2 Panel Series at the “World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies”. Barcelona, 19 to 24 July 2010.

Activity co-organized by  CREMed and the European Institute (London School of Economics)

The third World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES) took place in Barcelona fom 19 to 24 July 2010, following the two previous editions in Mainz (Germany) and Amman (Jordan). The congress organizers were the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Government of Catalonia. The objective of Congress was to exchange research, experience and ideas on Euro-Mediterranean issues related to the Euromed Process, the Euromed agenda of 2010, as well as the forthcoming Spanish presidency of the European Union. The Congress was attended by more than 2,700 academic experts from over 72 countries.

Representative of the high quality economic research promoted by both CREMed and the European Institute (LSE), the two centers joined efforts in the organization of  two pre-organized panels in the WOCMES Scientific Program. The Panel Series "Economies of the Mediterranean" focused on the economic relationship between the European Union and Mediterranean countries, focusing on two main subjects: “Migrations and Trade” on the one hand, and “Economic Development” on the other.

The economic and financial goals of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership are to allow the creation of an area of shared prosperity. For that reason, partner countries boost co-operative initiatives to promote a sustainable and balanced socio-economic development which permits the progressive setting up of a free trade area in the Euro-Mediterranean zone. The session on Migration and Trade was dedicated to analysis of the relationship between the Free Trade Agreements (involving south Mediterranean countries and their EU counterparts) and the growing migratory movements. The objective of the session on Economic Development was  to discuss specific topics of interest that included, but were not limited to, structural reforms and institutional framework (public sector performance, decentralization, governance), economic impact of improving basic education and health services, water management and sanitation. The panels included presentations by researchers and prominent scholars from various academic institutions, and regional and international organizations. Each lecture was  followed by comments of a paper discussant.

Click on panels to see the program and abstracts.

Panel 1: "Migrations and Trade". Analysis of the relationship between the Free Trade Agreements (involving south Mediterranean countries and their EU counterparts) and the growing migratory movements.

Panel 2: "Economic Development". Discussion of specific topics of interest including, but are not limited to, structural reforms and institutional framework (public sector performance, decentralization, governance), economic impact of improving basic education and health services, water management and sanitation.