A/HRC/23/46 (the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, formerly known as the Barcelona Process, relaunched in Paris in July 2008), and the Black Sea Synergy (launched in Kiev in February 2008). 22. In March 2011, the Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint Communication on a Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the southern Mediterranean (COM(2011) 200 final), setting out the immediate response to the unfolding historic events of the Arab Spring. Combined with the revision of the neighbourhood policy, this resulted in a “New response to a changing neighbourhood” (COM(2011) 303). The new policy was also a response to the call of the EU’s Eastern European partners for closer political association and deeper economic integration with the EU (JOIN(2012) 14 final). 7. High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration 23. The High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration was established by the Council in 1998 to prepare cross-pillar action plans for countries of origin and transit of asylum seekers and migrants. Its objective is to strengthen the external dimension of the EU’s asylum and migration policies based on dialogue, cooperation and partnership with countries of origin and transit. The focus is primarily on the GAMM. 8. Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) 24. Following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) decided on the working structures for establishing an area of Freedom, Security and Justice. SCIFA was set up as part of a new working structure to prepare the Council’s discussions with regard to immigration, frontiers and asylum. SCIFA is comprised of senior officials of the Member States with responsibilities for determining strategic guidelines for EU cooperation on immigration, frontiers and asylum. 9. General Programme on Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows (2007 – 2013) 25. The General Programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows ” aims to ensure the fair sharing of responsibilities between EU countries for the financial cost that arises from the integrated management of the external borders of the EU and the implementation of common asylum and migration policies. The Programme consists of four funds: • The External Borders Fund funds infrastructure and equipment for EU external borders and visa policy, and the national components of the Schengen Information System / the Visa Information System. • The European Return Fund funds voluntary and forced returns, joint return operations, cooperation between EU countries and countries of return, improving return management, and reintegration assistance in the country of return. • The European Refugee Fund funds capacity-building for asylum procedures and reception infrastructure, integration of refugees, resettlement, and emergency measures. • The European Fund for the integration of third-country nationals funds integration measures, such as language courses, courses of civic orientation, and pre-departure measures in non-EU countries. 26. Through these four funds, the EU seeks to strengthen its common migration, asylum and border policies, and also to uphold European solidarity, to ensure th at those EU countries that face the largest financial costs are adequately supported. 27