WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2104/97 by Concepció FERRER to the Commission. Euro-Mediterranean Agreement with Egypt
C 60/98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 2. 98 The Bologna declaration called on the Commission to set up a mechanism for following up the conference and to put in hand projects for enhancing cultural heritage. Accordingly, a first meeting of representatives of the 27 culture ministers and representatives of the relevant international organizations took place on 9 and 10 September last year to identify and propose regional projects bringing together as many Euro-Mediterranean partners as possible. Some 100 proposals were put forward and their practical details and objectives were discussed. A further meeting of experts on 20 and 21 December discussed matters in greater detail. The work of evaluating and finalising requests for funds is now in progress with the aim of financing, from the Meda programme, a series of projects some of which will take place over three years. The projects are being forwarded to the Med Committee, the programmeís management committee. The Commission will supply details of the project as soon as the financing decision has been taken. The aim is to start practical cooperation this year. (98/C 60/141) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2104/97 by Concepcio· Ferrer (PPE) to the Commission (19 June 1997) Subject: Euro-Mediterranean Agreement with Egypt During the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Malta, the Association Agreement between the European Union and Jordan was signed, once the final differences between the two parties had been settled. The Agreement with Egypt has not yet been signed because of a number of differences over market access for certain agricultural products (flowers, oranges, potatoes). Given the economic and political importance of association agreements for Mediterranean countries not members of the European Union, will the Commission say what progress has been made in the negotiations concerning the Association Agreement between Egypt and the European Union? Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (29 July 1997) The Commission is fully aware of the economic and political importance of the new Association agreement with Egypt. The negotiations with Egypt started in January 1995 and were followed by eight negotiating rounds, the last in March 1997. Agriculture has proved to be one of the major obstacles in these negotiations. Egypt seeks to secure certain tariff preferences which, in the Communityís view, are excessive and incompatible with the present situation of agricultural markets. The Commission, has proposed tariff preferences which permit some further development of Egyptís agricultural trade. This approach has, however, been refused by Egypt so far. There is also still disagreement on a number of other trade related issues and on the provisions on social cooperation. As regards the important chapter of trade in industrial products, Egypt transmitted a first draft of the schedule for tariff dismantling on imports from the Community only at the beginning of June 1997. This document has been discussed in the course of a technical meeting with Egypt which took place on 24/27 June 1997. On that occasion, it was agreed to hold, possibly before the summer recess, three further technical meetings respectively on processed agricultural products, rules of origin and tariff dismantling, with a view to a new full negotiating round in September 1997