Morocco-EU association accord enters into force March 1
Morocco-European Union, Politics, 2/28/2000

The association accord binding Morocco and the European Union (EU) enters into force March 1, it was officially announced in Rabat.

The accord is innovative providing for mutual concessions, especially in matters of financial cooperation, Moroccan secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taieb Fassi Fihri, said in a press conference in Rabat.

A Moroccan-EU association council convenes shortly to set management mechanisms of the accord, Fihri said, adding that the council includes members of the Moroccan government and members of the EU council and commission.

Goncalo Chaves de Brito Cunha --Portuguese ambassador, whose country currently chairs the EU council-- said the entry into force of the accord is a landmark event in relations between Morocco and the Union.

The 15 members of the EU were slow to ratify the accord, Italy being the last EU member to follow suit last July.

For the Portuguese diplomat, the delay in ratifying the agreement did not prevent EU-Morocco cooperation from progressing. He recalled that the Union financed 30 projects in Morocco at 630 million Euros between 1996, when the association accord was concluded, and 1999.

The Euro-Mediterranean area will be a large market for Moroccan products thanks to the entry into force of the accord.

The Morocco-EU association accord provides for the gradual establishment by year 2010 of a free exchange area in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The European Union joined this drive and approved a back-up program for the promotion of the quality of Moroccan industrial products. The EU contribution to this project stood at 15.5 million Euros.

The Association accord provides for gradual suppression of customs duties and other taxes of equivalent impact and of the quantity restrictions and other measures imposed to industrial products.

The free-exchange does not concern the agricultural products, preferential regimes being already confirmed or extended to some produce like tomatoes and flowers. Morocco and the European Union are expected to reexamine the situation of agricultural exchanges as of January 1st, 2000.

The free movement of capital is also provided for in the association accord. The competition rules in force in the EU will be applicable to Morocco. This means that monopoly practices, dumping... will be banned.

Under the accord, partners will cooperate to prevent the use of their financial systems in laundering money earned from illegal activities, such as drug trafficking.

The situation of Moroccan workers in EU countries is also stipulated in the accord. Each member country is called to guarantee the absence of all discrimination against Morocco workers, regarding salaries, working conditions, lay off, and social security.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan-European cooperation probed in Strasbourg   (2/21/2000)
  Moroccan MPs urge European Parliament to address issue of sequestered Sahrawis   (2/21/2000)
  European Council endorses Morocco-EU association accord   (2/1/2000)

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