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Rabat - The European Union's decision to grant Morocco an advanced status attests to the kingdom standing and credibility in the Euro-Mediterranean zone as part of its ambitious vision to reinforce and diversify this partnership, Moroccan Foreign Minister said.

Taib Fassi Fihri, who was speaking Thursday before the Commission of Foreign Affairs, National Defence and Islamic Affairs at the House of Representatives (lower house), added that this status also reflects trust in Morocco's model as well as the commitment to support the modernization and openness process.

It is a means to give momentum to the Moroccan-EU partnership towards a new partnership formula, he said.

The elaboration of the framework of this partnership takes account of the political dynamic and the development process in Morocco, as well as the Union’s experience with its European non-member partners such as Norway.

At the political level, priority will be given to three areas, namely government consultation, parliaments and the establishment of a partnership with the Council of Europe.

He said the Moroccan embassies and diplomatic missions to the EU are making contacts ahead of the future European elections to inform candidates of the priority issues in Morocco’s relations and its interests with the EU, including the Sahara issue.

At the economic level, he noted that the operations programmed within the framework of the advanced status took into consideration the specificities of the Moroccan economy, as well as the constraints facing it.

They also considered the optimal use of development capacities, the improvement of the indicators of foreign direct investment incentives and the promotion of participation in the EU’s internal market through an FTA and bringing Moroccan industrial standards in line with the European ones.


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