Brussels - Morocco made significant progress in the field of fundamental rights and freedoms, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
Brussels – Morocco made significant progress in the field of fundamental rights and freedoms, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
“Morocco made significant progress in the implementation of the Action Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” says the European Commission in its Morocco 2014 country report on the implementation of the ENP’s Action Plan.
The report also cites other reforms provided for by the new constitution, notably the reform of the judiciary, advanced regionalization plan and the press code.
The European Commission notes encouraging developments in the implementation of the 2011 constitution with the adoption of 8 organic laws so far out of 19.
At the economic level, the report highlights the improvement of the trade balance along with the reform of the compensation fund through the progressive cessation of the generalized subsidy system which helped reduce the vulnerability of Morocco’s economy to international price volatility.
In this respect, the European Commission also mentions the development of Morocco’s agricultural sector in line with the Green Morocco Plan strategy.
While noting that the EU remains Morocco’s main trading partner in 2014, the report describes the signing in December 2014 of a program dubbed: “Making a Success of the Advanced Status,” as an “important” step in the operational implementation of the regulatory reform convergence.
The European Commission also welcomes the launch by the Moroccan government of the industrial acceleration plan and the national 2014-2016 plan for the development of trade at a time a draft law on Morocco’s foreign trade is under preparation.
These strategies will enhance Morocco’s attractiveness in the region and beyond, says the European Commission.
Morocco enjoys an Advanced Status in its relations with the EU since 2008. In 2014, senior EU officials visited Rabat including the ENP commissioner who came to Morocco last December to discuss means to further boost political dialogue.