Original en inglés, traducción de Google al castellano.
A pesar de ser una traducción automatica se entiende perfectamente. El texto original en inglés está al final del texto en castellano.
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SEVENTH MEETING OF
THE EU-MOROCCO ASSOCIATION COUNCIL
(Luxembourg, 13 October 2008)
Statement by the European Union
1.The European Union greatly welcomes the holding of the seventh meeting of the AssociationCouncil which marks a new stage in the development of relations between the European Union and Morocco. The partnership with Morocco in many fields is of fundamental value for the European Union, on account of the part it plays not just in the Maghreb and in Africa but also throughout the Mediterranean. Morocco has always been distinguished by its vision and its willingness to be the initiator of proposals within the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean. The EU considers that the neighbourhood The European Union greatly welcomes the holding of the seventh meeting of the Association policy offers the main framework for developing bilateral relations with Morocco to an advanced status, drawing on the possibilities offered by the principle of differentiation.
2.In accordance with the decisions taken at the sixth meeting of the Association Council, the two parties have set up an ad hoc Working Party to examine the scope for substantially reinforcing the relationship with a view to an advanced status as requested by Morocco. The European Union commends Morocco's ambitious and constructive contributions within the ad hoc Working Party. It welcomes the conclusions reached by the Working Party, which are set out in the Annex to this statement. It considers that they set an ambitious roadmap for progressive, sustained development of bilateral relations in many areas. This stronger partnership between the EU and Morocco is evidence of the European Union's readiness to respond positively to Morocco's expectations and specific needs, in order to support its courageous process of modernisation and democratisation. The end result will be mutually beneficial.
3.The reciprocal commitments in the joint document will have to be implemented over the next few years and are aimed at enriching the Action Plan and establishing the new objectives of the partnership and the subsequent stages in the development of bilateral relations, mainly in the light of progress in implementing the Action Plan and the ideas put forward in various fora, in accordance with the decisions taken at the sixth meeting of the EU-Morocco Association Council. The EU wishes the Association Council to instruct the various subcommittees and working parties set up under the Association Agreement to implement and monitor the various technical measures identified in the joint document which are within their competence, particularly regulatory convergence. Where the proposals involve other institutions, the Council and the Commission will link up with the institutions concerned in order to submit the Working Party's proposals to them.
4.The EU would stress the evolving nature of the roadmap. As indicated in the joint document, as of 2009 the EU is prepared to engage in examination with Morocco of the nature and form of the instrument to follow on from the current EU-Morocco Neighbourhood Action plan, and possibly the Association Agreement. It regards the ad hoc Working Party as the appropriate forum for such consideration. To that end, the EU considers that the ad hoc Working Party should be instructed to conduct this examination and to make proposals for the next Association Council meeting. The Working Party should also check the appropriateness of the "advanced status" roadmap.
5.The European Union welcomes the progress made by Morocco in implementing the EU‑Morocco Neighbourhood Action Plan, as evidenced by the monitoring reports prepared by the European Commission, which made it possible to grant Morocco additional finance under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument Governance Facility both in 2007 and in 2008. The EU considers that continuing implementation of the current Action Plan remains indispensable.
6.The Paris Summit on 13 July 2008 launched the Barcelona process: Union for the Mediterranean which gives a new impetus to European Union cooperation with its Mediterranean partners, particularly by enhancing political dialogue, strengthening the joint decision-making mechanisms and increasing the partnership's visibility through large regional and subregional projects. The EU welcomes Morocco's support for and commitment to this initiative. It is pleased that the Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting on employment is to be held in Marrakesh on 9 and 10 November 2008.
7.In the context of enhancing Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, the European Union attaches particular importance to subregional cooperation. It commends the acceleration of technical cooperation between the countries of the Maghreb and the proliferation of initiatives by company managers and civil society organisations. It welcomes the resumption of the dialogue between the EU and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and urges the AMU to continue its subregional integration endeavours. It would like Morocco to encourage the AMU to make proposals to enhance cooperation of all kinds with the EU.
8.The European Union welcomes the interest shown by Morocco in the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). It appreciates Morocco's desire to strengthen ties in these areas. The reinforced political dialogue – the meetings for which are held at regular intervals – is an excellent framework for achieving progress in cooperation and mutual understanding. Another important factor in this context is the proposal made to Morocco that it should align itself, case by case, with the EU's declarations, démarches and positions on matters coming under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
9.Morocco's participation in the EU's operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an important signal of Morocco's practical support for the development of European Security and Defence Policy. The European Union is grateful to the Moroccan authorities for their valuable contribution to this operation and hopes it will set a precedent for Morocco's involvement in other European Union operations. It would be useful to build on this first experience of cooperation between the EU and Morocco on crisis management in order to explore the possibility of discussing how to organise our ESDP relations in a more structured way, in particular by envisaging, on the basis of the agreement in principle contained in the roadmap for "advanced status", the conclusion of a framework agreement for Morocco's participation in crisis management operations (civilian and military) with the EU and a framework agreement on intelligence security.
