Diego Mellado, the European Union ambassador to Algeria, confirmed that the European Commission is preparing to present a new proposal in the coming weeks under the “Mediterranean Charter,” aimed at enhancing cooperation between Algeria and Europe in various fields, foremost among them energy cooperation, which represents the most important file in the strategic partnership between the two parties, considering that Europe is Algeria’s most important customer.

Mellado explained in a statement to “Echorouk” that the proposal concerns the Mediterranean Agreement and aims to strengthen various forms of cooperation, especially in the energy sector. He emphasized that Europe is an important partner for Algeria in this field and will continue to support this partnership through diversified investments. He also pointed out that relations between Algeria and Europe are strong and characterized by diverse partnerships and activities on various levels, including infrastructure.

The ambassador considered that the time is appropriate to continue supporting this cooperation within the framework known as the Mediterranean Charter, with a constant pursuit to strengthen a partnership that carries a political character and reflects a shared vision and destiny between the two sides.

Adding on the sidelines of the seminar launching the Integrated Local Development Support Program “ADEL” on Monday, Mellado said there are ongoing exchanges between Europe and Algeria at various levels, noting the participation of experts and similar events to the “ADEL” program, which he described as a high-level political meeting.

Regarding the upcoming meeting between the joint Algerian-European Union parliamentary committees, Mellado said the meeting will be held in a few days, specifically on October 2. He added that this meeting falls within the framework of strengthening cooperation between the two bodies and represents evidence of the continuation of reciprocal visits, such as visits by Algerian parliamentarians to Brussels or the European Parliament.

The European ambassador added that these exchanges continue at all levels, and he pointed out that several meetings are currently being held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly between European officials and their Algerian counterparts.

Regarding the contentious issues that have recently sparked controversy, especially the EU regulations related to Algeria, such as the unilateral decision by the European Commission to open arbitration proceedings concerning alleged restrictions on trade and investment, the ambassador confirmed that dialogue with Algeria continues on several aspects, including technical aspects such as the arbitration issue.

The spokesperson noted that consultations cover multiple issues, saying: “We are open and working to strengthen our cooperation… Naturally, there may be some technical differences, but we have a common goal of enhancing and developing our partnership with Algeria, which we consider an important partner.”

These statements reflect the EU’s keenness to maintain and strengthen cooperation with Algeria as a strategic partner, while at the same time calling on the authorities to review the partnership agreement between the two parties to achieve mutual interests within the framework of a “win-win” principle. Algeria seeks to build balanced cooperation that ensures the development of the energy and infrastructure sectors and opens the door for European investments that support sustainable development and economic growth.

This comes at a time when Algeria still has reservations about some regulations issued by this body, such as human rights claims and the inclusion of Algeria on the FATF gray list related to money laundering, which confirms the double standards policy adopted by this body in its relationship with Algeria.