France's Government Ministers Set to Visit Morocco Amidst Key Industrial Policy Discussions
A significant delegation of French ministers is anticipated to arrive in Morocco for an official government visit that comes at a pivotal moment. With France actively engaged in a crucial battle in Brussels regarding the future of European industrial policy, it is positioning itself as the most ardent advocate for 'Made in Europe.' At the same time, Paris aims to solidify Morocco as its closest economic partner. This delicate balancing act has the potential to shape a new European doctrine, provided that France can persuade its allies to align with its vision.
For several months, Paris has been urging the European Union (EU) to reconsider its approach. The French government asserts that European competitiveness can no longer rely solely on market openness and global competition; it requires a well-defined industrial policy, a preference for European products in strategic sectors, and a reduction of dependence on China. Within the European Commission, Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné is championing a legislative proposal aimed at accelerating industrial growth. Despite internal negotiations that have curtailed some of its original ambitions, France maintains an assertive stance, seeking to broaden the scope of the proposal. The mechanisms for European preference in public procurement, purchases, and subsidies would not be confined to clean technologies, high-energy industries, and electric vehicles but would be extended to shipbuilding, rail equipment, and the chemical sector.
Strengthening Franco-Moroccan Industrial Cooperation
These sectors are precisely where French-Moroccan industrial cooperation has already made significant strides. France is likely the EU member state with the most intertwined production apparatus with Morocco. This unique position allows Paris to advocate for a stringent 'Made in Europe' while having developed a co-industrialization strategy with a non-EU country over the past two decades. In the automotive sector, Renault's factories in Tangier and Stellantis's facility in Kenitra operate as extensions of French production lines. Component manufacturers in Morocco produce parts that directly supply European industrial sites, a trend that is mirrored in the aerospace industry, where companies like Safran, Daher, and Latécoère have gradually incorporated Moroccan industrial capabilities into their value chains. Morocco is no longer just a subcontracting hub; it actively contributes to the competitiveness of French and European industrial production. This integration is now extending into strategic sectors such as electric vehicle batteries, green hydrogen, critical materials, port infrastructures, and digital technology.
While France does not intend to isolate Europe, it seeks to prevent a 'Made with Europe' approach that would indiscriminately include all approximately eighty of the EU's trade partners, thereby diluting the essence of European preference. France is advocating for a more selective approach: distinguishing countries that genuinely contribute to European competitiveness and supply security from those that merely act as external suppliers or pose a threat to European sovereignty. The extent to which this vision can be shared remains to be seen. In mid-July, the 27 EU member states will be invited to conduct a preliminary political evaluation of the work undertaken by the Council on the industrial acceleration regulation. Germany's stance will be critical, as it has historically viewed French proposals for European industrial preference with skepticism. The German export powerhouse has been wary of potential trade restrictions from Beijing and possible retaliations against its automotive industry. However, under the pressure of an unprecedented industrial crisis and a politically charged domestic debate intensified by the rise of the AFD, Germany can no longer solely advocate for classic free trade. Could a selective openness to trustworthy partners represent a compromise between Paris and Berlin? The future of the Franco-Moroccan industrial partnership may hinge on this very notion.
The battle will also unfold in the European Parliament, where two French rapporteurs hold influential positions in examining the regulation. They, along with French delegations, bear the crucial responsibility of ensuring that the new regulatory boundaries being drawn by the EU do not undermine the future of the Franco-Moroccan industrial partnership.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
