Brussels, 15/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Algeria and the European Commission, on behalf of the EU, met on Thursday for the eighth negotiating session (two days) in view of concluding an Association Agreement centred on free trade.
Algiers had first felt the Community offer badly suited to the situation, feeling that its interest resided more in the search for support to the restructuring of its economy than in the development of commercial trade, its exports towards the EU 15 markets being mainly formed of hydrocarbons and gas, while the liberalisation of access for all European products to its market could compromise the development of its emerging industries. In the meantime the EU, notably since a visit by the European ministerial Troika in November 2000 and the Maghreb tour, last mid-January, by President Prodi, gave assurances to Algiers and allowed for a structured continuation of talks, section by section, and a continuation at an accelerate pace (nearly one negotiating session per month).
The two delegations have already nearly closed to sections relating to political dialogue and general aspects, to try to quickly close the talks on economic cooperation, before broaching the issues linked to Justice and Home Affairs (free movement, immigration, etc.).