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Verbatim report of proceedings
Wednesday, 1 July 1998 - Brussels OJ edition

5. Euro‐Mediterranean Agreement with Jordan

  President . – The next item is the report (A4‐0165/98) by Mrs Aelvoet, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy, on the proposal for a Council and Commission Decision on the signature and on the conclusion of a Euro‐Mediterranean Agreement with Jordan (COM(97)0554 – C4‐0171/98‐97/029(AVC)).

  Aelvoet (V), rapporteur. – (NL) Mr President, let us turn our attention to the Euro‐Mediterranean Agreement between Jordan and the European Union. This Agreement forms part of the overall process known as the Barcelona process, a process whose purpose was – and I hope will continue to be – to achieve closer links between the European Union and the countries of the southern Mediterranean, and of course between the European Union and the Palestinian Authority.

The main objectives were: to help achieve peace and stability in the region; increase economic cooperation, for which a perspective was drawn up on the establishment of a free trade agreement between Jordan and the European Union after a period of twelve years; increase regional cooperation; provide more opportunities for social and cultural cooperation through organized links; and finally, to allow Jordan access to MEDA funding.

Since the establishment of the Barcelona process, four similar association agreements have been concluded with Israel, Tunisia, Morocco and the Palestinian Authority. Unfortunately, it looks as though the Middle East peace process has ground to a halt. There is increasing evidence that this is so. This naturally places a very heavy burden on the original purpose of the Barcelona process whose very aim was to give peace more of a chance. In June, further efforts were made at Palermo to give new impetus to the peace process by convening a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the European Union and partner countries. Ultimately though, it is events that determine future progress and not just meetings. A meeting may help but it cannot act as a counterweight if everything else continues to point towards a harsher reality. The situation in Israel is giving more than cause for concern.

The Agreement with Jordan has been a long time coming. This is largely because Spain expressed opposition after the original agreement had been initialled. It felt that one particular clause was too prejudicial to the Spanish tomato market given the possible import of Jordanian tomatoes. This finally resulted in the clause being altered and an increase in the quota of tomato concentrate. Jordan had then to forego an overall review of the quota. This is an embarrassing example of how a project aimed at giving shape to a European Union foreign policy can ultimately stumble over a few cases of tomatoes. There is not really anything to boast about.

Turning to Jordan itself, there can be no doubt that its economy is weak. Like the Palestinian economy, the Jordanian economy is suffering a great deal due to the deadlock in the peace process. There are many in the European Parliament who plead for sympathy for the situation in Israel. They should take a look at the situation elsewhere and see how every economic initiative is grinding to a halt because of the difficulty there is crossing borders. This is because there are only two bridges that can be used in either direction and because Israeli border checks continue from early in the morning until late at night. The country that summoned the political courage to sign a peace agreement with Israel in 1994 is now paying a very heavy economic price for doing so and not reaping the rewards it had hoped for the political courage it actually showed.

With regard to democracy, it is clear that Jordan has a long way to go before it meets the main criteria for a well‐functioning democracy. In some respects, the situation is actually deteriorating. But if you compare the situation in Jordan with the average situation in all of the other countries in the region, then Jordan is doing relatively well. As I suggested in my report, I think that the European Parliament is doing well to define what problems there actually are and plead for the adoption of the cooperation agreement; at the same time we should monitor the situation with regard to democracy and human rights and use this agreement to demand more progress, because things have got to improve.

IN THE CHAIR: MR PODESTÀ
Vice‐President

  Günther (PPE), draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Development and Cooperation. – (DE) Mr President, firstly, I should like to thank the rapporteur for her work, and also for her comments here today. I can only agree with her that whereas Jordan is not a developing country in the traditional sense, it has not really been the focus of the European Union's attention for some time. Certainly – and I agree with the rapporteur on this point too – Jordan has a less than perfect record on human rights and democracy, but I am sure we would all be pleased if Jordan's achievements, which Jordan itself is keen to improve, could be repeated in other parts of the world, especially in the ‚classic’ developing countries.

Democracy and human rights are always issues which we are increasingly stressing in our cooperation with other countries. Mrs Aelvoet herself has also undertaken the work necessary in connection with the Amsterdam Treaty and the Lomé Convention to enable us to make democracy and human rights a criterion for cooperation in general. The Committee on Development and Cooperation is therefore pleased that this, too, has been laid down in Article 2 of the Agreement.

Another point in the Agreement which we welcome very much is the intention to facilitate cooperation between the Parliaments, which is certainly important within the framework of the parliamentary forum of the Euro‐Mediterranean process too. We are currently preparing the first meeting of this forum, and for this reason too Jordan is thus in an advantageous position to breathe life into this Agreement.

