Palma hosts a European ministers economic conference

A North-South European Economic forum opens today in Palma and will be attended by no less than 14 ex-European ministers and their current counterparts. The Balearic European Centre said that key debates will focus on the state of the European Union as it is today. This is the sixth such forum which is organised annually by an independent group called the Institute for European Affairs (INEA). On this occasion, the event is being sponsored by the Balearic government and will be held at the conference centre at the Hotel Melia Victoria. Also on the hot topics agenda for the coming days will be a look at how island communities, such as the Balearics, which fall within the European Union, should receive special economic considerations by the very nature of the fact they are cut off from mainland territory. Transport and fuel costs would fall within this bracket. This will be the first occasion the forum has highlighted the issue. According to the Institute for European Affairs, the purpose of this annual event is to bring together key figures in European politics and economy. They added it is an important opportunity to unite historic and current perspectives and therefore to make changes for the better. Some of the ministers attending are: Jacques Santer, the prime minister of Luxembourg who also heads up the European Commission; the ex president of the European Parliament, Klaus Hänsch; Prince Hassab of Jordan who is also president of the Rome Club, and a previous director of the World Bank, Lajos Bokros. The first day of the forum will focus on “EU relations with North and South America, the Arab states, Russia and China”. Significantly the congress will also examine maritime shipping and port facilities, considered of crucial importance to European development.