UfM Secretariat welcomes Federica Mogherini’s appointment as High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission

Barcelona, 24 October 2014 – Yesterday the European Council officially confirmed the appointment of Federica Mogherini as the Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the incoming European Commission.

The UfM Secretariat welcomes Federica Mogherini’s appointment as European foreign policy chief, especially as she assumes the co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean. The EU assumed the permanent northern co-presidency of the UfM after the decision of the Council of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs in February 2012. The renewal of Jordan as the southern co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean was endorsed by the UfM Senior Officials during the fourth UfM Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), held in Brussels this year.

During the hearing in the European Parliament on 6 October 2014, the High Representative pointed out the need to strengthen collaboration with regional cooperation frameworks, such as the Union for the Mediterranean and the 5+5 Dialogue, in order to provide support to the Mediterranean countries and contribute towards tackling the challenges currently facing the Euro-Mediterranean region. Federica Mogherini also remarked during the parliamentary hearing that the European Union is a key player for the development of the Mediterranean region.

The Union for the Mediterranean has witnessed renewed political dynamism with stronger involvement of the co-presidencies and UfM ministers, who have convened sectorial ministerial meetings in the areas of transport, energy, the role of women in society, industrial cooperation and environment and climate change since September 2013. The latest UfM ministerial meeting took place in Brussels on 30 September 2014, providing a concrete political framework for implementing operational actions in the field of the digital economy.

The new European Commission, with Jean-Claude Juncker as President and Federica Mogherini as High Representative and Vice-President, will take office on 1 November.