Brussels, 28/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - On 22 May the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the report by Philippe Morillon (EPP-DE-France) and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens/ALE-France) on the implementation of a deepened partnership between the European Union and the Union of the Arab Maghreb (UAM). This report results from the European Parliament's commitment to an active, open and constructive Euro-Mediterranean policy for further dialogue between the cultures and the desire to set up new political and economic structures for co-operation in the form of a "contract for stability, democracy and development".
Having welcomed the meeting of UAM Foreign Ministers that took place last January (the first took place eight years ago) and the decision of UAM Heads of State to meet on 21-22 June, MEPs indicated that the strengthening of relations and the promotion of regional co-operation between the different countries of the Maghreb was fundamental for the development of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. They have emphasised that the EU, in co-operation with the UN, must help to resolve conflicts and establish an environment of peace in the region for all the different people in the region, particularly the people of the Western Sahara. In this specific case, MEPs would like to see the different options on the issue of the Sahara presented in the UN final report, as well as other proposals to be submitted in order for direct negotiations between the different sides to be organised.
The Euro-Mediterranean agreements already in force are, according to MEPs, annually assessed by the Association Councils in collaboration with the EP and governments of the Maghreb. The European Commission would also like to draw up a balance sheet of the economic and social results of the agreements.
While fully supporting the war on terrorism, the paper adopted on 22 May is careful to stress the MEPs' attachment to the clause on "human rights, democracy and the State of Law", as well as political plurality and freedom of association in the region.
On an economic level, the draft resolution, which will be debated in June, asserts that the opening up of the borders will not be sufficient unless it is accompanied by investment focusing on complementarity and economic integration in the region. According to the Parliamentary Committee, the EU must re-assess its immigration policy within the perspective of shared responsibility with the Maghreb countries, which includes the implementation of an integrated policy in all host countries, while at the same time fighting against illegal immigration.