European concepts for the Mediterranean region : alienated neighbours, partners or a "mare nostrum"?

d) Towards_a_new_2hase? In the second half of the seventies developments on the northern part of the Mediterranean region changed the poli- tical map : the democratization of Greece, Portugal and Spain was put in direct relations to the membership of these count- ries in the Community. [...] The importance of the Mediterranean region for the "EC" The importance of the Mediterranean for Europe is re- 33 \ gulàrly deduced from five major problem areas : - the security aspect, especially the open southern flank of Nato ; - the political stability within the Mediterranean in keeping the status quo and preserving peace ; - 16 - 16 - - the security of energy supply for Western Europe ; - th. [...] The characteristics of the traditional division of labour can be seen from the composition of exports from the countries of the Mediterranean Basin to the Community (table - 18 - - 18 - 8). [...] On the positive side for the southern Mediterranean countries the new members of the Community will have to adopt the obligations of the "EC"-Mediterranean pol- icy thus being aligned to the more liberal Community import rules and opening their markets to the products of the south- ern Mediterranean countries. [...] In case the "EC" would participate as a unit, the necessary balance of the model would be destroyed to the benefit of the nor- thern shore of the Mediterranean.