Brussels, 31/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The 9th Round of the negotiations between the EU and Lebanon to the conclude an Association Agreement, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels, ended with the joint realisation that the position have come closer over several points. The session enabled, according to a Community source, to review all of the chapters being discussed forming the backbone of the draft agreement. The drafting of the final text progresses well and the final touches should be made within a month, hopes the same source. The negotiator will now have to engage in the most arduous task, covering the setting of details in the trade chapter (duration and pace of dismantling protections of Lebanese market in order to ensure, in the long-term, the reciprocity of concessions).
From Lebanese diplomatic sources, this same feeling of optimism nevertheless lead to hope that the EU and the European Commission in this case, do not loose from sight the need to maintain a "global, coherent and balanced approach". From the Lebanese point of view, this concerns in particular to enjoy better access for its agricultural products to the Community market: the same diplomatic sources insist on the "multifunctional nature" of the agricultural sector (economic impact, but also social, urban, etc.) and over the need to avoid that the opening of the Lebanese market to European products does not lead to damaging consequences for a national industry, which remains fragile. The hope is also that the EU makes more substantial concessions in the service sector: in fact Lebanon feels that it is one, if not the only country in the region with a strong potential in this field, potential that it would like to further develop in the framework of the EU Association Agreement.