10.The European Union appreciates Morocco's active participation in the cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean partners on the ESDP. In that connection, there are regular contacts at Senior Official level and with the General Secretariat of the Council, including the Military Staff. Joint initiatives such as the ESDP seminar organised by the Moroccan Institute and the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Institute for Security Studies in March 2008 are a valuable way of enhancing dialogue on the subject of crisis management between the EU and Morocco and, more generally, with other regional partners.
11.The European Union also welcomes the participation of Moroccan representatives in training activities organised by the European Security and Defence College and in briefings organised by the EU during crisis management exercises.
12.The EU appreciates the preparatory work recently begun by Morocco on very extensive new reform projects in areas such as education, the introduction of a new social safety net for the very poor, agriculture and, above all, justice. It would encourage Morocco to get the projects under way as soon as possible and is prepared to examine means of supporting them. The reforms undertaken several years ago are indeed beginning to bear fruit, particularly through a drop in unemployment and increasing growth. That shows how appropriate were the choices made. The accelerating reform movement will reduce poverty and improve the country's social indicators. More especially, the reform of the justice system should make the rule of law a sustainable reality, guarantee effective protection for citizens and improve the business climate. The EU is pleased to be able to back the reforms in progress via its technical and financial assistance programmes. The fact that there are over twenty twinned projects between Morocco and EU Member States in all sectors is proof of a high level of mutual trust. The EU is attached to development and reinforcement of the public institutions as guarantors of uniform application of the law and of good governance.
13.The EU would encourage Morocco to maintain and step up its investments in the social sectors, particularly education, health, vocational training and medical cover, in order to ensure harmonious social development and to reduce poverty. Continued growth in key sectors requires an educated workforce adapted to the needs of the labour market. The EU is pleased that Morocco has made educational reform one of the main reforms to be undertaken over the next few years. The EU urges Morocco to redouble its efforts to eradicate child labour, which is still widespread in some sectors.
14.The EU welcomes Morocco's determination to take decentralisation further and to promote regional development. The EU attaches great importance to balanced regional development in the interests of social cohesion. It welcomes the launch of two twinning operations to benefit regional authorities. It calls on Morocco to upgrade the resources and prerogatives available to the regions so that they can prepare development strategies which reflect their needs.
15.At the last meeting of the Association Council, cooperation between Morocco and the European Union on human rights and fundamental freedoms was enhanced. The EU appreciates the regular meetings of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance, which has so far met three times. It actively supports the preparation of a national strategy and an action plan in these areas, which should allow the reforms undertaken to be pursued. If, in that connection, our confidence in each other is to be further enhanced, we need ongoing exchanges of information and a constant dialogue at this level.
16.The European Union recognises that the reforms undertaken in previous years have consolidated human rights and extended the scope of individual freedoms. The EU recognises Morocco's important role in the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly as a mediator between the various regional groups, and would encourage it to continue its efforts in this matter. The EU also commend Morocco's commitment and cooperation at the universal periodic review before the United Nations Human Rights Council. It welcomes Morocco's acceptance of 11 of the 13 recommendations made by the Working Party. In this connection, the EU considers that ratification by Morocco of the Statute of the International Criminal Court, the deposit with the United Nations Secretariat promised many years ago of declarations regarding the withdrawal of certain reservations on international Conventions and accession to a number of optional Protocols, thereby reinforcing the application of several international human rights instruments, would represent significant advances.
17.The European Union considers that implementation of all the recommendations made by the Justice and Reconciliation Commission ("Instance Equité et Réconciliation") (IER) will enable Morocco to consolidate the work accomplished and make progress in the introduction of a new culture of respect for and promotion of human rights. The European Union is pleased to be able to assist in implementing some of the IER recommendations via the two programmes launched in 2006 and 2008. An independent and transparent judicial system is a goal to be achieved in order to perfect the rule of law. The EU reiterates the appeal it made at the Association Council's previous meeting for respect for freedom of expression and protection of sources and for a further reform of the Press Code and the Penal Code in order to decriminalise crimes of opinion. In addition, the European Union invites Morocco to safeguard freedom of association and freedom of assembly, particularly in the Western Sahara. It calls upon government forces to show restraint in resorting to force. The European Union welcomes the continued moratorium on the death penalty and would encourage Morocco to proceed to abolition as soon as possible.
