A3-0158/93

Resolution on relations between the European Community and the Maghreb

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Commission communication to the Council and European Parliament on the future of relations between the Community and the Maghreb (SEC(92)0401),

-having regard to Rule 121 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation and the opinion of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media (A3-0158/93),

A.whereas their proximity places the Maghreb countries at the frontiers of Europe,

B.bearing in mind the importance of the links established over the centuries, of wide-ranging exchanges and of the coexistence of different religions,

C.deploring the fact that, in economic terms, the gulf between the two shores of the Mediterranean is on the whole growing and that twenty-three years of cooperation have not succeeded in reducing it,

D.recalling that human relations with the Maghreb countries, and in particular migration from the Maghreb to Europe, create a complex economic, political and social situation in which much is at stake,

E.maintaining that religions represent an opportunity for contact between different cultures,

F.whereas, if trends observed over the last few years are not reversed, there is a considerable danger that fundamentalism may triumph in the Maghreb countries, which would have considerable repercussions for women in the countries concerned and for the European Community,

1.Considers that, in reviewing its development policy, the Community should have as one of its priorities the countries in the Mediterranean region, particularly the Maghreb countries, although this should not be at the expense of regions to the south of the area;

2.Shares the Commission's view that a new policy should be adopted between the Community and the Maghreb, one 'that is equal to the challenges of the region, and all that these challenges entail for the Community';

3.Believes that this new policy should provide a basis for the implementation by the Community of a new Mediterranean policy and accordingly upholds its previous position in favour of an overall policy along these lines;

4.Welcomes the establishment of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and hopes that the Berber element will also receive official recognition;

5.Considers that it would be useful to draw up a review of relations between the Community and the Maghreb and cooperation between these two regions;

6.Welcomes the fact that the new partnership proposed by the Commission is not confined exclusively to the governmental field but seeks the close involvement of the various organizations existing in society;

7.Desires, however, closer cooperation between the Commission and the relevant parliamentary committees regarding the initiation, content and development of partnership programmes with these organizations (Med-Invest, Med-Urbs, Med-Compos, Med-Media, etc.);

Cultural and social relations

8.Considers that the obstacles which have hitherto prevented the Community from achieving its objectives in its relations with the Maghreb are primarily cultural;

9.Believes therefore that cooperation on cultural and social issues should be a priority in EC-Maghreb relations;

10.Emphasizes the interdependence of cultures and that no one culture has special qualities which may be imposed on others, and that this applies equally to relations between Europe and the Maghreb and to the domestic affairs of each Maghreb country;

11.Considers that, by its very nature, the Community is in a better position than the individual Member States to clear up misunderstandings and overcome obstacles;

12.Hopes that the Community and the Maghreb countries will bring about changes to ensure that young people grow up in a cultural environment geared to peace rather than war;

13.Considers that these changes must allow the peoples concerned to become sufficiently acquainted with each other so as to create greater understanding and tolerance on both sides of the Mediterranean;

14.Is therefore in favour of establishing closer ties between social and cultural circles in Europe and the Maghreb - with particular emphasis on the participation of women in the countries concerned - by setting up information and coordination structures and instruments (networks, series of conferences, etc.) to address the problems facing the Maghreb and the Community;

15.Believes that there is a vital need to develop cultural exchanges, drawing inspiration in particular from positive experiences such as that of the French Office for the Development of Mediterranean Exchanges;

16.Considers that the implementation of cultural and social cooperation must seek to cover the problems encountered in both the Community and the Maghreb countries;

17.Advocates therefore an active policy of cooperation in the cultural and social spheres, to which sufficient funds should be allocated and which should be implemented in the Maghreb and in the Community;

18.Points out that the democracy and human rights dimension has now been incorporated into the Community's development policy and believes that progress in that direction would do much to foster the new partnership between Europe and the Maghreb;

19.Considers it vital that the Maghreb countries embark upon a genuine process of democratization based on participation and appreciation of the concerns and aspirations of civil society, respect for the fundamental rights of the individual, equality for men and women, an immediate end to the practice of torture and respect for minority languages and cultures;

20.Stresses the importance of joint research into the history of the Mediterranean region and archaeological research;

21.Draws the attention of the European media which broadcast in North Africa to the misunderstandings which may arise from differences of perception caused by different cultural traditions;

22.Favours the promotion of media established jointly and broadcasting on both sides of the Mediterranean, with a view, in particular, to enabling Europeans to overcome their lack of knowledge of the peoples and cultures of the Maghreb;

