Truths that follow their course. A few things move in the relations between the EU and the Mediterranean third countries, not yet in the concrete achievements, but at least in the concepts and the objectives. Nothing concrete is possible as long as the foundations of the partnership appear unrealistic. Today the rhetoric fell back and a few truths progress, notably the following:
Three failings denounced by Pascal Lamy. The partial redirecting of the process is not achieved in one day in the minds, and will not take place in one day in reality. I had noted for some time a gap between the official texts, inflated with affirmations of principals, unrealistic timetables and objectives and certain unofficial stances. It would be enough to cite Pascal Lamy (Le Figaro, last 27 May) who thus analysed the causes of the stagnation of the Barcelona process: the conclusions of numerous studies into the issues may in substance be summarised in a vital lesson: there is no Mediterranean single market. The three main ingredients that have lead to the success of our experiment in Europe are for the time being absent. What are these missing ingredients? A) The Mediterranean national markets are closed off and lack the size needed to attract investment; B) the heterogeneous regulatory framework prevailing in these countries does not ensure the competitive functioning of the economic activity and the lack of vital services increases the costs for companies; C) the goods and services do not circulate freely enough between the North and South, which prevents from using the evident "complementarities" between the two shores. The aim of an integrated Euro-Mediterranean area implies the opening of the markets both for services as for goods, the improvement of the customs rules and procedures (and firstly the rule of origin, often still used in for protectionist reasons between the Mediterranean countries), the convergence of legislative frameworks, industrial standards and rule of competition.
Justified reticence. Huge programme… which you need to be two to want. However, certain reticence or perplexities emerge in the countries of the southern shore. It is true that a significant breakthrough has been achieved the planned free trade area between Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan. The European Commission should be associated to the first meeting of the "four". We will see the project firm up in reasonable time. Though, at the same time, the Tunisian Minister for Trade, Mr Tahar Sioud, did not hide his concern over the liberalisation of services (he fears European domination in the strategic areas such as telecommunications and banks) and he rejected the idea of a Euro-Mediterranean common position in the new round of WTO trade negotiations, as he is not convinced that interests coincide. It is also significant that certain Mediterranean third countries are starting to question the dangers of free trade in agriculture: opening of their borders to European products from the milk and other sectors, where the EU is especially efficient, risks destroying their food production, traditional "subsistence" farming, which must on the contrary be encouraged and developed to avoid that only the Mediterranean productions aimed at export trade remain, which are of more benefit to very large owners and traders than the true agricultural producers. The authorities from such or such country would have the intention of taking on the European concept of the multifunctionality of agriculture, according to which the social, ecological and safeguard function of traditions and the countryside fulfilled by the agricultural activity justifies a certain protection.
It is entirely legitimate and even salutary (on condition that the precautions play in both directions), as this indicates that, on the southern shore, the authorities concerned with the environment, national traditions and food security (and not exclusively concerned by the interests linked to the exports) begin to question themselves over the value of free trade in accordance with the WTO rules. On their side the agricultural producers from both shores have spoke in favour of the regional cooperation mechanism going far beyond the simple (and dangerous) liberalisation of trade. EUROPE provided an account, in its bulletin of 20 June pages 13 and 14, of the results of the first Euro-Mediterranean conference on agriculture, organised by the producers (FIPA Mediterranean committee) under the aegis of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. The emphasis was placed on the complementarity of production rather than on competition (complementarity firstly based on the various periods of production and on the quality of products), as well as on the distribution of Mediterranean type products, from olive oil to citrus fruits, in view of the EU's enlargement. The producers from both shores called for the EU Ministers for Agriculture and those from the Mediterranean third countries to gathered quickly to outline the prospects for cooperation and related issues: management of water resources, quality label, propaganda in favour of the "Mediterranean food diet", etc.
Issues of civilisation. I arrive, through agriculture, to the issue of civilisation, neglected in the official meetings of the "Barcelona process", but sometimes discussed in other meetings or bodies on the sidelines. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation had organised last May the "Marbella colloquium", which had discussed problems such as: a) the great diversity of the twelve Mediterranean third countries taking part in the Barcelona process (which may not be gathered into a single mould), b) the possibility and opportunity of creating among others a vanguard or a "hard core", which would lead the way of partnership with the EU, c) the absence of an Arab model for development, which allows economic and social development in the "western style", while taking into account the specificities of the Muslim world, d) the difficulty of cultural dialogue; e) the demographic and migratory problems in their reality, including the physiological aspects, f) the wall of distrust resulting from mismanaged immigration, g) the misdeeds of bureaucracy. Considerations on these aspects (and on others) are already present in the surprising documents by the Italian Ambassadors (that was discussed in great depth in this section last 26, 27 and 28 February), which seems to adopt the tradition of the reports by Venetian Ambassadors in the 18th Century, as they exceed the present diplomatic documents to a great extent.
This document and the Marbella colloquium present basic problems that are not resolved by the creation of additional working groups nor by the doubling of expert meetings (nor even with Ministers), and which concern peace and the desire to cooperate (between the Arab countries and Israel, between Morocco and Algeria, not to mention Libya), the desire of the Arab countries to develop an economic and social model compatible with a close cooperation with Europe, while safeguarding their civilisation, their traditions and their beliefs. This is a long drawn out work, possibly entailing that the projects are not uniform for all the Mediterranean countries, but diversified and selective according to the desires and the possibilities of each. In the meantime, it is possible to take concrete measures by supporting the bilateral agreements of each Mediterranean country with the EU and on the existing financing and cooperation programmes, which contain non-negotiable possibilities, including in the social and cultural domain.
The Casablanca speeches. In a speech made last week in Casablanca, Pascal Lamy once more indicated a few realisations necessary if one wants to overcome pleasantries and the virtual trade agreements, by citing: a) as a work site, a system of amassing rules of origin on a regional basis, notably precious for trade and investments in the textile sector; b) the modernisation and simplification of the customs procedures, c) the liberalisation of services (their efficiency is necessary to attract entrepreneurs and investors), c) support to the planned new round of WTO negotiations, in view of creating a true world market with rules and disciplines.
During their first meeting last month in Brussels, the Euro-Mediterranean Trade Ministers retained the themes raised by Mr Lamy, by deciding to begin with… creating working groups, and meet next year to assess them. They we will be able to see whether the will exists to progress concretely or if the Euro-Mediterranean partnership must continue to wallow in rhetoric, purely financial claims and unrealistic targets. (F.R.)