18.The EU congratulates Morocco on the improved transparency arrangements and the sound organisation of the parliamentary elections held on 7 September 2007 and on the decision to accept independent observers, a decision which should be set out in a legal framework. Those elections were a marker of further progress in the democratisation process. The EU would encourage Morocco to continue in that positive direction with regard to the organisation and transparency of the forthcoming municipal elections.
19.The EU reiterates its strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever the origin, cause or motives. The EU stresses the importance of implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which plays a key role in international mobilisation in the fight against terrorism.
20.The EU reiterates its attachment to respect for human rights and for international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism. Failure to respect internationally recognised human rights standards is likely to affect the legitimacy of our action. The fight against terrorism and respect for human rights are not contradictory; on the contrary, they complement and reinforce each other.
21.The EU welcomes the current cooperation with Morocco on the fight against terrorism. It appreciates the quality shown by the dialogue at the EU Troika meeting with Morocco in March 2008, which provided an opportunity to evaluate the terrorist threat and discuss ways of enhancing cooperation in international fora and technical assistance in counter-terrorist action. The EU notes with satisfaction the measures taken by Morocco to combat terrorist financing and to strengthen controls on money laundering. It would stress the importance of having the financial intelligence unit, which was established recently and is supported by EU twinning, begin its activities as soon as possible. The EU considers it essential to enhance cooperation with Morocco in international fora.
22.The EU considers that North Africa is a priority zone for action to counter terrorism and radicalisation. The EU welcomes Morocco's efforts to combat radicalisation. It believes that cooperation with Morocco can be developed to prevent and to combat radicalisation in Europe. It considers that cooperation must be developed between the EU, Morocco and the Sahel-Saharan region to combat terrorist networks more effectively.
23.The European Union calls upon Morocco to play an active part in implementing the EU-Africa common strategy and to strengthen its links with the African Union. The EU also considers that the Arab Maghreb Union can play a key role in implementing that strategy.
24.The European Union fully supports the Manhasset negotiations on the future status of the Western Sahara, which were launched last year with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1754, and it commends the serious, credible efforts made by Morocco to move ahead towards a political settlement negotiated between the parties under United Nations auspices. The European Union has taken note of the Moroccan proposal put to the United Nations Secretary-General on 11 April 2007 and of the Polisario proposal put to him on 10 April 2007. The European Union considers it important that the negotiations, conducted by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, result in a solution that is politically fair, lasting and mutually acceptable and which allows for the self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara, as specified in the United Nations resolutions. The European Union also gives its full support to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1813 adopted unanimously on 30 April 2008, which calls on the parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise and to engage in substantive negotiations. The European Union is convinced that the parties must embark on a more substantive phase of negotiations and must show restraint, good faith, realism, commitment and a spirit of compromise. The European Union wishes to express the importance it attaches to the human rights situation in the Western Sahara and recalls the obligations incumbent on each of the parties. The European Union is grateful to the Moroccan authorities for their valuable contribution to the establishment of confidence measures allowing family visits and other contacts between families and it urges Morocco to consider the possibility of organising family visits by land.
25.On matters of migration, the European Union welcomes the efforts by Morocco to deal with illegal immigration, which have led to a substantial reduction in immigration flows from Morocco. With a view to the second Euro-African ministerial conference on migration to be held in Paris on 25 November 2008, the European Union is counting on Morocco to continue to play a lead role in the process initiated in Rabat in 2006, in favour of an overall balanced approach to migration.
26.While noting the efforts made by Morocco on illegal immigration, the European Union regrets that it has not been possible to conclude the negotiations on a readmission agreement since the last meeting of the Association Council. The EU reaffirms the importance it attaches to swift conclusion of that agreement, which will open up new opportunities for development cooperation with Morocco, inter alia through opportunities in the dialogue on strengthening bilateral relations.
27.The EU welcomes the positive development of cooperation between Morocco and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR), following the signing of the headquarters agreement in 2007, and the cooperation between the many Moroccan non‑governmental organisations and the HCR with a view to ensuring respect for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. It commends Morocco's willingness to review the legislative and regulatory framework in the field of asylum and expresses its readiness to assist Morocco in ensuring that this initiative shortly leads to the introduction of a national system for taking charge of asylum‑seekers and persons requiring international protection.
