Morocco-EU association accord, a step towards Morocco's integration in European space
Morocco-European Union, Economics, 3/2/2000

The Moroccan-European Union (EU) association accord, which entered into force on March 1, will help Morocco integrate the European space, the head of the European delegation in Morocco said.

"Relations between Morocco and EU can develop into integration," Lucio Guerrato told MAP news agency.

The accord provides, inter alia, for the gradual establishment by year 2012 of a free exchange area in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The union has always been aware of the Moroccans' will to progress towards a closer partnership, and even towards integration, Guerrato said.

The liberalization of Morocco-EU trade, provided for by the accord, triggered Moroccan private operators' fear that the dismantling of customs duties will jeopardize the Moroccan economy.

"The Moroccan private sector's concerns are understandable, especially regarding the free trade area," Guerrato said, adding however that the concerns were "exaggerated."

To prepare its economy, Morocco devised a backup program for the promotion of the quality of its industrial products. The EU joined the drive and contributed 15.5 million Euros to the project.

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.

Guerrato underlined that the EU "cannot pay for the improvement of the Moroccan firms' competitive edge." Such an effort should concern the firms' legal status and management, he said. This is not a European request, but rather a Moroccan need, he said.

Morocco should ensure its own survival on its own, and the Moroccan investors have to trust their country and see the future optimistically, the EU official said.

Previous Stories:
  European investment bank's loans to Morocco totalled 263 million euros in 1999   (2/7/2000)
  European Council endorses Morocco-EU association accord   (2/1/2000)
  EU import certificate on Moroccan tomatoes abrogated   (1/28/2000)

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