Europe of Many Circles: European Neighbourhood Policy

The Mediterranean gave birth to some of the world's great civilisations, religions and cultures. Europe and the Mediterranean are joined by both history and geography. The Mediterranean is also a sea of cultures, languages and religions that binds the peoples of its shores. A growing number of EU residents have their roots in the Mediterranean, a region that affects Europe to an increasing extent. Hence, as Romano Prodi, the president of the European Commission, stated, ‘It does not seem conceivable to the Europeans that new Europe could be constructed by neglecting its “birthplace”, the Mediterranean.’Footnote