23.Considers that Community cooperation in the audiovisual field should concentrate on providing technical assistance for national networks and technology transfers, bilateral measures to improve image banks, and aids for translation, notably as regards education and training programmes;

24.Reaffirms its support for the setting up of a Euro-Arab University along the lines of that envisaged in Granada and proposed by the European Parliament's Bureau;

Political dialogue

25.Believes that only firm political will on both sides can make it possible to remove current problems overshadowing this dialogue;

26.Considers that a partnership can only be established on the basis of equality and respect for the other party and for diversity;

27.Approves the Commission's proposal for the establishment of a true partnership between Europe and the Maghreb;

28.Believes that, if a substantial change is to occur in relations between Europe and the Maghreb, which the Commission considers essential, spectacular political initiatives will be required, such as a meeting of Heads of State of the Twelve and of the Maghreb or meetings along the lines of the Euro-Arab meetings held at the European Parliament on 13 June 1991 and 26 November 1992;

29.Feels that an institutional framework should be established, going beyond the purely governmental sphere, to bring together the various partners existing in society;

30.Welcomes the fact that democracy and human rights now represent an important dimension in cooperation between the Community and the Maghreb countries and believes that progress towards political, economic and social democracy and in improving the position of women would do much to improve development prospects, and takes the view that encouragement should be given to rapid development in the legal status of women towards recognition of equal rights for men and women, particularly in Morocco and Algeria;

Regional cooperation in the Maghreb

31.Supports the AMU and believes that progress towards regional integration in the Maghreb is an essential dimension of the development objectives of the Maghreb countries;

32.Stresses in particular the need to develop commercial, financial and other relations within the Maghreb, while ensuring mutual respect for the various cultures concerned;

33.Calls therefore on the Commission to assign priority to assisting regional integration;

34.Considers that economic reforms must take account of the people's aspirations and needs, particularly in the social sphere, since their participation in developing and implementing these reforms is essential if the democratization process is to take on real substance;

35.Considers that Morocco must allow the peace plan drawn up by the UN in accordance with its resolutions 658 and 690, concerning the referendum on the self-determination of the Sahrawi people, to be implemented;

Debt and structural adjustment

36.Calls, in accordance with the objective of better coordination among the Member States within the framework of the renewal of Community development policy, for a strategy to be worked out by the EC concerning the Maghreb countries' debt, with the particular aim of reducing or converting it, taking into account the situations in each country and the proposals put forward by the Tunisian Government for debt to be converted for use in support of social and ecological measures and the development of human resources;

37.Regards a European strategy along these lines as the only means of reducing the burden of debt which hampers economic growth in most Maghreb countries;

38.Notes with interest that, in the recent past, economic reforms have produced favourable results in Tunisia and Morocco and have thus started to create better conditions for economic development;

39.Regards it as unacceptable that, on the pretext of structural adjustment, the Community should have to correct the social consequences of plans initiated by the Bretton Woods institutions, in the drafting of which it plays only a marginal role;

40.Advocates that the Community draw up a structural adjustment strategy which it should seek to push through in the World Bank and International Monetary Fund;

Trade

41.Believes that the European Community must reduce barriers to the entry of agricultural and industrial products from the Maghreb, especially foodstuffs and textiles, while also taking into account the interests of Community producers;

42.Supports the idea of a free-trade area between the European Community and the Maghreb but maintains that, by itself, this would not be sufficient to impart the impetus and credibility required in order to link the Maghreb firmly to Europe;

Financial cooperation, training, employment and investment

43.Supports strongly the Commission initiatives designed to create jobs in the Maghreb countries and would like to see the programmes expanded considerably;

44.Notes with satisfaction the measures initiated by the Commission to encourage joint ventures in the manufacturing and services sectors;

45.Believes that small and medium-sized undertakings are best able to create jobs and in particular favours support for young entrepreneurs;

46.Notes the needs and the considerable opportunities which exist with regard to vocational training and is in favour of a diversification of measures in this sphere;

47.Considers that there is a vital need for a transfer of technology and hopes to see the establishment of programmes of appropriate technological research;

Environment

48.Notes the extent to which the environment is deteriorating on both sides of the Mediterranean; considers reversing this trend to be a matter of urgency and that cooperation between the two parties is necessary in order to solve these problems;

49.Considers, in particular, that the priority objective of such cooperation could be the creation of a water and energy community at Mediterranean level;

50.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council and to the governments of the Member States, of the Maghreb countries and of third countries in the Mediterranean region.