as it would open up new markets. The 10 statesmen, economists and researchers from as many countries who took part also stated that there should be a new framework of cooperation between the countries of the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean and the ex European Soviet republics which would ease the flow of investments and labour within a framework of a common economic policy which would contribute specific solutions to the problems of each country.

Participating in the session, which was held at the offices of the Foment del Treball Nacional, were André Azoulay Corresponding Member of the RACEF for Morocco and Counsellor to King Mohamed VI; Eugen Simion, President of the Rumanian National Foundation for Sciences and Arts; Alessandro Bianchi Corresponding Member for Italy, Ex-Transport Minister of the Italian Government and ex- Rector of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria; Blagoje Cerovic Dean of the Nitchic Faculty (Montenegro); Iurii Kondratenko, Professor of the Mikolayiv University (Ukraine); Maya Simionescu Vice-President of the Rumanian Academy; Radivoje Konstantinovic Professor of the University of Serbia; Constantin Zopounidis Professor of the University of Crete (Greece)¸ Mohamed Laichoubi, Corresponding Member for Algeria and ex-Prime Minister of the Algerian Government; Abderraouf Mahbouli Corresponding Member for Tunisia and ex-Rector of the University of Tunisia. On the part of the RACEF, its Secretary and Permanent Member Alfredo Rocafort Nicolau took part. The President of the RACEF Jaime Gil Aluja closed the Session.

Azoulay, Laichoubi and Mahbouli have taken part in the political changes that have been occurring on the southern shore of the Mediterranean and in the opportunities and risks that these have meant. “After the revolts for freedom, the relations between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean have become obsolete” highlighted Mahbouli. “From the South, we must begin to see Europe as a means not as an objective” stated Laichoubi. “In Morocco we are heading towards democracy. In the whole of the region, our challenge is to come up with the correct answer to the equation authoritarianism-democracy- Islamism” concluded Azoulay.