28.The Moroccan economy's performance continues to be positive, with a drop in unemployment, an increase in investment and a reduction in the budgetary deficit and the national debt. That performance is the fruit of the structural reforms and the investment policy successfully conducted by Morocco over several years.
29.However, subsidies for staples form an increasing proportion of State expenditure and represent a threat to the budgetary consolidation initiated several years ago. Moreover, they are above all of benefit to the most affluent sections of society. The EU urges Morocco to introduce a system for targeting subsidies so that they benefit the very poor in the first instance.
30.In matters of trade, the Union welcomes the continuing bilateral negotiations on the liberalisation of trade in services and the right of establishment and on a mechanism for settling trade disputes, on the one hand, and the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fisheries products, on the other. The EU considers it possible to reach a mutually beneficial agreement in negotiations on the dispute settlement mechanism and on the liberalisation of agricultural trade, by the end of the year, and in the services and right of establishment negotiations by the end of 2009. The increase in the trade deficit and the poor sectoral and geographical diversification of exports indicate that the economy lacks competitiveness. In this connection, preparations for the negotiation of an agreement on conformity evaluation and industrial product acceptance are continuing to progress. The EU would encourage Morocco to speed up the process of aligning its technical regulations on the Community system in the priority sectors identified. The EU appreciates Morocco's constructive role in the proceedings of the Working Party of Senior Officials on the Euromed trade roadmap up to 2010 and beyond, the main lines of which coincide with the trade aspects of the current discussions on enhancing bilateral relations.
31.In matters of industrial cooperation, the EU is pleased that Morocco is taking a lead role in the pilot project on business policy review and benchmarking being conducted by nine Mediterranean partners with reference to the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise.
32.The implementation of the Air Transport Liberalisation Agreement has produced all the benefits which both parties expected. That Agreement will bring peoples closer together and provides opportunities for a growth in tourism in Morocco. The European Union calls on Morocco to commit itself fully to implementing the approximation of rules provided for in the Agreement. More generally, the EU welcomes the major reforms initiated in the transport sector. It notes with interest the dossier on a fixed link under the Straits of Gibraltar presented by Morocco and Spain.
33.The EU welcomes the satisfactory implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Community which has had positive results for both parties' fisheries sectors and is contributing to furthering relations and sectoral dialogue between the competent Moroccan and European authorities, particularly through regular meetings of the Joint Committee. It also welcomes the preparation of a new strategy to modernise the fisheries sector in Morocco.
34.The EU is pleased that Morocco ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2007. The EU considers international cooperation essential in order to ensure sustainable management of marine resources and better governance of the oceans. In that context, the EU intends to intensify its relations with Morocco in the field of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); the EU invites Morocco to ratify the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
35.The EU welcomes the satisfactory cooperation on energy following the joint declaration signed in 2007 which led to the organisation of a seminar dealing, inter alia, with the issues surrounding the development of a nuclear electricity programme for civilian purposes. The EU reaffirms its readiness to cooperate with Morocco in the fields of nuclear safety and security, and also in the development of renewable energy (particularly solar energy), the reform of the electricity sector, the development of infrastructure and the reinforcement of the sector's planning and regulating institutions. The EU urges Morocco to take part in the solar plan defined in the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.
36.The EU would stress the importance it attaches to intensifying cooperation on the environment and taking forward the work of implementing bilateral environmental cooperation within the framework of the Association Agreement and the Action Plan. At regional level, cooperation can be enhanced as part of the implementation of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean activities, the Horizon 2020 imitative and the Mediterranean component of the EU Water Initiative. The EU invites Morocco to support its proposals for the development of the post-2012 arrangements regarding climate change; it attaches great importance to a more intensive dialogue on the various aspects of climate change, including adaptation.
37.The EU welcomes the regular holding of meetings of the various subcommittees provided for in the Agreement. The EU also welcomes the technical agreement between the parties on the proposal for an Association Council Decision in order to re-establish the legal basis for the Customs Cooperation Committee and to adjust the rules of procedure of certain subcommittees to reflect the development of the dialogue between our two parties on new subjects.
38.Morocco is the first beneficiary of EU financial assistance among the neighbourhood policy countries. The EU grants an increasing proportion of that assistance in the form of budgetary support for the implementation of the Kingdom's major structural reforms. If the high level of disbursement that has been a feature of financial assistance to Morocco in recent years is to be maintained, reforms will have to continue, as will the ongoing improvement of public finance management. The EU welcomes Morocco's interest in all the new financial instruments and thematic programmes it has put in place, and urges it to make full use of them, particularly the funds allocated for cross-border cooperation.
