Brussels, 01/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The 4th session of the EU-Tunisia Association Council held on Tuesday 30 September in Brussels allowed broad convergence of opinions to be reached. According to Italian Secretary of State Roberto Antonione and the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Habib Ben Yahia, views came closer on the international political situation as well as on bilateral cooperation and within the Euro-Mediterranean framework. Both partners took the decision to create six working groups on sensitive issues to be examined more in detail (internal market, industry, trade and services; transport, environment and energy; research and innovation; agriculture and fisheries; justice and safety). The EU expressed its positive appreciation of implementation of the association agreement in force for the past 8 years. It noted the "intensity of contacts" with Tunisia which has "become the Mediterranean country with the highest EU trade integration". The EU called for reforms to be stepped up in order to guarantee the best anchoring to Europe. Tunisia has already begun a structured dialogue with the new Member States to take advantage of enlargement, Tunisia's Foreign Minister said for his part. The EU also congratulates this country for being "an extremely active partner within the Barcelona process" and for promoting South-South integration (Agadir group and between the countries of the Union of the Arab Maghreb, UAM). It opens reflection with the UAM on the content to be given to the policy of "neighbourliness". The EU also stressed the importance that it grants to political dialogue which, it states, "must be conducted in a spirit of partnership, open and without taboos". It noted that Tunisia has successfully applied many policies in the fields of economic and social development to improve the quality of life and living conditions of Tunisians. It urges Tunisia, however, to establish this direction more firmly, mainly through active involvement by the civil society in Community support programmes. Mr Ben Yahia expressed the hope that the Agadir process (which also includes Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan) would rapidly result in establishing South-South cooperation between all the Arab countries of the Mediterranean rim. The final agreement being prepared is examined by the six southern rim countries engaged in the Euro-Mediterranean policy. He also stressed the importance of "Dialogue 5+5", which involves all the countries of the Western Mediterranean (Algeria, Spain, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco and Mauritania, Portugal and Tunisia) and allows them to go into specific issues more deeply, such as security, the fight against illegal immigration, etc.