Ladies and Gentlemen, we are fully aware that expanding the Ombudsman Scheme to cover the insurance industry will present special challenges. If we can judge from the number of complaints received by the Market Conduct Unit (some 425 in about 10 months) the office is likely to get very busy. But we think that we are well prepared.
The Arab region is a key partner for the European countries and both sides attach great importance to building strong, meaningful relationships. As you all know, the EU and its Mediterranean partners have in 1995 created the European-Mediterranean partnership, also known as the Barcelona Process, to lay the foundations of a new regional relationship.