EU-Mediterranean Strategy 2002-2006

"The Barcelona Process, established in 1995, is the means through which the EU
supports Mediterranean partners in their political, economic and social reforms while
at the same time building a closer EU-Med partnership. To tackle in a co-ordinated manner the challenges they jointly face, the EU and the partners have created a
multilateral regional framework, in which a new bilateral contractual relationship (the
Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements, combined with free-trade Agreements
among the Mediterranean partners) and a dedicated assistance programme (MEDA)
help each country to progress on the way towards the Barcelona objective."