On the Occasion of the Signature of the Agadir Agreement
The Rt. Hon
Chris Patten
Commissioner for
External Relations
Agadir, Morocco
25
February 2004
I am most honoured to be here
today with you at the signature ceremony of the free trade agreement between
Jordan,
Egypt,
Tunisia and
Morocco. An Arab initiative, which the Arab Governments wanted for the
good of Arab nations and citizens. And I am particularly honoured to
represent today the European Union, as a friend and as a partner of the four
signatory parties to this agreement. A partner for the long term.
The signature of this agreement
marks a major step in the process of economic and social integration in the
Arab
Mediterranean world. But I am also convinced that it marks a leap
forward in the process of creation of closer ties between the Arab
Mediterranean world and the EU.
Eight years ago, Mediterranean
and European partners issued the
Barcelona Declaration. We all committed to promote peace and
stability, to work together to create an area of shared prosperity and to
facilitate dialogue between our peoples and our societies.
Since then we have gone a long
way towards our objectives. Eleven
Association agreements between the European Union and
Mediterranean partners have been concluded – and I very much hope the
remaining one, the association with
Syria, will be concluded very soon. Political, economic and cooperation
relations have developed beyond our initial expectations, and we can say
today that the two shores of the Mediterranean are figuratively closer than
ever.
Times, however, have been
challenging for all countries in the region: we have witnessed the dramatic
deterioration of the situation in
Middle East; we have been faced with horrendous acts of
terrorism and attempts at destabilising the region; and we have been
confronted by the challenges of our changing societies and the demands of
young generations that expect and wish for a future of peace and prosperity.
The Agreement you sign today is
the expression of a collective commitment to address the challenges of the
region through cooperation; to work together in a common endeavour to
develop regional integration as an instrument of economic growth – and
ultimately, as an instrument of political cooperation and peace.
The conclusion of this
agreement is a major step towards achieving our common objective to create
the
Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone in 2010. With the signature of
the agreement and its implementation you will be creating an increasingly
attractive market for European investors – with more than 100 million people
and a combined domestic product of nearly € 150 billion. This will certainly
enhance the possibilities for success for business and trade relations in
your countries. This will make you a trading partner as significant as
Poland; and, with the access of other countries to Agadir in the near
future, a more significant trading partner than any of the
new acceding countries,
Canada and
Turkey.
But in addition, your companies
will benefit from duty free access for all industrial products to the EU
market. After enlargement this will mean duty free access to a market of
over 455 million people – i.e., 455 million consumers – and a GDP of € 9,500
billion. The possibilities for this to help in creating the much needed
employment, foreign investment and economic growth in the region are
enormous, not least considering the fact that almost 60% of the value of the
Agadir countries’ exports go to the EU, and 50% of the imports come from the
Union, even before its enlargement.
The European Union is
particularly pleased that you have decided to open up the agreement to
all Mediterranean partners that have concluded Association Agreements.
We strongly encourage other partners to join the agreement. And, in this
respect, we hope that the forthcoming Euro-Med Conference of Trade Ministers
in Istanbul (in autumn 2004) will take the process of negotiation of free
trade agreements between Mediterranean partners and Turkey forward.
Europe wholeheartedly supports
this agreement. In
Europe we have a large experience of sharing sovereignty in the trade field
for many years. This is why, as friends and partners (and in full respect of
your independence and sovereign decisions), we would like to offer this
experience to you, so that we could work together on maximising the
important trade, economic and regional integration opportunities provided by
the signature of this agreement.
I would like to say a few words
on the European Neighbourhood Policy. Let’s make no mistake: the
neighbourhood policy is not an alternative or a replacement to our
Euro-Mediterranean partnership, but a vehicle to enhance and deepen the
Barcelona Partnership. It is also an instrument to develop a policy for our
neighbours who are calling for a closer relationship with the EU. The EU
wants to develop with each neighbour, on the basis of our experience and of
our current obligations, agreed action plans which set out the path we
intend to pursue together so that you can share our prosperity. The EU
represents some 20% of the world GDP and we want to share it with you.
There is much discussion today
around the process of reforms in the Arab World. This is a process
which has not suddenly come out of the blue. We have been working on it for
a long time, among others through our Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The
important principle is that reforms must be owned by the countries in the
region themselves, even if helped by others. In the same manner that, when
the EU embarked on the process of reform years ago, we did so under our own
ownership, even if helped by others.
When in the
1950’s the founding fathers of European integration started to conceive
what some decades later would become the European Union, they were faced
with scepticism if not with opposition. The process of European integration
has been long and sometimes difficult. But with the enthusiasm and the
vision of those who believed in the European idea, we have re-unified a
continent free from conflict and war; and we have enhanced the economic and
welfare standards of its citizens to unforeseen levels.
There may be scepticism in some
places about the Agadir Agreement. But I am convinced that the enthusiasm
and determination of those who believe in regional cooperation will prevail
– and that this agreement will become the blueprint for the economic
integration of southern Mediterranean partners.
As with most other processes of regional integration – indeed as with our
own regional integration process in the EU – there will be ups and downs. But
the important thing is the political determination you will put behind such process.
We are well aware that this is your journey, not ours; but, as friends and partners,
we are ready to support you all the way along the difficult but rewarding path
of reform – because your success in this process will be also ours.
