"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



EU consults with Egypt over changing ‘Neighbourhood Policy'
The European Union has no stance over the German parliament dispute with Egypt, says delegation's deputy head
Published in Daily News Egypt on 26 - 05 - 2015

Deputy Head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Egypt Reinhold Brender declared that the "European Neighbourhood Policy" (ENP) is being reviewed, and that the EU is willing to accept Egyptian proposals.
"We are currently discussing the policy with Egypt," Brender said at a Foreign Press Association forum on Egyptian-European relations on Monday.
The ENP was developed in 2004, with the objective of avoiding the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours and instead strengthening the prosperity, stability and security of all, according to the EU website. It is based on the values of democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights.
The level of ambition of the relationship depends on "the extent to which these values are shared".
The EU, initially an economic body, has been expanding to include foreign policy since 1992, and the amended ENP is meant to ensure that the enlarged EU would not accept boundaries around it, thus encompassing its neighbours, which would lead to an area of "shared prosperity", Brender stated.
Brender goes further to explain that in this phase that follows dramatic changes in the region, the EU is taking a fresh look at the policy, regarding what worked and what did not, to have deeper relations with embedded countries.
"We have no political space to express voices freely [to Egypt]," Brender stated. The EU hopes that with more political developments, there will be more space for dissenting opinions, he said.
Brender told Daily News Egypt that the EU does express its opinion over human rights conditions in Egypt; however the reply comes that Egypt is a sovereign state (and does not accept interference).
The EU-Egyptian relations are in a "phase of critical engagements". They are not as they were in 2004 when the ENP was first inaugurated, as Egypt's political directions were unstable. But Egypt's sense of direction is becoming clearer, making it easier for the EU to have stronger communication with it.
Brender also said that the EU has no stance concerning the German parliament's conflict with Egypt. Bundestag President Norbert Lammert had cancelled his meeting with Al-Sisi over Egypt's human rights situation. Yet here have been no changes to Chancellor Angela Merkel's invitation to Al-Sisi, who is scheduled to visit Germany by the beginning of June.
"It is Germany's issue to resolve," the EU official said.
German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce CEO Rainer Herret said that the visit is meant to redefine political relations between Egypt and Germany.
Egyptians criticised Germany for referring the 30 June uprising which toppled Muslim Brotherhood affiliated president Mohamed Morsi as a coup, Herret said. There was a misinterpretation, he added, saying that Egyptians incorrectly believed that Germany was supporting a political group, when it was in fact supporting democratic elections.
Now that this matter is straightened out, the two countries are talking to each other, said Herret. "The visit is to discuss what Egypt wants from Germany, not what Germany is trying to impose. It is to create new trust... while we are still living this positive optimism after the [Egypt Economic Development Conference]," Herret asserted.
He added that the visit would provide an economic platform for the two countries to "know each other again" as there are projects coming up in the pipeline.
Although their overall relationship is at stake, the EU is optimistic and is set to complete consultations with Egypt over the ENP by the end of June, Brender announced. Besides Egypt, the ENP framework is proposed to 15 other EU neighbouring countries; Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.


Clic here to read the story from its source.