Mr Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr President of the European Commission, representatives from the Business Europe trade organisations, from the Spanish Confederation and from the Confederation of Morocco,
We are here to close the Business Meeting between the European Union and Morocco, a meeting that precedes the State Summit between the European Union and Morocco. So, we are here to share ideas and projects that may lead to increased economic, social and business ties between our two countries.
In the same way as the Summit to be held tomorrow, this is a meeting of particular importance for the Spanish Government; important because it demonstrates the current state of relations between the European Union and the Kingdom of Alawi; relations that have great value in their own right for the European Union and for Spain; for the European Union in terms of its Mediterranean vision and for Spain in terms of Morocco being our friend and neighbour with whom we work very closely.
Therefore, it gives Spain, as it holds the rotating EU Presidency, great satisfaction to be here at this Meeting and to celebrate this first European Union-Morocco Summit. Furthermore, what better place to do so than here, in Granada, in Andalusia. Thank you, President Griñán, for your work on making this Summit possible.
In particular, I would like to thank the President of the Commission for his presence here today, for supporting this Summit, for always supporting the Mediterranean vision of the European Union and for supporting those important aspects of Spain's foreign policy that the Mediterranean projection and relations with Morocco unquestionably are.
I am absolutely convinced that Morocco has come to this meeting, to the business meeting and to tomorrow's Summit, with a high degree of commitment to its vocation to intensify relations with the European Union and also with a high degree of responsibility upon seeing the efforts, work and commitment from the European Union in favour of Morocco.
It should be remembered that Morocco is one of the African countries to have experienced the most intense transformation in recent years. The level of development and economic stability that has been reached reflects on the per capita income growth, 120% more than in 2000, on its macroeconomic balances, worthy of note, and on the commitment from its Governments to modernising its economy and opening up to foreign interests.
In 2009, the year in which the international economy suffered the consequences of the worst crisis in decades, Morocco grew by more than 5% and forecasts indicate that it could continue to grow by more than 3% in 2010.
This real progress has come alongside increased commercial relations with the European Union. Since 2000, which was when the Association Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco came into force, European exports to Morocco have increased 84% to exceed eight thousand million euros while imports from Morocco to Europe have amounted to 14,500 million euros, 36% more than in 2000. And Europe now represents 60% of total trade for Morocco.
These are the clearly evident figures that result from Association Agreements, their positive results and effects for both sides. Something similar could be said for the relations between Spain and Morocco.
Morocco is our second largest export market outside of the European Union, after the United States, with a volume that exceeds 3,000 million euros per year, and imports from Morocco already amount to some 2,400 million euros per year.
Progress can also be clearly seen in investment capital. European investment in Morocco is worth an average of more than one thousand million euros per year and amounts to investment stock of fourteen thousand million euros. Spain's contribution to this total has been considerable, with more than five hundred Spanish companies installed and operating in various production sectors.
Furthermore, through the European Neighbourliness Policy, a great instrument for financial assistance to Morocco, Spain has earmarked 654 million euros to the Moroccan Government to support the economic reforms undertaken by the country - Mr President of the Commission, I believe that to be the correct figure.
There are many factors that explain the interest of European companies in Morocco, and Spanish companies in particular. Besides the historic ties, the cultural and social relationship and the geographic proximity, there are workers in Morocco with a considerable ability to learn and there is a growing appearance of new business opportunities, something that Spanish business leaders are well aware of.
Business opportunities associated with the very process of opening up to foreign interests, associated with privatisation, with bids for administrative concessions and, above all - the central concept I want to point out here today - with the fact that Morocco is an excellent production and export platform to the European Union and to a good part of Africa.
That privileged position enjoyed by Morocco explains the strategic interest of the European Union and, of course, Morocco to continue fostering greater business union, more political cooperation and, of course, more ties in every aspect.
There are traditional sectors in Morocco, such as textiles, agriculture, food or mining, where we know that relations are close, where there is steady modernisation and where the development of Morocco can be seen, experienced and felt. This opens up opportunities for collaboration in other sectors, sectors that I would like to point out today to the business leaders with us here. I want to highlight two sectors in which the Government of Spain considers there to be very important collaboration, investment, support and development potential for companies, for the European Union and for Governments:
Firstly, the energy sector. Morocco has planned for important investments in the near future, both in networks and in generation, including a firm commitment to renewable energies. We applaud these efforts, as does, I'm sure, the entire European Union.
