Une grande partie des projets était en effet présentée par des organismes européens plutôt que par les institutions des pays tiers méditerranéens; l'on manquait en outre d'informations sur les besoins prioritaires des populations destinataires des aides.
To a large extent, the projects were submitted by European bodies, as opposed to institutions in Mediterranean non-member countries, and, moreover, little was known about the most urgent needs of the people for whom the aid was intended. The projects approved did more to satisfy the requirements of northern partners than the priorities of those in the South.