By Hassan Benmehdi
In spite of the difficult world economic climate, negotiations between the EU and Morocco over co-operation are steadily making progress.
Moroccan and European officials on Friday (April 11th) wrapped up five days of talks in Brussels regarding the proposed Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA).
Since the last round of talks in Morocco earlier this year, the two parties have been in permanent contact to move negotiations forward.
“Today’s DCFTA represents a new generation of agreements that the EU and Morocco hope to integrate into their economic relations, followed by new business opportunities, which will be seized upon to boost trade,” EU-Moroccan relations specialist Mouhieddine Rochdi told Magharebia.
A stronger political and security partnership between Morocco and the EU is of fundamental importance, he said.
Under the present circumstances, the EU is very keen to encourage the idea of Maghreb integration, which is becoming an inescapable economic necessity, he noted.
In a statement, the EU delegation to Rabat stressed that the DCFTA was a logical next step in trade relations with Morocco following the liberalisation of industrial and agricultural exchanges between the two parties.
“The EU hopes that exchanges in this fourth round will be constructive so that we can continue to move towards an agreement that will mark a real turning point in trade relations with Morocco, which remains the only country in the south Mediterranean region to have started negotiations of this kind with the EU,” the statement said.
The bloc aims to integrate the energy sector into its programme of economic co-operation with Morocco, EU Director for Neighbourhood Policy Michael Koehler said in Rabat on April 8th.
“The EU is ready to think about the opportunities for extending its economic partnership programme with Morocco, which is still ahead of some of the countries in its neighbourhood in terms of renewable energy,” he noted.
Energy Minister Abdelkader Amara stressed Morocco’s interest in getting involved in the European electricity market.
The DCFTA’s main aim, however, is to facilitate progressive integration between the Moroccan economy and the EU’s internal market.
A study conducted by a private consultancy firm on behalf of the European Commission revealed that the DCFTA would in time increase Morocco’s GDP by nearly 1.6%, its exports by 15% and the Moroccan people’s spending power by 1.6 to 1.9%.
The proposed pact offers Morocco a European market with no fewer than 500 million consumers, international relations expert Ahmed Moâchir said.
But for Mohamed Namir from the Centre for Strategic Studies at the University of Casablanca, this opportunity also represents a challenge for Morocco, “which today finds itself forced to develop its industries, harmonise its legal arsenal with European legislation, modernise its administration and reform the judicial sector in order to achieve the successful integration of its economy into the European economic area”.
However, Chaoui Belassal, a member of the EU-Morocco joint committee, stressed the importance of communication and the ongoing exchanges between the two parties if their goals are to be met.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar used the occasion to reaffirm “the importance of adopting a progressive and selective approach over regulatory convergence and reforms to be introduced under the DCFTA, which will cover a full range of regulatory areas of shared interest such as health measures, protection for investment, public contracts and the policy on competition”.