Original en inglés, traducción de Google al castellano.
A pesar de ser una traducción automatica se entiende perfectamente. El texto original en inglés está al final del texto en castellano.
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SEVENTH MEETING OF
THE EU-MOROCCO ASSOCIATION COUNCIL
(Luxembourg, 13 October 2008)
Statement by the European Union
1.The European Union greatly welcomes the holding of the seventh meeting of the AssociationCouncil which marks a new stage in the development of relations between the European Union and Morocco. The partnership with Morocco in many fields is of fundamental value for the European Union, on account of the part it plays not just in the Maghreb and in Africa but also throughout the Mediterranean. Morocco has always been distinguished by its vision and its willingness to be the initiator of proposals within the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean. The EU considers that the neighbourhood The European Union greatly welcomes the holding of the seventh meeting of the Association policy offers the main framework for developing bilateral relations with Morocco to an advanced status, drawing on the possibilities offered by the principle of differentiation.
2.In accordance with the decisions taken at the sixth meeting of the Association Council, the two parties have set up an ad hoc Working Party to examine the scope for substantially reinforcing the relationship with a view to an advanced status as requested by Morocco. The European Union commends Morocco's ambitious and constructive contributions within the ad hoc Working Party. It welcomes the conclusions reached by the Working Party, which are set out in the Annex to this statement. It considers that they set an ambitious roadmap for progressive, sustained development of bilateral relations in many areas. This stronger partnership between the EU and Morocco is evidence of the European Union's readiness to respond positively to Morocco's expectations and specific needs, in order to support its courageous process of modernisation and democratisation. The end result will be mutually beneficial.
3.The reciprocal commitments in the joint document will have to be implemented over the next few years and are aimed at enriching the Action Plan and establishing the new objectives of the partnership and the subsequent stages in the development of bilateral relations, mainly in the light of progress in implementing the Action Plan and the ideas put forward in various fora, in accordance with the decisions taken at the sixth meeting of the EU-Morocco Association Council. The EU wishes the Association Council to instruct the various subcommittees and working parties set up under the Association Agreement to implement and monitor the various technical measures identified in the joint document which are within their competence, particularly regulatory convergence. Where the proposals involve other institutions, the Council and the Commission will link up with the institutions concerned in order to submit the Working Party's proposals to them.
4.The EU would stress the evolving nature of the roadmap. As indicated in the joint document, as of 2009 the EU is prepared to engage in examination with Morocco of the nature and form of the instrument to follow on from the current EU-Morocco Neighbourhood Action plan, and possibly the Association Agreement. It regards the ad hoc Working Party as the appropriate forum for such consideration. To that end, the EU considers that the ad hoc Working Party should be instructed to conduct this examination and to make proposals for the next Association Council meeting. The Working Party should also check the appropriateness of the "advanced status" roadmap.
5.The European Union welcomes the progress made by Morocco in implementing the EU‑Morocco Neighbourhood Action Plan, as evidenced by the monitoring reports prepared by the European Commission, which made it possible to grant Morocco additional finance under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument Governance Facility both in 2007 and in 2008. The EU considers that continuing implementation of the current Action Plan remains indispensable.
6.The Paris Summit on 13 July 2008 launched the Barcelona process: Union for the Mediterranean which gives a new impetus to European Union cooperation with its Mediterranean partners, particularly by enhancing political dialogue, strengthening the joint decision-making mechanisms and increasing the partnership's visibility through large regional and subregional projects. The EU welcomes Morocco's support for and commitment to this initiative. It is pleased that the Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting on employment is to be held in Marrakesh on 9 and 10 November 2008.
7.In the context of enhancing Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, the European Union attaches particular importance to subregional cooperation. It commends the acceleration of technical cooperation between the countries of the Maghreb and the proliferation of initiatives by company managers and civil society organisations. It welcomes the resumption of the dialogue between the EU and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and urges the AMU to continue its subregional integration endeavours. It would like Morocco to encourage the AMU to make proposals to enhance cooperation of all kinds with the EU.
8.The European Union welcomes the interest shown by Morocco in the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). It appreciates Morocco's desire to strengthen ties in these areas. The reinforced political dialogue – the meetings for which are held at regular intervals – is an excellent framework for achieving progress in cooperation and mutual understanding. Another important factor in this context is the proposal made to Morocco that it should align itself, case by case, with the EU's declarations, démarches and positions on matters coming under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
9.Morocco's participation in the EU's operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an important signal of Morocco's practical support for the development of European Security and Defence Policy. The European Union is grateful to the Moroccan authorities for their valuable contribution to this operation and hopes it will set a precedent for Morocco's involvement in other European Union operations. It would be useful to build on this first experience of cooperation between the EU and Morocco on crisis management in order to explore the possibility of discussing how to organise our ESDP relations in a more structured way, in particular by envisaging, on the basis of the agreement in principle contained in the roadmap for "advanced status", the conclusion of a framework agreement for Morocco's participation in crisis management operations (civilian and military) with the EU and a framework agreement on intelligence security.
