The Morocco-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee holds several meetings in Brussels, Strasbourg
MOROCCO, July 5 – As part of deepening consultations and discussions with the European side, members of the Morocco-European Union Joint Parliamentary Committee, under the chairmanship of Lahcen Haddad, held a series of meetings in the European Parliament in Brussels from 27 to 30 June 2022 and which continue from 04 to 07 July in Strasbourg.
The Moroccan parliamentary delegation met in Brussels with 27 MEPs representing the different political groups sitting in the European Parliament, to discuss the reports prepared by the human rights and foreign affairs committees, said a press release from the committee.
The same source specifies that it was the rapporteur for the European Parliament, Isabel Wiseler-Lima of the European People’s Party (EPP Group), who produced the preliminary draft of the main report of the Committee on Human Rights on the protection of journalists in the world and EU policy, established after an exchange of views with journalists and experts in the field, while proceeding to the proposal of a draft recommendation aimed at condemning Morocco.
Regarding the Foreign Affairs Committee, the same source indicated that the discussions focused on the same issue concerning the report by MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White (EPP Group) on foreign and security policy in the context of the renewal of the partnership with the countries of the southern neighbors and the new agenda for the Mediterranean, where they discussed a proposal for amendment 179 and the draft “anti-Moroccan” resolution 192, tabled by a group of MEPs from the Group of the Greens and of the European United Left led by MP Idoia Villanueva Ruiz and MEP Marisa Matias.
The press release indicates that during the same period and in parallel with the attempted attack by illegal immigrants against the metal fence of Melilla, the two groups (the group of the Greens and the European United Left) in the European Parliament proceeded to the presentation of an urgent, anti-Moroccan draft resolution.
“Faced with this premeditated strategy against Morocco carried out by certain MEPs supporting the separatist theses of the Polisario and their vain attempt to mislead European public opinion, the members of the Morocco-EU joint parliamentary committee have intensified their meetings with the European parliamentarians of weight”, adds the same source.
He further noted that all parties expressed their common will to continue the Euro-Moroccan dialogue and the importance of finding solutions through consultation to all the challenges and threats on how to breathe new life into the relations uniting Morocco and the EU in order to carry out joint action to promote the European good neighbor policy, fight against illegal immigration and seize all opportunities for cooperation to achieve lasting security and shared prosperity.
During these meetings, the members of the Morocco-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee called for the strengthening and support of the Euro-Moroccan construction process through an approach aimed at establishing stronger links likely to stimulate joint development. , particularly in the fields of energy, renewable energies, peace, security and agriculture, maritime fishing, immigration and organized crime, cross-border terrorism, as a necessity given the Moroccan-European partnership in all its dimensions.
The same source noted that the Moroccan deputies stressed the importance of being aware of the dangerous situation and the increase in security threats, and stressed the importance of federating efforts within the framework of the participatory approach and preventative measures to deal with the risks threatening the Euro-Mediterranean region. , indicating that thanks to its actions and initiatives undertaken, the Morocco-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee was able to defeat three urgent draft resolutions and two draft amendments at the level of the Human Rights Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee foreign.
The committee also succeeded in making its voice heard by MEPs during the July 4 plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Thus, this plenary session contented itself, after the adoption of the agenda, with opening a 20-minute debate, during which several MEPs demonstrated the risks of the acts of the illegal immigration mafias, which carried out the arming of irregular migrants who entered Morocco illegally, which led to the assault on the metal fence in Melilla, and the death of 23 migrants, and generated multiple positions with legal, judicial and political dimensions following to these incidents triggered by the migration mafias.
These immigration mafias have smuggled sub-Saharan migrants into Moroccan territory, assaulted public officials, and embraced armed assembly and disobedience in the manner of human trafficking mafias and criminal gangs, with the aim of inciting waves of illegal immigrants to attack the metal fence of the occupied prefecture of Melilla.
MEPs highlighted Morocco’s role in the fight against irregular migration and urged the European side to continue its cooperation with the Kingdom for the establishment of an integrated approach to migration issues. In this context, European officials welcomed the role of the Morocco-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee and the efforts made to bring positions closer together and share expertise, which are likely to strengthen the partnership and raise the level of parliamentary diplomacy.
In addition, the members of the parliamentary committee seized this opportunity to thwart the maneuvers aimed at undermining the territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the distinguished partnership between Morocco and the EU, based on mutual respect and in particular the charters and international conventions concluded within the framework of the advanced status that characterizes the Morocco-EU partnership.
At the same time, the committee made MEPs aware of the action taken by the groups of the Greens and the European United Left which is likely to create confusion and reflect a bias in contradiction with the position of the EU. on the territorial integrity of Morocco.
The statement concludes that the Morocco-EU parliamentary committee, in reaction to these anti-Moroccan actions and at the request of the committee, deputies, including Mr. Thierry Mariani, questioned the European Commission on the issue of immigration and problems it causes. as well as the pioneering role that Morocco plays in protecting Europe against the waves of migration crossing its maritime borders.
MAP 05 July 2022