Renewable energies already account for 7% of the electricity in Morocco and the target for 2012 is for that percentage to rise to 20%; a commitment to be commended because it is full of possibilities and because it contributes to the joint effort to reduce pollutant gases in the fight against climate change.
Secondly, the telecommunications and new information technologies sector. Mr President of the Commission, with your leadership and initiative, Europe is facing a 2020 Economic Strategy in which great hope has been placed by Governments and Europeans to lead us through the crisis and to come out the other side stronger for it. A fundamental part of the commitment to competitiveness and innovation in this 2020 Strategy lies in the Digital Agenda, in the development, in the leadership, of an internal digital market and strong cooperation with the Communication Technology sector.
I believe we should also look at the perspective of that Digital Agenda in the relations we hold with our neighbours, in terms of the Mediterranean, because Morocco is the second African economy in terms of Internet penetration, which now reaches 24% of the population. It is the country to have made the most progress in recent years, progress to which European companies contribute with their knowledge and investment, responding to infrastructure and interconnection needs between the two sides of the Mediterranean and, of course, a clear interest, Mr Prime Minister of Morocco, from your Administration in the use of new technologies; something I want to highlight and applaud because it is unquestionably a safe path to the modernisation, growth, innovation and competitiveness of the Moroccan economy.
Thirdly, Morocco has reached an investment in R&D of 0.8% of GDP. This is one of the highest rates on the African continent and investment in R&D has grown by 33% in the last five years. Therefore, sectors of high innovation value and sectors with extensive production potential are clearly recognisable in Morocco: the energy sector, the telecommunications sector and the R&D+i sector.
Let us take advantage of that potential. Let the Mediterranean Solar Plan serve as an example; an initiative arising within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean, whose headquarters were inaugurated, by the way, this very week in Barcelona, Mr Minister, and whose development I hope to see progress successfully.
It is a plan intended to bring about the development of twenty gigawatts of renewable energy capacity along the southern banks of the Mediterranean, with the objective being for 75% of that energy to be consumed by countries in the Mediterranean region and the rest to be exported to Europe. It is a great project and also an enormous challenge, on which European companies, Spanish among them of course, will work shoulder to shoulder with companies from the other side of the Mediterranean, with companies from Morocco, and from the other countries in the Union for the Mediterranean.
As President of the Government of Spain and rotating President of the European Union, I am absolutely convinced that this is a great alliance and that the Alliance between the European Union and Morocco, as a great platform for relations and expansion in the Mediterranean, is a strategic option contained by Europe and led by the Commission.
Today, Gerardo, Mr President, you have participated in several meetings. I hope they have been fruitful, that it has been possible to exchange information and that new business collaboration projects have been uncovered.
Business leaders are key to our exit from this crisis. I am fully aware that you need confidence, the right conditions, a reliable outlook and, of course, support.
That support is what the European Commission, the Government of Morocco and the Government of Spain want to convey to you here today; support in difficult times, difficult times for us all. We know that continued work on creating new projects and planning investments is undoubtedly worthy of merit today. So, that is what I want to acknowledge and that is how I want to express the commitment of the Government to support your activity and, in particular, matters that affect relationships with the Mediterranean.
Mr Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs, the diplomatic and political climate greatly favours activity, relations and corporate investments. We are lucky insofar as our two Foreign Affairs Ministers, from Spain and Morocco, are good friends. This is a proven fact because they have sometimes had to overcome difficult issues and, what's more, always do so with a gesture of understanding and friendship between Spain and Morocco. I personally feel, Mr Prime Minister, very proud that we have this relationship and that our Ministers work so well in this regard.
Everything that is important and positive for Morocco is important and positive for Spain and for the European Union; everything that is of interest to the business leaders of Morocco is of interest to the business leaders of Spain. The will to collaborate, when we have more than five hundred companies that have increased their presence in number and that carry on their business activity favourably and positively in Morocco, means we must highlight that confidence and that interest from the Spanish business leaders for the business leaders of Morocco.
I encourage you to keep working together, to maintain those good relations, and I encourage you to have confidence because the outlook that lies before us is one of economic recovery. The perspective is of economic recovery, the perspective is for growth. The time is almost upon us to start thinking of new business projects. Logically, we must think about dealing with the problems we already have, which are many and difficult, but it is also time to launch, to think about and plan new business projects. Of course, you can count on our support.
I encourage you to have confidence, to maintain those relationships and, above all, from that desire to unite that is Europe here, in Andalusia, let us seal a strong political, economic, cohabitation and social alliance between Spain, Morocco and the twenty-seven Member States of the European Union.
Many thanks to you all.