10.The European Union appreciates Morocco's active participation in the cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean partners on the ESDP. In that connection, there are regular contacts at Senior Official level and with the General Secretariat of the Council, including the Military Staff. Joint initiatives such as the ESDP seminar organised by the Moroccan Institute and the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Institute for Security Studies in March 2008 are a valuable way of enhancing dialogue on the subject of crisis management between the EU and Morocco and, more generally, with other regional partners.
11.The European Union also welcomes the participation of Moroccan representatives in training activities organised by the European Security and Defence College and in briefings organised by the EU during crisis management exercises.
12.The EU appreciates the preparatory work recently begun by Morocco on very extensive new reform projects in areas such as education, the introduction of a new social safety net for the very poor, agriculture and, above all, justice. It would encourage Morocco to get the projects under way as soon as possible and is prepared to examine means of supporting them. The reforms undertaken several years ago are indeed beginning to bear fruit, particularly through a drop in unemployment and increasing growth. That shows how appropriate were the choices made. The accelerating reform movement will reduce poverty and improve the country's social indicators. More especially, the reform of the justice system should make the rule of law a sustainable reality, guarantee effective protection for citizens and improve the business climate. The EU is pleased to be able to back the reforms in progress via its technical and financial assistance programmes. The fact that there are over twenty twinned projects between Morocco and EU Member States in all sectors is proof of a high level of mutual trust. The EU is attached to development and reinforcement of the public institutions as guarantors of uniform application of the law and of good governance.
13.The EU would encourage Morocco to maintain and step up its investments in the social sectors, particularly education, health, vocational training and medical cover, in order to ensure harmonious social development and to reduce poverty. Continued growth in key sectors requires an educated workforce adapted to the needs of the labour market. The EU is pleased that Morocco has made educational reform one of the main reforms to be undertaken over the next few years. The EU urges Morocco to redouble its efforts to eradicate child labour, which is still widespread in some sectors.
14.The EU welcomes Morocco's determination to take decentralisation further and to promote regional development. The EU attaches great importance to balanced regional development in the interests of social cohesion. It welcomes the launch of two twinning operations to benefit regional authorities. It calls on Morocco to upgrade the resources and prerogatives available to the regions so that they can prepare development strategies which reflect their needs.
15.At the last meeting of the Association Council, cooperation between Morocco and the European Union on human rights and fundamental freedoms was enhanced. The EU appreciates the regular meetings of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance, which has so far met three times. It actively supports the preparation of a national strategy and an action plan in these areas, which should allow the reforms undertaken to be pursued. If, in that connection, our confidence in each other is to be further enhanced, we need ongoing exchanges of information and a constant dialogue at this level.
16.The European Union recognises that the reforms undertaken in previous years have consolidated human rights and extended the scope of individual freedoms. The EU recognises Morocco's important role in the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly as a mediator between the various regional groups, and would encourage it to continue its efforts in this matter. The EU also commend Morocco's commitment and cooperation at the universal periodic review before the United Nations Human Rights Council. It welcomes Morocco's acceptance of 11 of the 13 recommendations made by the Working Party. In this connection, the EU considers that ratification by Morocco of the Statute of the International Criminal Court, the deposit with the United Nations Secretariat promised many years ago of declarations regarding the withdrawal of certain reservations on international Conventions and accession to a number of optional Protocols, thereby reinforcing the application of several international human rights instruments, would represent significant advances.
17.The European Union considers that implementation of all the recommendations made by the Justice and Reconciliation Commission ("Instance Equité et Réconciliation") (IER) will enable Morocco to consolidate the work accomplished and make progress in the introduction of a new culture of respect for and promotion of human rights. The European Union is pleased to be able to assist in implementing some of the IER recommendations via the two programmes launched in 2006 and 2008. An independent and transparent judicial system is a goal to be achieved in order to perfect the rule of law. The EU reiterates the appeal it made at the Association Council's previous meeting for respect for freedom of expression and protection of sources and for a further reform of the Press Code and the Penal Code in order to decriminalise crimes of opinion. In addition, the European Union invites Morocco to safeguard freedom of association and freedom of assembly, particularly in the Western Sahara. It calls upon government forces to show restraint in resorting to force. The European Union welcomes the continued moratorium on the death penalty and would encourage Morocco to proceed to abolition as soon as possible.
