FM Holds Several Bilateral Meetings During EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting
The minister, accompanied mainly by Morocco's ambassador and permanent representative to the EU, Ahmed Reda Chami, held talks with the European Commissioner for Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, discussing the means of strengthening the partnership between Morocco and the EU.
The meeting focused on Morocco's commitment to the New Pact for the Mediterranean, designed to provide fresh impetus to the partnership between the two shores of the Mediterranean, as part of the EU's neighbourhood policy.
Bourita also held talks with the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, where the two officials discussed the strategic partnership between Morocco and the EU, as well as various regional and international issues of common interest.
Subsequently, Bourita held talks with the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, with whom he reviewed bilateral cooperation ties and examined ways of developing them further, within the framework of constant dialogue and consultation between the two countries.
Bourita also held talks with several of his peers on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting, mainly including the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt and Slovenia.
The 5th EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting aims to exchange perspectives on the New Pact for the Mediterranean, which is set to be presented in the next fall, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Declaration.
MAP:14 July 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Ya Biladi
EU-Algeria tensions rise over trade restrictions and arbitration move
Relations between Algeria and the European Union are facing renewed strain. In response to what it views as violations of their association agreement, the EU has announced it is launching a dispute settlement procedure against Algeria and has requested consultations with Algerian authorities to address multiple restrictions affecting EU exports and investments. According to a statement from Brussels, the trade barriers introduced by Algeria since 2021 violate the liberalization commitments set out in the EU-Algeria association agreement, signed on April 22, 2002, and in effect since September 1, 2005. The EU says its move aims to «engage constructively with Algeria with a view to removing the restrictions on several market sectors, spanning from agricultural products to motor vehicles». These include an import licensing system that effectively amounts to a ban, subsidies for car manufacturers conditioned on the use of local inputs, and a cap on foreign ownership for companies importing goods into Algeria. Algeria «Surprised» by EU's Move On Thursday, Algeria expressed surprise over the EU's decision to initiate arbitration. Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf addressed a letter to Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission, denouncing what he described as a «hasty and unilateral decision» to end the consultation phase and trigger arbitration. Attaf argued that the move came despite only two meetings having taken place in the past two months, during which six of the eight issues raised by the EU were reportedly close to resolution. He added that Algeria had also proposed concrete solutions for the remaining two disputes but had received no formal response from its European counterparts. It's worth noting that Algeria had previously imposed sanctions on Spanish companies following Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's public support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a position that drew EU concern. Brussels had attempted to persuade Algiers to lift the restrictions. A Financial Squeeze and Growing Isolation Efforts to mediate, led by former European Council President Charles Michel and former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in 2022 and 2023, have so far failed to resolve the tensions. French companies have also reportedly faced retaliatory measures, particularly following President Emmanuel Macron's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara. Beyond the geopolitical rift, Algeria is grappling with economic challenges. Since taking office in December 2019, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has pushed for drastic import reductions, contributing to shortages of key consumer goods. According to a July report from the Bank of Algeria, the country's foreign exchange reserves have dropped sharply, from $51.4 billion in December 2024 to $39 billion by the end of June 2025, a decline of over 20% in just six months. Adding to the pressure, the EU recently placed Algeria on its blacklist of countries deemed high-risk for money laundering and terrorist financing, further souring already fragile relations between Brussels and Algiers.
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Ya Biladi
European People's Party demands urgent review of EU Morocco trade deal
The European People's Party (EPP) has called for an urgent review of the trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco, warning of an «unacceptable imbalance» in the European fruit and vegetable market, particularly affecting southern Spain. The remarks were made before the Petitions Committee in the European Parliament. MEP Carmen Crespo urged the introduction of mandatory customs quotas and effective reciprocity mechanisms, along with stricter monitoring and the exclusion of any products originating from Western Sahara, in line with the October 2024 ruling by the European Court of Justice. The ruling reaffirmed that Western Sahara is a «separate and distinct territory» from Morocco and cannot be included in trade agreements without the consent of its people. Crespo highlighted an 18% increase in Moroccan tomato imports, from 492,000 to roughly 580,000 tons, blaming this surge for a collapse in prices faced by European producers, who, she argued, are unable to compete with products that fall short of EU social and environmental standards. She also raised concerns about potential tax evasion amounting to an estimated €70 million, criticizing the reduction of customs duties rather than updating entry prices for Moroccan goods, and condemned the practice of labeling Western Saharan exports as Moroccan. Crespo called for the activation of EU safeguard measures and financial compensation from Morocco should tax evasion be confirmed. She also criticized what she described as the «inaction» of certain EU governments, particularly Spain, for failing to protect the interests of local farmers.
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Morocco World
EU, Morocco Bolster Migration and Border Cooperation
Rabat — The European Commission and Morocco are in discussions to formalize a new partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation on migration management and border control, European officials confirmed this week. The European Commission said it is working with Rabat to 'deepen' their bilateral relationship through an agreement modeled on existing deals with Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan. These agreements set out commitments on both sides, providing financial and technical support in exchange for stronger border management and cooperation on curbing irregular migration. At a press conference unveiling the EU 's Global Europe instrument, which seeks to double aid to North African countries in the next budget, Dubravka Suica, the EU Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, highlighted Morocco as a priority partner. 'We already have partnerships with many of them and are trying to strengthen them all. Currently, we are collaborating with Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan. We are working on deepening our partnership with Morocco and will also begin working with Lebanon,' Suica said. In recent years, the EU signed memoranda of understanding with Tunisia and Egypt during a surge of migrant arrivals in the Central Mediterranean. These agreements form part of the EU's broader strategy to enhance regional stability while managing migration more effectively. According to EU sources cited by Europa Press, Brussels aims to reach a similar agreement with Morocco. However, they noted that talks are still at an early stage, and no specific timeline has been set for finalizing the deal. Against this backdrop, Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita met in Brussels on Wednesday with Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission. During their high-level meeting, both sides reaffirmed the depth of the Morocco–EU strategic partnership, describing it as grounded in a shared vision of stability, prosperity, and co-development. They recalled progress in various areas of cooperation, including security, trade, energy transition, and addressing shared challenges such as terrorism, irregular migration, and climate change. Bourita and Kallas exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly the situations in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. They also shared their views on the importance of close coordination to confront current geopolitical challenges in a spirit of shared responsibility and open dialogue. Tags: BouritaBrusselsEuropean Union and MoroccoMorocco EU cooperation