  Sonneveld (PPE), rapporteur on the opinion of the Committee on External Economic Relations. – (NL) Mr President, although the number of Euro‐Mediterranean Agreements is continuing to increase, I have to say that the measures that were proposed at Barcelona far outweigh those that have actually been put into practice, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean. This is largely due to the deadlock in the peace process. Good headway in the peace process had to form the basis for greater economic cooperation between the countries in the region. The European Union promised that it would play an important supporting role.

A new cooperation agreement with Jordan would, of course, have to play a prominent part in this. Now that things have gone awry, we must welcome the new agreement with Jordan with open arms. As well as having genuine economic significance, it will play an important symbolic role. Jordan is a country with a long‐term vision. It knows that its fate will depend on relations between Israel and Palestine. It wishes to play a positive role in the peace process and will, therefore, be an important participant in any future negotiations.

By signing this agreement, the EU will indirectly play a similar positive role. We share Jordan's desire for close links with Israel and the Palestinian Authority and do actually have such links. The very fact that the European Union is the most important provider of support to the Palestinian territories underlines our commitment to the future of the entire region.

The agreement is wide‐ranging and ambitious. In twelve years' time, the European Union and Jordan will have established a free trade area. The agricultural sector will also have to play a prominent role. There is no sense denying that agreements of this kind will cause problems for the European Union as regards horticultural products.

In the years to come, we will be willing to strengthen our relations with Mediterranean countries in the area of agriculture, but not if our own EU producers will have to cushion our partners against market developments in the fruit, vegetable and flower sectors. Plans for these sectors in the Mediterranean region are very ambitious, too ambitious, in fact. We hope that it will be possible to increase cooperation in the agricultural sector but in a reasonable and sensible manner.

  Terrón i Cusí (PSE).(ES) Mr President, I would like to welcome this Association Agreement with Jordan, which has been a long time in coming, as the rapporteur, Mrs Aelvoet, was saying. I would like to say that our group, the Socialist group, will be expressing its satisfaction with the Agreement by voting in favour of the rapporteur's proposal that we give our assent to the Association Agreement. And I would like to take this opportunity to say that we are concerned that the necessary ratification by Member States of the European Union will take another four years from now, and the implementation of this Euro‐Mediterranean Agreement will, thus, be delayed even further.

Jordan is a country that has opted for peace and a country in a difficult region and a difficult situation. Jordan has to prove to its public that the peace it has opted for will benefit them. Jordan is a country that has maintained a constructive attitude in the dialogue process signed in Barcelona and has continued along the same road since. And the financial and economic cooperation that can come out of this Agreement is important to Jordan's political development.

With regard to agriculture, the sector that has caused the delay in reaching an agreement with Jordan, we have to accept its inclusion in this free trade area and find quicker formulas for achieving cooperation in that respect.

This Agreement also includes a political dialogue and a parliamentary dialogue which we have called for many times. In October, in this same House, there will be a multilateral dialogue between the parliaments of the region and the European Parliament. And I believe it is going to be important to ensure that this Agreement, like the rest, has been signed by then.

The Agreement also contains provisions for monitoring the observance of human rights and support for democratization. The situation in that field is not perfect. We are concerned not so much about the human rights situation – which, as previous speakers here have already said, is comparable to that in other areas of the world – as about a certain tendency for the situation regarding political rights – the right to hold meetings, the right of association, the freedom for elected members to carry out their duties, etcetera – to deteriorate, and we want that situation to improve. But we want to sign this Agreement precisely in order to be able to do that: to be able to play a proper part in the monitoring of human rights, as has been mentioned, to help in the democratization process.

I therefore reiterate our intention to vote in favour of the rapporteur's proposal. I only hope the Jordanians will not have to wait for a further generation before this Association Agreement is ratified by all the Member States of the European Union, and that sentiment applies equally to the other agreements that come out of Barcelona.

  Konrad (PPE).(DE) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the conclusion of the Agreement with Jordan is a positive step, since this Agreement is an example of how the European Union can conclude treaties with other countries – in this case with the Mediterranean region, in particular – which are below the threshold for accession. I think that this can, and must, be a model for the future. We cannot only intensify cooperation when there is a prospect of accession to the European Union at the end of the process; instead, we must find other ways of proceeding. This Agreement is an example of how close relations can be achieved on the basis of an accord.

Agreements of the same type have already been concluded with Tunisia, Israel and Morocco, and this new Agreement thus fits in with the European Union's policy on the Mediterranean. A Cooperation Agreement with Jordan has existed since 1977. Four supplementary financial protocols have already been signed within the framework of this Cooperation Agreement. After a transitional period, the aim is to establish an area of free trade which should be achieved on a step‐by‐step basis. I believe that this is an important move towards a Euro‐Mediterranean free trade area, which is what we are aiming for. The Christian Democrats in this House, the Group of the European People's Party, has always supported and worked actively towards this goal; I should like to emphasize this point very clearly once more.

