After having held seven Inter-Parliamentary Conferences on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE, 1973-1991), the Inter-Parliamentary Union decided on a similar process for the Mediterranean. You can learn about the actors of the process, its foundations, characteristics, stages and operating mechanisms by ordering a copy of a brochure entitled "The Inter-Parliamentary Process of Security and Co-operation in the Mediterranean" from the page devoted to IPU Reports and Surveys.

The first Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Security and Co-operation in the Mediterranean (CSCM) was held in June 1992, in Malaga (Spain). On the basis of its conclusions and recommendations, the IPU then set up a permanent mechanism for dialogue and negotiation among all the Mediterranean partners in the form of twice-yearly meetings held during statutory IPU Assemblies (called Inter-Parliamentary Conferences until 2000).

In preparation of the second CSCM, three separate thematical meetings were held respectively in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), Izmir (Turkey) and Alexandria (Egypt), to continue studying the topics contained in the three CSCM "baskets":

		Ist Basket - Political and security-related co-operation: regional stability
		IInd Basket - Economic co-operation: co-development and partnership
		IIIrd Basket - Dialogue among civilizations and human rights.

These meetings paved the way for the second CSCM, which took place in Valletta (Malta), in November 1995. The Conference recommended the creation of an association of Mediterranean States to maintain a permanent political dialogue at the intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary levels. The CSCM Co-ordinating Committee charged with implementing this recommendation was subsequently set up ensuring that the inter-Mediterranean dialogue within the IPU would continue until the association was in place.

In preparation for the Third CSCM, three thematical meetings on subjects belonging to the three "baskets" were held:

		Employment and related issues in the Mediterranean - Monte Carlo (Monaco) on 3-4 July 1997
		Facilitating access to informataion and cultural exchanges in the Mediterranean - Evora (Portugal), 25 and 26 June 1998
		Armaments control in the Mediterranean with a view to preventing conflicts in the region - Ljubljana (Slovenia), 12 and 13 March 1999

The Third CSCM took place in Marseilles at the invitation of the French Parliament from 30 March to 3 April 2000. It was followed by the Fourth CSCM held in Nafplion (Greece) on 6 and 7 February 2005.