Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner visits Egypt on 6 and 7 February – European Commission press release/Non-UN document

European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner visits Egypt on 6 and 7 February
IP/05/140 – Brussels, 4 February 2005

The European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will begin a trip to the region this week with a bilateral visit to Egypt. During her visit she will discuss prospects for the Middle East Peace Process and the European Union’s deepening relationship with Egypt. She looks forward to meeting President Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Foreign Minister Abul Gheit, among others.

On the eve of her trip, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said:

“The fact that my first bilateral visit to the region is to Egypt reflects importance to Europe – as a partner in the Middle East peace process but also a key player in the Mediterranean area. I warmly welcome President Mubarak’s invitation to Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas to hold a summit in Sharm el Sheik on Tuesday, which is characteristic of Egypt’s vision and leadership in the region.”

She added

“EU-Egypt relations entered a new phase last year, with the entry into force of our Association Agreement which paves the way for a future free trade area between us. I hope that this year we will be able to take another leap forward in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, and start work developing an Action Plan to bring us even closer”.

The European Neighbourhood Policy is a new and substantial offer to those countries that show that they want to work closely with the EU on common interests and shared values. The offer includes the gradual opening of certain European Community programmes, continued reduction of trade barriers and a stake in the biggest Single Market in the world.

Action Plans have already been developed with seven countries – Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Israel and Ukraine. In each case it is tailor-made to meet the interests and needs of the country concerned. Plans negotiated so far contain detailed measures to help countries participate in the EU’s Single Market, as well as measures to increase co-operation in fields as varied as transport, environment, technology, and research.

Egypt is a very important player in the Middle East Peace Process, and the EU warmly welcomes its offer of support in the context of Israel’s planned withdrawal from Gaza. The EU shares Egypt’s desire to see a resolution of the conflict and is determined to play its part, as a member of the Quartet and as the major donor to the Palestinians.

The EU also values Egypt’s positive role regional affairs: its decision to host the Sharm el Sheikh meeting on Iraq last November, its position as lead Arab nation in the preparations of the ten-year anniversary of the Barcelona Process, nd host to the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures, which will be launched in the coming months.

The EU is Egypt’s biggest trading partner – approximately 40% of Egypt’s exports go to the EU and about 34% of Egypt’s imports come from the EU.