Less than full accession and more than political and economic partnership with the European Union: this will be Rabat's wager during the first European summit between Morocco and the EU, which, while expanding dramatically in recent years, is yet to accept the accession of an Arab or Muslim country. A long time ago, the late King Hassan II liked to reiterate that Morocco was like a tree, whose roots were in Africa but whose branches were in Europe. However, his dream of acceding to the EU was never achieved. But his successor, King Mohammed VI, has noticed that the decisive competition between North Africa and southern Europe is not over the sea and waves, but is rather over values and concepts, and measures to make the transition to an era of openness and of respecting human rights, as well as the adoption of fundamental reforms that bridge the gaps between one age and another. Perhaps the EU, which has been generous in granting Morocco a privileged status in terms of bilateral relations, realized that its natural outlet should not be limited to horizontal expansion in the direction of European countries that were the hostage of the Cold War. Instead, it requires an alternative vision of the EU's vertical relations, with the countries of North Africa. In addition to being a traditional center of influence and a wide and growing market for absorbing flows of goods and capital, these countries also have large communities present in parts of Europe, where North Africans have taken up residence and work. In addition, the security concern has never been absent from the European view of relations with its southern neighbors. For instance, illegal immigration is a primary concern for decision-makers, in light of the repercussions of the global financial crisis. Also worrying is the prospect of extremism and terrorism infiltrating their countries, while commercial and economic fears add strategic dimensions to these relationships, which are unequal to begin with. However, along with this view, new ideas and orientations have begun to take shape, holding that the assistance of North African countries in the field of development and in making steps toward democracy is more practical than attempting to impose the desired reforms, which may not take place in the absence of security and stability. Morocco appears to be fortunate; it has robustly become a part of a wide-scale dialogue with European partners. The holding of the first Moroccan-European summit is not a passing or insignificant event. It is greater than a meeting of the “big players' club” that is dedicated to exchanging points of view. In truth, there is a belief that Rabat has produced its own recipe for dealing with its financial and economic difficulties. Also, its attention to the domestic arena is not unrelated to the decline in the roles that North African countries have historically played in dealing with Arab and international affairs. Even though Morocco wants to achieve some of its realistic aspirations in relations governed by regional and international factors, its dialogue with the Europeans might be different, especially as it falls under the weight of predicaments and crises - not the least of which the continuation of the Saharan issue, the frozen conditions in the Maghreb region, and the growing problems of its African neighbors. As this summit is different from previous rounds of negotiations, which saw EU countries engage North African countries separately, and with less impact in achieving gains and aspirations, there is a belief in the importance of a Moroccan-European summit. This is because the countries of the northern bank have changed their perspective on the region's conditions, and have become concerned with guaranteeing conditions of stability, ending regional conflicts, and urging the region's capitals to open up to each other. Such a development is yet to be matched by the North African partners, even when these countries are aware that the European view has changed due to a fundamental factor, linked to the determination to see security and stability. Morocco could have benefited more from the pressure of European neighbors if it had gone to Granada without pressures or compulsion. Compared to all of the commitments by North African countries to each other and their neighbors, the 5+5 formula remains the only framework that is unaffected by the disputes of these states. This is a strong indication that the European concern is interested in the future of a Maghreb Union, whether this will be done through the Union for the Mediterranean, or as the resumption of the spirit of European-Arab dialogue that is more effective and efficient. It remains only for the powers-that-be in Maghreb countries to become more concerned with getting their affairs in order, which is a different issue for a different day.
