Free trade is an opportunity

Since the mid-1990s Morocco has embarked on an ambitious process of opening its free trade borders. Many treaties and free trade are in force Agadir Agreement (Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt in 2007), USA (2006), Turkey (2006), and an association agreement with the European Union (EU) in 2000. Since then regular voices to denounce the consequences of these agreements on our economy. They are in general-although some of our partners are covered more than others-led to the deterioration of our free trade balance and the disappearance of a part of our productive system. Contrary to this view too simplistic it seems that the Moroccan exporters have much to gain from these agreements under certain conditions.

This is first of all ensure that the rules of international free trade particularly with regard to non-tariff barriers are respected by our partners. This commitment must be reciprocal and no exceptions. The difficulties encountered by a time our exports of cars on the Tunisian and Egyptian markets were eventually resolved, but with repeated political interference. Such situations should not happen again.

A joint effort of government and private operators should also be focused on strengthening the competitiveness of our exporting tool. Too little diversified, with added value and know-how limited our exports suffer from a lack of supply. National strategies undertaken in recent years (Emergence, Green Morocco , Morocco Export Plus ...) should help remedy this and to increase public and private investment in the productive fabric exporter. Infrastructure and logistics relay as the port of Tangier Med should in principle provide better access to markets of destination. Finally a proactive policy to promote and endowed with substantial resources is already beginning to produce results particularly in African markets.

Our relations with the European Union that we also deserve attention. By far the largest free trade economic partner of Morocco, it accounts for over half of our free trade. In October 2008, in a joint statement, the Europeans have given the advanced status  of free trade to Morocco. "More and better than the association and a little less than accession", it offers the prospect of Morocco converge to the EU acquires and participate in the single European market. However while engaging the regulatory and legal construction Morocco and the EU had previously concluded two agreements. One on agriculture and the other on services. The first is being ratified by the European Parliament the second remains to be negotiated.

From the perspective of Moroccan exporters we must confess our lack of understanding about the treatment inflicted on the agricultural agreement by some MEPs. Negotiating hard for almost three years, concluded in December 2009 and ratified by the Council of Ministers of the Member States in December 2010. It is blocked in the European Parliament and suffered criticism unfounded and highly aggressive. This while the food trade balance between Morocco and the EU is structurally favorable to the latter and that the concessions granted to Moroccan exports are minimal! This free trade agreement records and a delay in its implementation. We therefore ask that it be ratified as soon as possible by the European Parliament to be able to calmly deal with the negotiations on services and then to change the definition of the specific content of the advanced status. Thus we see the partnership between Morocco and the European Union free trade.