18.The EU congratulates Morocco on the improved transparency arrangements and the sound organisation of the parliamentary elections held on 7 September 2007 and on the decision to accept independent observers, a decision which should be set out in a legal framework. Those elections were a marker of further progress in the democratisation process. The EU would encourage Morocco to continue in that positive direction with regard to the organisation and transparency of the forthcoming municipal elections.
19.The EU reiterates its strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever the origin, cause or motives. The EU stresses the importance of implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which plays a key role in international mobilisation in the fight against terrorism.
20.The EU reiterates its attachment to respect for human rights and for international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism. Failure to respect internationally recognised human rights standards is likely to affect the legitimacy of our action. The fight against terrorism and respect for human rights are not contradictory; on the contrary, they complement and reinforce each other.
21.The EU welcomes the current cooperation with Morocco on the fight against terrorism. It appreciates the quality shown by the dialogue at the EU Troika meeting with Morocco in March 2008, which provided an opportunity to evaluate the terrorist threat and discuss ways of enhancing cooperation in international fora and technical assistance in counter-terrorist action. The EU notes with satisfaction the measures taken by Morocco to combat terrorist financing and to strengthen controls on money laundering. It would stress the importance of having the financial intelligence unit, which was established recently and is supported by EU twinning, begin its activities as soon as possible. The EU considers it essential to enhance cooperation with Morocco in international fora.
22.The EU considers that North Africa is a priority zone for action to counter terrorism and radicalisation. The EU welcomes Morocco's efforts to combat radicalisation. It believes that cooperation with Morocco can be developed to prevent and to combat radicalisation in Europe. It considers that cooperation must be developed between the EU, Morocco and the Sahel-Saharan region to combat terrorist networks more effectively.
23.The European Union calls upon Morocco to play an active part in implementing the EU-Africa common strategy and to strengthen its links with the African Union. The EU also considers that the Arab Maghreb Union can play a key role in implementing that strategy.
24.The European Union fully supports the Manhasset negotiations on the future status of the Western Sahara, which were launched last year with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1754, and it commends the serious, credible efforts made by Morocco to move ahead towards a political settlement negotiated between the parties under United Nations auspices. The European Union has taken note of the Moroccan proposal put to the United Nations Secretary-General on 11 April 2007 and of the Polisario proposal put to him on 10 April 2007. The European Union considers it important that the negotiations, conducted by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, result in a solution that is politically fair, lasting and mutually acceptable and which allows for the self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara, as specified in the United Nations resolutions. The European Union also gives its full support to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1813 adopted unanimously on 30 April 2008, which calls on the parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise and to engage in substantive negotiations. The European Union is convinced that the parties must embark on a more substantive phase of negotiations and must show restraint, good faith, realism, commitment and a spirit of compromise. The European Union wishes to express the importance it attaches to the human rights situation in the Western Sahara and recalls the obligations incumbent on each of the parties. The European Union is grateful to the Moroccan authorities for their valuable contribution to the establishment of confidence measures allowing family visits and other contacts between families and it urges Morocco to consider the possibility of organising family visits by land.
25.On matters of migration, the European Union welcomes the efforts by Morocco to deal with illegal immigration, which have led to a substantial reduction in immigration flows from Morocco. With a view to the second Euro-African ministerial conference on migration to be held in Paris on 25 November 2008, the European Union is counting on Morocco to continue to play a lead role in the process initiated in Rabat in 2006, in favour of an overall balanced approach to migration.
26.While noting the efforts made by Morocco on illegal immigration, the European Union regrets that it has not been possible to conclude the negotiations on a readmission agreement since the last meeting of the Association Council. The EU reaffirms the importance it attaches to swift conclusion of that agreement, which will open up new opportunities for development cooperation with Morocco, inter alia through opportunities in the dialogue on strengthening bilateral relations.
27.The EU welcomes the positive development of cooperation between Morocco and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR), following the signing of the headquarters agreement in 2007, and the cooperation between the many Moroccan non‑governmental organisations and the HCR with a view to ensuring respect for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. It commends Morocco's willingness to review the legislative and regulatory framework in the field of asylum and expresses its readiness to assist Morocco in ensuring that this initiative shortly leads to the introduction of a national system for taking charge of asylum‑seekers and persons requiring international protection.
