JEDDAH, 23 March 2007 — The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be the first chamber in Saudi Arabia to establish a European Union (EU) desk at its premises, JCCI Vice Chairman Mazen Batterjee said on Wednesday night.
“The EU desk will help all those interested in the EU, whether for business, medicine or education,” he said at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Officials, diplomats from European and non-European countries and leading businessmen were among those who were present.
The celebration, initiated by German Consul General Hubert Lang, was jointly organized by the consuls general of France, Greece, Italy and the UK, representing member states of the EU.
Fifty years ago, six European countries came together to create a unique form of regional organization. The objective was to ensure war would never again ravage the European continent, and to bring lasting security to it. Over the years, it has evolved to be much more than a simple trading bloc coordinating members’ trade policies and setting common tariffs. Now numbering 27 members, the EU today is a political organization active in all the areas that pose the greatest challenges to society in the 21st century.
Muhammad Tayeb, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Region, said: “The celebration of 50 years on the signing of Rome Treaties coincides with the Kingdom’s hosting of the Arab summit. This reminds us of the real need for further strengthening Arab-European cooperation and for Europe to shoulder its historic responsibility in tackling the suffering of Palestinians, and establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the region.”
“We in the Arab world have been closely watching the developments in Europe, its unity and integration, as the continent is geographically closer to the Arab world. Both sides have been influenced by one another as a result of cultural interaction over centuries that formed the foundations of the renaissance,” he added.
Bernard Savage, Riyadh-based ambassador and head of delegation of the EU and of the European Commission in Saudi Arabia, said just as the EU was in itself a “work in progress” so was the construction of a common foreign and security policy. “However, despite the media focus on issues that divide us, I can assure you that on most issues, the member states and institutions of the union work together effectively.”
“It’s certain that all is not perfect in the union; splits over foreign policy, the stalled process of the constitution, controversies over subsidies and the perception of bureaucratic meddling. However, debate is necessary for the EU to remain relevant. Looking back at 50, we can nevertheless take considerable satisfaction from the progress achieved.”
Khaled Juffali, vice chairman and managing partner of E.A. Juffali & Bros, speaking on “What does the EU mean to me as a Saudi businessman,” thanked the EU for helping the Kingdom in the process of its World Trade Organization accession. “From the Saudi status as a member of the GCC, we know that the EU is negotiating its own bilateral trade agreements with individual countries or regional groups.”
Currently, the EU-GCC free trade agreement is in the final stages of negotiations. We hope that this agreement will be signed during the German presidency of the EU, which means before the summer break,” Juffali added.
“The most dramatic change for me as a Saudi businessman traveling a lot to Europe and between European countries came with the European integration process itself, through the single market and the unified visa system – the so-called Schengen system, and of course through the single European currency, the euro,” he said, adding that the EU can set an example for other regional integration efforts including the Arab world.
In his welcome address, German Consul General Dr. Huber Lang said: “As a German, I’ll never forget the peaceful reunification of my country in 1990. This event would not have been possible without the EU and its secure and stable political framework.”
Although Europe is a continent with many different traditions, cultures and languages, it’s based on shared values like freedom, democracy, tolerance, and social justice and equality.
“Europe does not live in an ivory tower nor does it live in splendid isolation,” he said.
