Brussels, 24/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, was in Rabat from 20-22 January where she took part in several meetings on one and the same theme: - the future of relations between the Maghreb (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia) not just with the EU as a whole, but also at the level of the five EU member states that border on the Mediterranean (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Malta), which are members of the so-called “5+5” sub-regional consultation framework (these 5 member states plus the 5 UMA countries). Ms Ferrero-Waldner also attended the meeting of the European troika with the UMA secretariat general, co-chaired by Morocco and Council President Dimitrj Rupel and his French counterpart (see yesterday's bulletin). Before her departure, Ms Ferrero-Waldner had stated her faith in regional integration in this zone as a way to contribute to stability there and to step up the pace of economic development. The EU, she said, is willing to give its support to the Maghreb countries, which are among the EU's closest neighbours, in order to support initiatives to strengthen dialogue and regional cooperation, and in order to overcome the common challenges that face them all. She went on to say that enhanced cooperation established by the “5+5” group (Ed: outside the EU framework) may serve as laboratories of ideas and as inspiration for the other partners of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
The commissioner also took part in a seminar on the theme of granting Morocco “advanced status” defined by the Moroccan minister as somewhere between “association and accession status” in which everything is “shared except the institutions, except accession”. Morocco is “already a privileged partner of the EU”, the commissioner confirmed at the opening of the seminar. She had recalled in her speech that “European Neighbourhood Policy has strengthened means by being based on the principle of differentiation” which has allowed the EU to better focus its efforts and means on Morocco. This country, she said, “is one of the most enthusiastic and exemplary partners of Neighbourhood Policy” and it is by recognising its efforts that, for two years running, the EU has been able to step up its financial support. Thus, according to Ms Ferrero-Waldner, Morocco has become “the first beneficiary of the Neighbourhood Policy fund. It is also a pioneer in the use of twinning between Moroccan and EU member state institutions”. The ambassador of France stressed Morocco's particularity, saying it was the “first country of the Maghreb to cooperate well with the EU with regard to human rights”. He said “the launching of many workshops, including the 'Initiative nationale pour le développement humain' (INDH) bears witness to the fact that Morocco is resolved to successfully anchor itself to the EU”. Ms Ferrero-Waldner, who also noted these achievements, expressed Europe's determination to give a positive answer to the request from its neighbours for greater anchorage in Europe. Detailed discussions are programmed to consolidate Euro-Moroccan cooperation which is already well underway in some sectors (transport, energy, etc). “The Commission stands ready to examine all Morocco's requests. (…) We hope to move forward rapidly in the reflection process so that we can take concrete decisions rapidly”, she said.
In an interview published on 21 January by the Moroccan newspaper, L'Economiste, the Commissioner first of all tackled the question of the French Mediterranean Union initiative. “I am all in favour (if it is) a complementary project to the Barcelona Process and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and if, of course, all EU member states agree and can be associated to it. What is also very important is (if) the project provides added value” and if it is a “complementary instrument”. She said: “What we would like, what we want, is to do more for strengthening and consolidating Euro-Mediterranean relations. If there is anything concrete that we can add to the Barcelona process, then I am all for it”. (F.B.)