However, there are criticisms which we can make in relation to Jordan, and which we should not gloss over today. The rapporteur made brief reference to this at the beginning; however, her report does not make these issues as clear as I would have wished. I think that two points should be made in this connection, and I shall name them: the restrictive press laws in Jordan, and, above all, the ban on all forms of political assembly. I think that the discussion process with Jordan can be a way of initiating talks about these issues too. They could thus be dealt with through political dialogue in such a way as to ensure that democratic conditions are achieved as we would wish and in line with the conditions set by the European Union, at least in the final phase, when it concludes agreements of this kind.

I am pleased that this Agreement has been reached and that solutions were found within the framework of the trade talks too, for I believe that Jordan, in particular, must be given our support. Jordan has always been a reliable partner in the Middle East and also contributes to the stabilization of this region. I am looking forward to the dialogue between the European Parliament and the Jordanians.

  van Bladel (UPE).(NL) Mr President, I regard closer links with Jordan as a natural means of strengthening the agreements that have already been concluded with Israel and the Palestinian Authority. We are clearly leaving out Syria and Lebanon although that is not such a problem. But what about Egypt? I have been rapporteur for Egypt for three years now and regret to say that negotiations are still deadlocked over a number of issues: agricultural products and human rights. Mrs Aelvoet has already mentioned agricultural products. An agreement should not hang on a case of tomatoes. I say we should give Egypt a fair export quota. The situation with regard to human rights is rather more complicated although I will not go into that here.

The Commission has negotiated very hard with Egypt and has now reached the end of its mandate. I would therefore like to call upon the Commissioners to come and report on the situation as soon as possible. On this the first day of the Austrian Presidency, I would call upon Vienna to ask all of the Member States to speed up the agreement with Egypt because we do not want the first country in the Middle East that had the courage to start the peace process with Israel to be one of the last to be able to sign the agreements.

I hope that in the coming months the Council will not just give its attention to enlargement but will make one of its many tasks to call upon the Member States to bring the agreement with Egypt to a successful conclusion.

Very positive results have already been achieved with those countries with which we have already signed agreements. I am referring in particular to Morocco. I regularly come across Moroccan parliamentarians with whom we can talk business. I would like to see the same thing happen with Egypt and, of course, Jordan. I would also like to congratulate Mrs Aelvoet because she has worked hard to keep those cases of tomatoes out.

  Bertens (ELDR).(NL) Mr President, the Liberal group welcomes the conclusion of this agreement with Jordan. The European Union is doing well to pursue this Mediterranean policy under the Barcelona process.

We should not be put off by complications arising from deadlock in the peace process. Jordan is important to the peace process. Jordan was prepared to sign a peace treaty with Israel despite Israel's occupation of part of Jordanian territory in 1967. This is a sign of great willingness. King Hussein has quite rightly earned a great deal of respect. Since the time of the Israeli occupation, Jordan has continued to act as protector of the occupied territory. Jordan also has very large groups of Palestinian refugees within its borders.

Despite all these complications, Jordan is one of the few democracies in the region. We must encourage further democracy because improvements are possible and necessary. Mr Konrad has already mentioned those involving freedom of the press and the formation of political parties. If Jordan had been part of Africa, I think things would have been different and there would have been no agreement. I therefore think that it is right for the agreement between the Union and Jordan to contain a clause on democracy and human rights. I hope that we can adhere strictly to the clause.

In the current explosive situation in the Middle East, we must use this agreement to promote the prospects of a lasting peace. This agreement will hopefully help give the Jordanian people more chance of achieving economic progress. Hopefully, it will also help the country continue to promote peace and reconciliation. The Liberal group therefore accepts this agreement and joins me in sending compliments to my friend and colleague Magda Aelvoet.

  Antony (NI).(FR) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we approve the basis of this report and the improvement in relations between the European Union and Jordan. But I would first of all like to pay tribute to King Hussein, tribute which he so justly deserves for the many long years during which, under the most difficult circumstances, he has shown wisdom and worked for peace, torn as he was – as was his country – by powerful forces. In common with the Lebanon, Jordan has suffered problems due to the creation of the State of Israel, through the presence of many Palestinian refugees in Jordan who have sometimes behaved as a conquered state, forgetting their own difficulties and foisting their problems upon their host country.

This report is too critical because what we mean to say here is that human rights are far from perfect in Jordan; but what conditions prevail in the region? There is far less denunciation of things which happen in the neighbouring country. The daily press reports that huge crowds gather in Jerusalem itself. Mr Netanyahu goes there and up goes the cry, “Death to the Arabs’.

Curiously, those who appreciate the extremist positions in Israel are those who would sometimes like to teach us a lesson, whilst we only want to ensure that the basic sovereign rights of our people are respected. This is home to the Arabs; this is home to the Palestinians, and Jerusalem's policy of conquest and expulsion of the Palestinians and Arabs is a real catastrophe.

