Brussels, 24/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 July, in Brussels, the EU and Morocco held a 6th session of their Association Council at ministerial level. This was preceded by the signing of two documents: one on cooperation in the energy sector and the other a protocol on cooperation financing (EUROPE 9473). The two parties took stock of the state of bilateral cooperation and the EU congratulated Morocco for its “strategic choice in favour of greater rapprochement”. The EU also stressed that the ever closer partnership developed in many areas sets an “example” for the region. The Portuguese EU presidency said this cooperation is of great “fundamental value in a region where there are sources of instability” as it is “based on an attachment to common values and mutual interests”. In this spirit, the EU promised to start work immediately to “examine the possibility for substantial strengthening of relations with a view to an advanced status” as requested by Morocco, which is more inclined to give preference to bilateral relations rather than be swamped in the diversity of the Euro-Mediterranean area, even though the Kingdom of Morocco asserts it is willing to play an active role in that area. EU/Morocco relations comprise a “rich agenda” given Morocco's commitment to contribute to various Community programmes (mainly Galileo) and thanks also to its good economic results and structural reform. Morocco, the European Commission said, is the “first beneficiary of European financial assistance among the Neighbourhood Policy countries” (€654 million for the period 2007-2010).
Priority is given to implementation of the action plan for European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). On Monday, the decision was taken to create a working group to assess the action plan and to enrich its content in relation to the new ideas expressed in various fora. On this basis, the EU does not rule out the fact that “new objectives” may be assigned to the partnership, “including the possibility of new contractual links”. Morocco is generally found to be deserving and the EU congratulates it for having agreed to set up a sub-committee on human rights, democratisation and governance, which met in November 2006. The EU “encourages it to persevere” on the road to democratisation and trusts that the legislative elections of 7 September will “demonstrate its commitment to democratic practice”. The EU is also pleased that Morocco is committed to cooperating in the fields of justice and security. “Work conducted by Morocco and the EU have allowed progress to be made on several subjects such as the fight against terrorism, organised crime and drug trafficking”, the EU states. Cooperation on migration has been “intensified”, the EU notes, saying that the Euro-African ministerial conference in Rabat in July 2006 “was the sign of true partnership”. Morocco's efforts to “come to grips with illegal immigration” are praised by the EU, which hopes to complete talks for a re-entry agreement.
The role of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) was also explained. The EU states “losses due to a lack of integration, especially in the economic area, are considerable when there could be many synergies in fields such as transport, energy, agriculture and tourism”. It welcomes, however, the entry into force of the Agadir Agreement (the first South-South agreement which groups Arab-Mediterranean partners signatory to association agreements), which gives Moroccan companies new development opportunities for exports. The EU also welcomes the fact that there has been progress in preparatory work for the second EU-Africa summit in Lisbon this December. On the subject of the Western Sahara, the EU noted with interest that the parties have said they are ready to commit themselves fully and in good faith to the negotiations. (fb)