MED UNION: TRADE MINISTERS SUMMIT, OBJECTIVE IS COMMON AREA
http://www.ansamed.info/en/top/ME11.XAM18341.html
(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS - A new building block in the setting of the Union for the Mediterranean tomorrow in Brussels, with the first summit of Trade ministers from 43 countries in the basin. The final objective is to adopt a road map of concrete actions that will intensify the region's economic integration and launch trade and investments, to achieve a common area of free trade with a long-term horizon beyond 2010. What are the necessary steps for such an ambitious project? From a North-South relations perspective, completing the network of EU Association Agreements, and including also Syria, is necessary. Additionally needed is the acceleration of negotiations already begun in various sectors, such as agriculture, services, and enterprise establishment, and also the rules for dispute resolution. The next step will be to transform this already existing network into one with intentions beyond free trade. Creating a network of bilateral agreements represents a necessary condition for the economic integration of the Euro-Mediterranean region on the South-South front as well. As a first step toward take-off for a common area on the southern bank of the Mediterranean, the application of the Agadir Agreement between Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt has been somewhat fruitful, but less than generally expected. From here it's important to leave the door open to possible new adhesions by other area countries, as stipulated in other free trade agreements like those Israel and Turkey already concluded with various countries from the southern bank. However, enterprises will play a principal role in the Euro-Mediterranean project. Therefore another key point in the meeting tomorrow is putting mechanisms in place to provide tax breaks on investments for companies, starting in 2010. Beyond considerations of an economic and commercial nature, a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area also implies an evaluation of the social impact, first of all in terms of employment. Recalling this is a resolution by the European Parliament, approved in light of the Union for the Mediterranean trade ministers meeting. According to the resolution, ''youth and female unemployment represents the foremost social emergency of the Mediterranean''. Among other things, the Euro-delegates stress, ''that any other liberalization in the agriculture and fisheries sector must keep in mind the necessity of protecting sensitive merchandise, systematically evaluating the social impact of the liberalization processes and phyto-sanitary norms''. (ANSAmed).
Posts
