Geneva
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) and the United Nations Trade and Productive Capacity Cluster (which groups all United Nations organizations working on trade issues) will organize a joint conference to discuss measures to stimulate trade in the Mediterranean region on 4-5 May (Palais des Nations - Salle XII). The conference will be organized by UNECE in cooperation with UNCTAD and PAM.
The objective of this conference is to propose practical measures for stimulating and facilitating trade in the Mediterranean region in order to support economic growth, increased employment and poverty reduction. The conference is also meant to support the achievement of PAM’s broader strategic objectives including increased economic cooperation between its member States, the establishment of a Mediterranean Free Trade Zone and support for the development and internationalization of small-and medium-sized enterprises in the region.
The conclusions from the Conference will be submitted to the EUROMED Ministerial Meeting on Industry (11-12 May in Malta) and will also be the basis for future work undertaken by the PAM “Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean”.
The conference will bring together parliamentarians, government officials, and representatives from international organizations, the private sector, market support institutions (e.g. chambers of commerce and investment promotion agencies) and academia.
Topics to be discussed include the economic impact of recent political developments, regional trade agreements; the challenges associated with ensuring compliance with multilateral trading system rules and regulations and recent developments in the area of trade and logistics facilitation, with a special focus on relevant UNECE conventions, tools and recommendations. Participants will also be briefed on work that could support productive sector development in the region, including through north-south and south-south investment, and technology transfer.
Consistent with the strategic importance of water and energy development in supporting trade expansion and sustained development, delegates will also reflect on energy policy and regulation in the Mediterranean, with a focus on renewables as well as policies for optimizing the use of water.
The programme is available at: http://www.unece.org/trade/welcome.htm
Note to editors
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) include: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Syria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia and Turkey. 
Ref: ECE/TRADE/11/P04