Here, people talk about freedom of the press, but if we take a close look at ourselves, we see that it does not exist. There are laws which a great journalist from our French daily newspaper, “Le Figaro’, a former Stalinist and something of an expert, who has acknowledged the errors of her youth when she was an editorial writer with the Jewish Tribune, called the intolerable Jewish thought police. We have laws which prohibit freedom of thought, freedom to write, so how dare we pursue in Jordan, living in a state of war, something we are unable to enforce at home, where we have an intolerable thought police. But, as always, there is truth on the banks of the Jordan, mistakes on the banks of the Seine.

As regards the free trade policy, we would like to impose some limitations on this concept, which we do not always agree with. But, in general, we would like to welcome the improvement to be made in our relations with Jordan, by voting for this report.

  Speciale (PSE).(IT) Mr President, I too consider Mrs Aelvoet's report excellent and the agreement with Jordan positive, also because a solution has been found for some problems with agricultural production that were blocking the agreement. But you see, in all these agreements a problem occurs: either negotiations are delayed or some obstacle prevents subsequent ratification of the agreement reached. If it is not one Member State posing problems, it is another: this is the case for Egypt whose agreement still has to be completed or for Morocco whose agreement was concluded two years ago but has not been ratified.

This is not acceptable! We, the European Parliament, were right in taking a position a month ago and reminding the Commission and the Council of their responsibilities so that they, in turn, remind the Member States of their responsibilities. Otherwise, it is too contradictory: we cannot want to relaunch the Mediterranean strategy and then block agreements with individual Mediterranean countries. This is too contradictory.

We must, therefore, again recall this aspect. Jordan is an important country in Middle East affairs; it certainly has a few economic and social problems and also problems with full democracy, but – as Mrs Terrón recalled – in comparison with other countries, fundamental liberties and rights are guaranteed and there is a certain cohabitation between religions. We must make sure that this situation does not regress but instead gradually progresses. This aspect is, in my opinion, very important.

We must rekindle – now is the time to say it – political dialogue between parliaments: it will be very important if we succeed at the end of October in organizing the first interparliamentary forum between the European Parliament and national parliaments and in taking full advantage of this opportunity. We must, therefore, rekindle interparliamentary dialogue in general, and Euro‐Mediterranean dialogue in particular. The meeting of Foreign Ministers on 3 and 4 June was useful in this sense, and I believe that it can help the third Euro‐Mediterranean Conference.

The most important question relates to the peace process. As you know, the Palestinians have said that they accept the American plan whereas the Israeli government so far has not said that it does. This creates a very difficult situation. Some of today's newspapers carry an interview with President Arafat who expresses his deep concern about a very worrisome situation: he denounces Israel's siege of and stranglehold over the Palestinian Territories, a situation that cannot be accepted over a sustained period of time and that can only generate despair and especially hinder development and prevent the solution of poverty, a situation that is a kind of embargo, so to speak. The interview ends with a very serious and pressing appeal to the European Union, the only one that can help call off the siege. This is a very strong reminder of our responsibilities. We must tell everyone that you cannot play with peace, but especially that this region cannot be kept in a situation of marginalization, poverty and non‐development. I understand that this is in the interest of some who today are stronger and more powerful, but this is not in the interest of all the peoples and not in the interest of the European Union; we must therefore remind everyone of their sense of responsibility in concluding this peace process.

  Pinheiro, Member of the Commission. – (PT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this agreement follows the signature of two similar association agreements with Tunisia, Morocco, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the context of the new EuroMediterranean partnership. This Agreement creates the necessary conditions for establishing the nucleus of a future integrated economic area, as soon as the political situation permits, in the Middle East and North Africa. By creating this network of agreements based on similar provisions, the Community is attempting to create an economically prosperous EuroMediterranean area and encourage the development of South‐South economic relations, which are essential to peace and economic stability in the region. We hope the new Agreement will lead to a thoroughgoing renewal of our bilateral relations with Jordan. The Commission is aware that the gradual establishment of free trade with the Community is an enormous challenge to the Jordanian economy and Jordanian society.

In that respect, although the Community can only act as a catalyst for the efforts of Jordanian society, it will not fail to provide technical and financial assistance, through the existing channels, to support the changes Jordan will have to make.

The Commission is especially pleased that Jordan fully accepts the provisions relating to respect for human rights and fundamental democratic principles, as well as the need to prevent illegal immigration.

Finally, the Commission wishes to congratulate the European Parliament, and particularly Mrs Aelvoet, on the excellent work of the committees that studied the Agreement. We hope that the process of ratification by the Jordanian parliament and those of our Member States will soon be completed so that the Agreement can begin to produce its beneficial effects as quickly as possible.

  President . – The debate is closed.

The vote will take place tomorrow at 11.00 a.m.

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