28.The Moroccan economy's performance continues to be positive, with a drop in unemployment, an increase in investment and a reduction in the budgetary deficit and the national debt. That performance is the fruit of the structural reforms and the investment policy successfully conducted by Morocco over several years.
29.However, subsidies for staples form an increasing proportion of State expenditure and represent a threat to the budgetary consolidation initiated several years ago. Moreover, they are above all of benefit to the most affluent sections of society. The EU urges Morocco to introduce a system for targeting subsidies so that they benefit the very poor in the first instance.
30.In matters of trade, the Union welcomes the continuing bilateral negotiations on the liberalisation of trade in services and the right of establishment and on a mechanism for settling trade disputes, on the one hand, and the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fisheries products, on the other. The EU considers it possible to reach a mutually beneficial agreement in negotiations on the dispute settlement mechanism and on the liberalisation of agricultural trade, by the end of the year, and in the services and right of establishment negotiations by the end of 2009. The increase in the trade deficit and the poor sectoral and geographical diversification of exports indicate that the economy lacks competitiveness. In this connection, preparations for the negotiation of an agreement on conformity evaluation and industrial product acceptance are continuing to progress. The EU would encourage Morocco to speed up the process of aligning its technical regulations on the Community system in the priority sectors identified. The EU appreciates Morocco's constructive role in the proceedings of the Working Party of Senior Officials on the Euromed trade roadmap up to 2010 and beyond, the main lines of which coincide with the trade aspects of the current discussions on enhancing bilateral relations.
31.In matters of industrial cooperation, the EU is pleased that Morocco is taking a lead role in the pilot project on business policy review and benchmarking being conducted by nine Mediterranean partners with reference to the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise.
32.The implementation of the Air Transport Liberalisation Agreement has produced all the benefits which both parties expected. That Agreement will bring peoples closer together and provides opportunities for a growth in tourism in Morocco. The European Union calls on Morocco to commit itself fully to implementing the approximation of rules provided for in the Agreement. More generally, the EU welcomes the major reforms initiated in the transport sector. It notes with interest the dossier on a fixed link under the Straits of Gibraltar presented by Morocco and Spain.
33.The EU welcomes the satisfactory implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Community which has had positive results for both parties' fisheries sectors and is contributing to furthering relations and sectoral dialogue between the competent Moroccan and European authorities, particularly through regular meetings of the Joint Committee. It also welcomes the preparation of a new strategy to modernise the fisheries sector in Morocco.
34.The EU is pleased that Morocco ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2007. The EU considers international cooperation essential in order to ensure sustainable management of marine resources and better governance of the oceans. In that context, the EU intends to intensify its relations with Morocco in the field of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); the EU invites Morocco to ratify the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
35.The EU welcomes the satisfactory cooperation on energy following the joint declaration signed in 2007 which led to the organisation of a seminar dealing, inter alia, with the issues surrounding the development of a nuclear electricity programme for civilian purposes. The EU reaffirms its readiness to cooperate with Morocco in the fields of nuclear safety and security, and also in the development of renewable energy (particularly solar energy), the reform of the electricity sector, the development of infrastructure and the reinforcement of the sector's planning and regulating institutions. The EU urges Morocco to take part in the solar plan defined in the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.
36.The EU would stress the importance it attaches to intensifying cooperation on the environment and taking forward the work of implementing bilateral environmental cooperation within the framework of the Association Agreement and the Action Plan. At regional level, cooperation can be enhanced as part of the implementation of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean activities, the Horizon 2020 imitative and the Mediterranean component of the EU Water Initiative. The EU invites Morocco to support its proposals for the development of the post-2012 arrangements regarding climate change; it attaches great importance to a more intensive dialogue on the various aspects of climate change, including adaptation.
37.The EU welcomes the regular holding of meetings of the various subcommittees provided for in the Agreement. The EU also welcomes the technical agreement between the parties on the proposal for an Association Council Decision in order to re-establish the legal basis for the Customs Cooperation Committee and to adjust the rules of procedure of certain subcommittees to reflect the development of the dialogue between our two parties on new subjects.
38.Morocco is the first beneficiary of EU financial assistance among the neighbourhood policy countries. The EU grants an increasing proportion of that assistance in the form of budgetary support for the implementation of the Kingdom's major structural reforms. If the high level of disbursement that has been a feature of financial assistance to Morocco in recent years is to be maintained, reforms will have to continue, as will the ongoing improvement of public finance management. The EU welcomes Morocco's interest in all the new financial instruments and thematic programmes it has put in place, and urges it to make full use of them, particularly the funds allocated for cross-border cooperation.
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