The advanced status is born in October 2008 program is the embryo of a new legal and institutional framework between the EU and Morocco, a tool to contribute to the deepening of relations between them, without becoming a member of the EU itself .
EA is to achieve a political objective, formulated as a declaration of intention, intentions of both parties to achieve these objectives, but devoid of legal value.
In this direction there are three planes that would stand out as an introduction because I believe that we are interested in particular:
1. Spain's role as promoter of this initiative actor within the EU:
Spain has the challenge of consolidating to the EU, but especially to Morocco for his role as a bridge. It is clear that Spain has a special interest in cooperation on security and migration control, due mainly to pressure on the borders of Ceuta and Melilla. Still, the commercial and economic interests in general also have a starring role and interest in the development of this country.
In this regard it is noteworthy in Granada Summit on 6 and 7 March 2010 during the English EU presidency. This was the first summit with a southern Mediterranean country and the first Arab country to have a summit with the EU. It was a great opportunity to underline the commitment of the EU for multilateral cooperation, embodied today by the Union for the Mediterranean.
The summit addressed many issues, (perhaps too?) Primarily framed by the pillars of good governance, democratization and economic modernization and social cohesion of Morocco, as well as addressing major global challenges, in inevitably, if we want results, we must work together: climate change, the financial and economic crisis and migration, to name a few aspects. Notably
Parallel also hosted the first EU-Morocco Business Summit, sponsored by the Foreign Ministry, the Junta de Andalucía, Casa Árabe, the Employers Confederation of Andalusia and the General Confederation of Moroccan Entrepreneurs.
Spain therefore has to take responsibility and weight of the momentum of this EA in the EU framework.
2. The advanced status is a benchmark that may be of interest to other countries in southern and eastern Mediterranean.
The success of the advanced status will undoubtedly lead to other states take a dim view closer relations with the EU achieving greater integration and this is an excellent opportunity for the EU to achieve these states carry out institutional reforms and more ambitious policies, where the construction of the rule of law and protection of human rights must be in the frontispiece.
is also true that this differential treatment and "privileged" with Morocco can have a negative reading by the other Maghreb countries. How do you work for the emergence of positive competition between them and non-negative, weakening the end of the Arab Maghreb Union?
3. And thirdly, most importantly, it is essential to domestic impact it can have political and economic life Morocco, which can also benefit, as after all, the cohesion policy of the EU.
This has to be translated into specific actions and progress.
THE WAY DONE
I talked about the summit in Grenada last March, but the summit is another step in a process of rapprochement between Morocco and the EU that goes way back. To highlight the main (not only) achievements: 1960
start of diplomatic relations between the EEC and Morocco
trade agreement
1969 1976 first cooperation agreement
1996 agreement association, in force since March 1, 2000
2005-2010 Action Plan of the ENP that locks and reinforced by the Union for the Mediterranean. This year we just have to renew the Neighbourhood Action Plan and is a good opportunity to establish bases in every way to move in the right direction.
focus on the future
We are in the round table will take care to address the economic implications for Morocco has, has had and above all, may have the advanced status. Without doubt, this economic and financial dimension is social more fundamental. Chapter
financial economic down that joint activities will focus on 4 main themes:
1. adapting Moroccan laws to European standards (the acquis communautaire)
2.realizar a global free trade agreement and deep, in the sense that I pointed
3.establecer a smooth economic and social cooperation
4.la Accession from Morocco to the trans-European networks and transport infrastructure and sectoral cooperation in areas such as energy, information technology and communication, agriculture, fisheries, mining, environment and water.
(1) With adaptation of legislation Moroccan European standards is to facilitate the integration of Morocco into the EU internal market. Furthermore, it is helping to stimulate structural reforms, economic growth and simultaneously reduce poverty and develop social cohesion and employment. Is thus an ambitious goal that will take place gradually incorporating the acquis communautaire through a joint mechanism to systematize the legal reserve in all sectors.
(2) A Free Trade Agreement will allow the free movement of goods, services and the temporary presence of natural persons for purposes professionals.
Current negotiations focus on the liberalization of trade in services and agricultural products, and the right of establishment.
NOTE: Please ditch the EU EEMM themselves have taken years to approve the services directive and the 27 barely have made the transposition of this directive. In Spain it was mainly through two laws known as, the umbrella law (which established the general principles) and the omnibus bill (Amendment of more than 40 sectoral laws)
Regarding the immediate future, the new negotiations developed considering the sensitivities of the sectors affected economic and involve the exchange of industrial products, capital movements and patents, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, intellectual property rights, consumer protection and environmental issues, among others.
(3) In the area of \u200b\u200beconomic cooperation and social , has suggested a working group composed of representatives of employers and entrepreneurs in the EU and Morocco to help detect any obstacle. It also provides work on standardization and technical regulation and industrial property. The intent of this axis measures are aimed at facilitating investments (for which legal certainty will be essential).
has also opened a dialogue on employment, labor and social affairs that includes gender equality, adaptation of qualifications or child labor.
(4) The last line of action is the accession of Morocco to the trans-European networks and infrastructures transport and sectoral cooperation in areas such as energy, information technology and communication, agriculture, fishing, mining, environment and water.
As relevant initiatives, has confirmed the willingness of both parties to cooperate to improve connections for all modes of transport giving Morocco a status that allows them to take part in decisions and approaching the regulations. For example, the "Single Sky", the "Motorways of the Sea" or the possibility of building a high speed track on the Gibraltar Strait. There are also commitments to strengthen environmental perspective Moroccan law, the preservation of water quality, or modernization of agriculture as employing 40% of the workforce. Having briefly pointed
forecasts on economic EA would release some questions for discussion.
SOME QUESTIONS STILL HAVE NO ANSWER
Are all these developments on economic matters will be sustainable over time without a genuine democracy in Morocco?
I say this because the EA does not include any kind of democratic conditionality or on the question of Western Sahara. In this way, it has lost the ability to apply pressure and demand reforms in exchange for the granting of a status differential in comparison with all the Maghreb and funding. Is this really a lost opportunity or believe that growth and development of society and the economy exercised by themselves Alawi shift lever toward democratization?
Despite progress foreign investment, legal uncertainty and corruption remain major obstacles. For example, Morocco dropped 9 positions in the Index of Corruption Perception 2009 (since 89 th). "The pitfalls of legal uncertainty and corruption could end up weakening this journey started?
Beyond the speeches it is clear that the EU has dealt with North African countries separately and differently, never at the regional level through the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA). Do you think that the model applied with Morocco will become a role model in North Africa, ie generate competition beneficial cooperation between countries, or it will be a negative competition contrary to the revitalization of the UMA?
A generalization of special relations "reforms regimes discourage diehards? Do multilateral policies continue to have meaning? How do we combine all these actions that work in parallel?
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