Individual negotiations instead of a Mediterranean Union?

Brussels correspondent Daniela Weingärtner takes a sceptical view of the Mediterranean Union advocated by Nicolas Sarkozy. "You don't have to be a prophet to foresee that the French president will fail with his new creation. True, the EU has a strong interest in its southerly neighbours getting back on their feet economically, adhering to the rule of law and at the same time being prepared to keep refugees, people traffickers, drugs and other evils away from Europe. But these neighbours are too diverse both culturally and economically for their demands to be satisfied through a common Mediterranean policy. Instead, the European Commission should develop a tailor-made negotiating strategy that meets with the approval of all 27 EU members for each individual country. This is a painstaking but promising approach."

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