Brussels, 08/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Morocco on Monday (EUROPE N. 10310), European Commissioner Stefan Füle congratulated “the Moroccan partners for having launched a series of important political and economic reforms”. Nonetheless, he urged them to “move further ahead” particularly, “in the area of poverty eradication, social development (education and health), democratic reforms, freedom of expression, developing the role of women, and reform of the justice system which has been announced”. During a press conference in Rabat, the commissioner stated that “implementation of these reforms will help towards social cohesion, greater stability and consolidation” in Morocco. The commissioner pointed out that his visit “comes a few weeks after the popular uprising in Tunisia which has turned attention towards the Maghreb region… it seems to me that we ought to learn a few lessons from what has just happened in Tunisia and Egypt… and one lesson to learn is that the development of the country cannot be sustainable in the long term, if the contrast between economic development and human and social development is too great”. Füle declared that “governments should never underestimate the legitimate aspirations of young people trying to gain access to the job market, the freedom of expression and participation in the political and civic life of their society”.
In the context of direct co-operation, he proposed a structured parliamentary dialogue and in connection with trade, he indicated “the willingness of the EU to launch negotiations on the setting up of a far-reaching free-trade zone”. According to the official MAP press agency, the commissioner explained that this would help towards “accomplishing some progress in services and freedom of establishment… Everything will be done to ensure that the advanced status benefits citizens most of all and that this kind of cooperation is a model for the whole region”. According to MAP, the commissioner also explained that the awarding of public procurement and financial services contracts is at the top of the list of priorities for the future. The commissioner is also said to have expressed hope of developing “a new action plan for advanced status”. In this connection, it would be crucial that “Morocco pursues a gradual process of regulatory approximation with the EU in certain fields”. The process will be “complex, demanding but necessary”. The commissioner also pointed out that Morocco “is the main recipient of European aid among European neighbourhood countries” and that the EU has increased this aid, which now stands at almost €200 million a year. The National Indicative Programme (NIP) increased by 20% to €580.5 million for 2011-2013.
According to the official press agency, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi explained that during his meeting with the commissioner “the two parties discussed different agreements on the citrus fruit and fisheries sectors”. He also indicated that the EU “is proposing the extension of these agreements by another year, with the prospect a readjustment coming up”. The Moroccans also indicated that they had held discussions with the commissioner regarding follow-up on the Sahraouian dossier. According to MAP, Füle “said that he wished to see the parties reach a peaceful and political settlement, where there were neither winners nor losers”. According to Morocco's official press agency, in the context of Moroccan-Algerian relations, the prime minister affirmed that the EU “is examining the possibility of bringing the points of view of the two countries closer together”. (F.B./transl.fl)