Brussels, 19/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The second session of the EU-Algeria Association Council will take place on 24 April in Luxembourg and one of its decisions will be establish the rules on how it works. This will also allow for the thematic work groups within the Council to be examined. The agenda also includes examination of prospects for cooperation, exchanges of political views and a look at the internal situation in Algeria, as well as the regional and global situation.
Algeria, whose association with the European Union has been in force since September 2005, remains unconvinced about the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) or an action plan to implement it. Nonetheless, it has affirmed its wishes to fully engage in development cooperation as part of the accepted association structure. On Monday, the EU also intends to underline the fact that the ENP “provides a new and important complement to dialogue and regional integration” of which one of the essential elements is the promotion of a frank political dialogue, which the EU says it very much supports, in line with the EU27's common position prepared by the Association Council. In the current context, the EU declares that it is “eagerly awaiting the parliamentary elections in Algeria” next May and hopes that the way they are organised and their results will help contribute to “advancement of a pluralist and democratic society”. According to the Algerian press, a sub-committee in charge of cooperation in the fight against terrorism and money laundering will be set up. The EU will be “prepared to support Algeria in completing the reconciliation process” as outlined by President Bouteflika. The EU also expects Algeria to make progress on human rights, the situation regarding women, freedom of the press, involvement of civil society and the expansion of its education system. Algeria is highlighting the difficulties of obtaining visas for business men and students. According to the Algerian media, the EU is prepared to consider facilitation of procedures for obtaining visas but hopes, in exchange, to conclude a readmission agreement. The EU also appreciates Algeria's “important contribution” to Euro-Mediterranean regional, sub-regional and Euro-North African dialogue, as part of the UMA structure, and is encouraging Algeria to join the “south-south” cooperation initiated by the Agadir Agreement, about which Algiers still harbours some reservations.
Overall, the EU is pleased that the two parties were able to so quickly identify a “critical mass” of subjects for deepening their relations. Energy is high on the list. In May 2006, during the first session of the Association Council, it was decided that a group on industry, trade and services would be set up - which met in November 2006, that another group on justice and home affairs would be set up - which came together twice last December and March; as well as a group on the environment and energy - which met in February 2007. For the 2007-10 period, the EU made a commitment to accompanying Algeria in its reforms by allocating €220 million to three kinds of priority interventions (legal reform, economic growth and jobs, strengthening basic public services). Developments in the Algerian economy and developing its market are being closely followed in Brussels. The trade surplus will have reached a record on trade in 2006, which is 97% dependent on hydrocarbon exports. Unemployment rates, however, remain very high, especially among the young.
Cooperation to ensure EU's energy supplies. The Algerian press echoed the declarations made by the head of the European Commission delegation in Algiers, Wolfgang Plasa, who affirmed that the EU “is not afraid of a gas OPEC” which would seek “gas prices being indexed to oil prices” for producer countries. Regarding energy supplies, Plasa explained, during a forum on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaties, that the EU preferred “bilateral relations and dialogue between producers and consumers”. The EU has initiated discussions for a specific agreement with Algeria on energy cooperation, which will protect it from any major worry concerning its dependence on gas coming from Russia and the risk of suffering from supply problems. Greeting the head of the Algerian government on 22 February 2006, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, underlined “Algeria's strategic importance to the EU, especially within a perspective of making EU energy supplies secure”. (fb)