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The Medica-Szygania border crossing in Poland, the frontier where the enlarged European Union

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meets its new eastern neighbour, Ukraine. Strict controls on the passage of goods and

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people entering the European Union were introduced here before Poland formally joined the EU

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on May 1st this year. There were long queues, travellers complained of delays of three and

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four hours, and there were fears of even more delays after enlargement. But such fears have

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not materialised. With the introduction of new technology and more efficient processing,

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continuous long queues have virtually disappeared. Ukraine now shares a 1,400 kilometre border

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with three EU members. These Polish border guards keep a watchful eye for illegal trafficking

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of goods and people, not only from Ukraine, but also from Russia, Belarus and further

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afield. Strict border controls have to be balanced with a more practical approach for

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local people on both sides. Estimates suggest there are as many as 200,000 Ukrainians active

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in small-scale cross-border trading, and there were fears that visa restrictions would affect

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their already poor livelihood. But since enlargement, there has been no dramatic change. Every day

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at this border crossing, 10,000 people and 700 vehicles still cross each way. New member

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states like Poland have a special role to play in building neighbourly relations with

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the new European neighbourhood, and practical solutions to local concerns have been negotiated

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with Ukrainian authorities.

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With several countries such as Poland and Hungary, we reached a special agreement. We

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have an asymmetrical scheme in place where Polish people will not need visas to come

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to Ukraine, and Ukrainians will have Polish visas for free. This agreement will make our

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relations easier.

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Since independence in 1991, Ukraine has not fared as well as Poland economically, and

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the country is anxious to develop. The European Union is already providing technical and financial

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assistance to Ukraine, over a billion euro in the last 10 years.

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The town of Sambir is close to the Polish border. Unemployment is a persistent problem

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here. Emigration has been the solution for many young people. Unemployed women are an

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especially vulnerable group, and in the past 10 years, 400,000 women under 30 have left

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Ukraine. The trafficking of women into the sex trade has emerged as a particular problem,

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and the EU estimates that 14% of prostitutes are from Ukraine alone.

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With the EU's help, people-to-people initiatives are underway. The Sambir Women's Business

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Centre encourages young women to generate employment locally through small business

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enterprises or by improving skills. Participants are all very enthusiastic. The scheme has

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the specific aim of developing cross-border enterprises with nearby Poland and working

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to prevent trafficking in women.

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We want all the world to understand that we also want a better life, like in America,

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Germany and the Netherlands. The life we deserve. Our people are not lazy. Our girls are good

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people and hard-working. So I think people in other countries have to understand that

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we are not wild people, that people here just want a better life, to have rights and to

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feel like a human being.

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Aware of its new neighbourhood, the EU has developed a new neighbourhood policy which

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takes a fresh look at what it can offer its neighbours, sharing its values and extending

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the benefits of 50 years of stability and prosperity. The neighbourhood policy makes

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no mention of Ukraine's accession to the EU, but it does talk about smoothing Ukraine's

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access to the single market, provided that Ukraine undertakes political, economic and

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legal reforms.

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We will do anything we can to be in the European Union as soon as possible. Today the problem

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is that the European Union house is a very nicely furnished house and a very beautiful

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one. The European house has its own political, economic and cultural laws. And our European

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house is not as well kept as the European house. We should work to adapt our political,

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economic, legal and cultural structures to comply with the European system.

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Morocco is Europe's closest southern neighbour. Through various schemes and agreements, the

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Kingdom has had a productive relationship with the EU since the 1970s. Despite its wealth

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in many spheres, Morocco also has many of the characteristics of a developing nation,

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although in the last ten years substantial progress has been made in industrial development.

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The monarchy has also prioritised tackling Morocco's fundamental social issues. Since

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2003, special attention has been given to improving the situation and opportunities

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for women. Promoting equality is one of the shared values that is a key principle of the

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European Neighbourhood Policy.

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In villages such as Sidi Al-Altazi in north Morocco, 450 women participate in an EU-supported

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small enterprise project. Interest-free loans of up to a few hundred euro are made available

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to rural women for the purchase of tools, seeds or livestock. It's an investment that

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can make a genuine contribution to improving the lives of these women and their families.

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Fatima Demnati is mother to ten children. Most are married and some of the extended

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family live in the family home. Water is not a problem as the farmhouse has its own well.

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With money she received from the project, she's been able to install an electric pump.

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The real benefit is not for the house but for the fields. Fatima can now irrigate her

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garden plots of about a hectare. The regular water supply has improved productivity and

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Fatima grows vegetables not only to eat but as produce to sell. This in turn enables her

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to make other improvements.

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Over time we made this field and it grows well. We worked the field here and we bought

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the garden next to us. I bought a diesel water pump for it. I'm not taking the money

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to eat but to work and run my business.

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Agriculture is very important in Morocco because of the size of the sector. We have more or

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less half of the population living in rural areas. The main employment and the main activity

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in rural areas is still agricultural activities separated in traditional and modern.

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Because of its climate, Morocco is well positioned to export early season fruit and vegetable

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produce to European supermarkets. This plant alone packs 400 tonnes of oranges a day. About

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40% will go to EU countries. Agricultural produce makes up the bulk of Moroccan exports

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to the EU and the balance of trade in this sector is firmly in Morocco's favour. Closer

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cooperation under the European Neighbourhood Policy will see further growth in agricultural

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trade.

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Across the Straits of Gibraltar, just 15 kilometres from Europe, a new deep sea harbour is being

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built in Morocco. The Tangier Med port is one of the biggest construction projects in

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the Mediterranean and is scheduled for completion in September 2007. The plans include a number

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of tax-free industrial and commercial zones. The hope is that the new port will be the

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major gateway to Europe, not only for Morocco but also for the rest of Africa. Access between

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Europe and its southern neighbours is imperative for improved neighbourly cooperation.

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But all of Europe's neighbours in the ring of countries, from east to the south, have

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a clear enthusiasm to develop closer links. In a strong symbolic gesture, the President

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of Ukraine has designated a public holiday to be called Europe Day. The European Union

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delegation provided a travelling roadshow, a European village of stalls from each country

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giving information and showing the diversity of the 25 EU member states. The formal opening

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in Lviv was followed by a concert by popular European and Ukrainian bands.

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For Ukraine, Morocco and all neighbouring countries who undertake certain reforms, the

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Neighbourhood Policy offers incentives and enhanced cooperation in areas such as research

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and education, the fostering of cultural and social links and help with political development

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and security issues. Ultimately, the European Neighbourhood Policy offers inclusion into

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the single market.