Egyptian-EU Partnership, Egypt's new experience

The issue of partnership with the European Union (EU) entered its final phase with the last Cabinet meetings attended by President Hosni Mubarak himself, reflecting the importance Egypt's efforts to establish such a multi-dimensional relationship.

It all emerged with the Barcelona Declaration in which Egypt had participated in November 1995, it included cooperation in three areas: security in the Mediterranean sea, economic ties, and political, social and human rights development.

According to the prominent economic expert Abdel Moneim Saeed, Egypt will actually strike a partnership with a serious side which managed to turn its dreams into reality and set up a sound economic group built on a multi-based democratic system and bases of western civilization. This forecasts that the cooperation agreement will in fact be implemented in accordance with the time schedule set for it.

It is probably that serious attitude that caused negotiations to last four long years, only coming to an end last year with a 4000-page agreement discussing the economic relations between the two sides.

Although signing the agreement will give Egypt many advantages and rights, it also has many other entailments.

First, the agreement would be a direct manifestation of the Barcelona Declaration with all its security, economic and political dimensions.

Secondly, it will entail Egypt's entry into a fierce circle of competition.

"To blend into international economy, Egypt will have to deal with that competition through: expanding the frame of technological and scientific development, improving marketing and export activities, all that within a time frame of 12 years during which Egypt will receive protection advantages and aid, and after that the Egyptian market, like the European market, would be completely open to receive the goods and products of the other side," Saeed expounded, an Egyptian statement added.