First report of the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory

Published : Friday 06 November 2015
In the North as well as in the South, the current context does not seem favourable to the implementation of new production partnerships between countries characterised by varied and complex economic and social situations. The latter give rise to deep economic tensions characterised by high unemployment rates, deflation risks, decrease in household consumption, etc.

Yet, for several years now, new economic dynamics have been operating in order to better enhance the complementarity between both shores of the Mediterranean.

In the former model, still predominant in the region, there was a form of North/South complementarity but it was limited to a traditional division of labour, exemplified by the relocation of intensive units in the South, with an unskilled and low-value-added workforce.

A new paradigm is starting to be set up by relying on the main assets of SEMC, that is skilled and highly-skilled workforce, the presence of industrial partners well established on their respective markets, a strong infrastructure basis that keeps modernising, access to emerging markets in the Mediterranean and beyond, a dynamic youth and political regimes in transition that must focus on strengthening their economies. From then on, it is no longer about keeping activities requiring a high-skilled workforce in the North and relocating activities requiring a cheap and numerous workforce in the South. It is about combining the southern skilled workforce, cheaper than the northern one, with high added-value activities. It is not about replacing skilled jobs in the North by skilled jobs in the South either; it is about integrating partners or localised activities in the South as part of a common growth project on the European market and on the broad emerging African market.

Since its creation in 2006, IPEMED has been observing and analysing these new dynamics gathered under the terms “colocalisation” and “coproduction”. Several reports have been published by IPEMED on this subject :
- Coproduction in the Mediterranean : Examples and recommendations (Etudes & Analyses, IPEMED, nov. 2014);
- Pour une stratégie euro-méditerranéenne de colocalisation (Etudes & Analyses, IPEMED, dec. 2012) ;
- Convergence en méditerranée (Construire la Méditerranée, IPEMED, dec. 2010).

In the course of its works, IPEMED noticed the profusion of diffuse statistical data on DFI in the Mediterranean, their origins and evolutions. Yet, to this day, no global scientific study has been carried out on qualitative analyses and the strategies of investors, their behaviours, expectations, obstacles and difficulties. Nevertheless, with the emergence of these new dynamics, an ex-post qualitative analysis on DFI in the Mediterranean seems necessary in order to better understand, and support, this new model enabling the development of a more sustainable, inclusive and durable economy.

This is why, on December 4th, 2014, during its annual Forum organised in Tunisia, IPEMED launched the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory.

The Observatory, managed by IPEMED and supported by Bpifrance, aims to qualitatively analyse the strategies of Mediterranean investors, their behaviours, expectations and difficulties to integrate the local network. It has a mission of observation, follow-up, information and awareness with public authorities as well as northern and southern Mediterranean companies, especially on future-oriented industries.

The first publication of the Observatory, the report “Dynamique des Investissements dans les pays riverains de la Méditerranée : situation macro-économique” [Investment dynamics in the Mediterranean region: macroeconomic situation – only available in French] examines the macroeconomic situation of seven southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey) as well as the investment dynamics operating in these countries, especially in cooperation with the four northern Mediterranean countries of the sample (Germany, Spain, France and Italy).
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