Europe Programme - [11/16/2006]

Spain-France Forum, one of the achievements of the year for Zapatero and Chirac

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Jacques Chirac and Pasqual Maragall, Presidents of the governments of Spain, France and Catalonia, met together in Girona to participate in the 1st Spain-France Dialogue Forum, an encounter organised by the CIDOB Foundation and the French company, Veolia Environnement. Held in the Caixa Girona – Fontana d’Or Cultural Centre, the dialogue forum, paralleling the 19th Spain-France Summit, discussed such initiatives as the creation of a Franco-Spanish cultural television channel, which would follow the example of the Franco-German channel, Arte. Other proposals also emerged, such as creating an office, with its headquarters in Barcelona, that would allow co-operation to be strengthened between Spain and France in the area of immigration; prioritising electrical interconnection; and creating a census of technology parks, among other ideas.

The Spain-France Dialogue Forum, which was created with the intention of strengthening ties between the civil societies of the two countries, had the participation of more than seventy prominent representatives of the French and Spanish cultural, business and academic worlds. Among others, on the part of Spain were: Jordi Mercader (Agbar), Antonio Oporto (ALSTOM), the architect Ricard Bofill, Fernando Vallespín, President of the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), Ramón de Miguel (Iberdrola), the dramatist Josep M. Flotats, Marcelino Oreja (FCC Group), the musician Jordi Savall, the biologist Anna Veiga, the essayist José Vidal de Beneyto, and Alberto Navarro, the Secretary of State for the EU. On the part of France, among others, were: the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics Claude Cohen-Tanoudji, the cosmonaut and former Minister of European Affairs Claudie Haigneré, the President of the Midi-Pyrénées Regional Economic and Social Council Jean-Louis Chauzy, and the President of France Telecom, Didier Lombart (participants in the working groups) (msword 69kB) .

Narcís Serra y Henri Proglio, Presidents of the CIDOB Foundation and Veolia Environnement, respectively, emphasised that this new forum “aims to undertake concrete initiatives which will last over time”.

ZAPATERO, CHIRAC AND MARAGALL

In his intervention, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero admitted to feeling very good about having European partners and friends like France. Zapatero underscored the great relationship he enjoys with his counterpart, Chirac, especially because of the way he treats the government of Spain. The President of the Spanish government stated the the two countries are "closer every day in aspects such as culture, business, politics, research, the media and universities". He also recognised Catalonia as the driving force in Franco-Spanish relations. The Spanish President spoke about immigration as the most important challenge in the bilateral programme with France. “We will have to innovate and seek out a path not yet taken,” he indicated.

For his part, the French President, Jacques Chirac, explained the fruits of the progress in the Franco-Spanish relationship this last year and a half. “We have taken steps forward with the creation of the joint Security and Defence Council and with this forum of civil dialogue”. In addition, Chirac highlighted the fact that “the year is ending with a new balance in relations between Spain and France, which is of interest to both countries”.

Previously, Pasqual Maragall had highlighted the idea that “Catalonia is the cushion between Spain and France”. In addition, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia explained to Zapatero and Chirac why he would express himself in Catalan in this forum. “You will understand Catalan because it is half-way between Spanish and French”. In his last institutional appearance in the international arena, Maragall recalled that, during his tenure as Mayor of Barcelona, Paris, which was then ruled by Chirac, was one of its rivals in the competition to host the 1992 Olympic Games. “We were first rivals for the Olympic Games and, from that moment on, also friends.”

WORKING GROUPS

The activity of the Forum was organised in working groups, which carried out proposals concerning four areas of debate: cultural exchanges; research and universities; immigration and integration; and energy and Europe.

Rodrigo Uría, Chairman of the Royal Board of Directors of the Prado Museum, proposed, in the name of the cultural exchange group, that a cultural television channel, inspired by the Franco-German channel, Arte, be created. “This is very important, from a cultural point of view, in addition to generating employment and quality,” Uría stated. The cultural exchange group also denounced “the spectre of attacks against freedom of creation and expression that are occurring in Europe.”
Uría highlighted that “we thought we were in a democratic Europe”, while lamenting censorship, self-censorship and prohibitions.

The lawyer and professor, Eduard Sagarra, as the spokesperson for the immigration group, proposed the creation of specific offices or organisms in the immigrants’ countries of origin, in order to improve co-operation in the admitting countries. He also stated the need for “international, regional and community co-operation to deal with the future of immigration”. In addition, the immigration group demanded the “creation and approval of a charter of rights and duties of immigrants who arrive in Europe”.

The research group was represented at the conclusions round table by Claudie Haigneré, cosmonaut and former Minister of European Affairs, who proposed intensifying co-operation in the area of research and universities. Haigneré asked for the “creation of a census of technology parks”, in addition to generating an exchange of Franco-Spanish talent. She also spoke of creating the “Erasmus Picasso programme”, a prolongation of Erasmus, which would seek out associations with businesses. The adviser to the Presidency of ESA considers that students who take part in the exchange “should live with a family in order to better integrate themselves into the host country”.

As the spokesperson for the energy group, Ramón de Miguel, adviser to Iberdrola, affirmed the need for co-operation between Spain and France in the area of energy. “Currently Spain is an island on the European continent”. In addition, de Miguel complained about the deficit of interconnections that exists in Spain. “This situation could be started on the way towards solution if the directives of the European Union were applied”.

Designed with the ambition for it to become an annual meeting held on an alternating basis in Spain and France, this Spain-France Dialogue Forum will have the conclusions and recommendations of its participants be delivered to the Heads of State and of Government of the two countries in anticipation of the next Franco-Spanish Summit, which will be held in France in 2007.

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