Manuel Valls manifests his will to visit the Principality accompanied by a delegation of French busi
Andorra la Vella - Source "Govern.ad"
The acting Head of Government, Antoni Martí, met with his French counterpart, Manuel Valls, on Wednesday morning at the Hôtel de Matignon. The meeting, the first to take place between prime-ministers of these two countries in almost 9 years, was relaxed.
Martí informed the French Prime Minister of the tax and economic reforms that Andorra has faced in the past years and has thanked particularly Paris for its support in the politics of opening up the Principality, particularly with the signing of the Double Taxation Agreement (CDI) between the two countries.
Valls congratulated the acting Head of Government for the reforms that have taken place. He has also expressed that France is conscious of the efforts by Andorra in the past years and considers that it is the right path to be taking.
The acting Head of Government referred to the importance of achieving agreements of this type with a “friend” state, as is France, and has informed Valls of the signing of the CDI with Spain and the open negotiations with Portugal. He also pointed out the will of the Govern to develop a network of agreements that will allow for the internationalisation of the Andorran economy.
Manuel Valls expressed his determination to visit the Principality in 2015 accompanied by a delegation of French businessmen, in this way giving full meaning to the Double Taxation Agreement signed between the two states and that currently is in the process of parliamentary ratification.
Both leaders agreed that bilateral relations are at an important stage, as evidenced by agreements in various areas throughout the term: delimitation of boundaries of the borders, the renewal of the education agreement for another ten years , cooperation with the border police and cooperation in matters of civil protection .
One of the topics of the meeting was the start of negotiations between Andorra and the European Union . Valls wanted to express unequivocal support of the French state for Andorra to reach a good agreement of association that would also respect the specificities of a small state.
This support of the Andorran negotiations adds to that which President Rajoy expressed during his visit to Andorra and that of the Prime Minister of Portugal , expressed during the meeting held at the last Ibero-American Summit .
Martí told his French counterpart that Andorra, in his opinion, has no other path than that which it is currently following. In this regard, the Prime Minister has said that the first round of negotiations with Portugal of the Double Taxation Agreement will begin on the 26 and 27 February in Lisbon, as agreed at the Ibero-American Summit. Consequently, there will be a second round of negotiations with the aim of signing the agreement in May or June as part of a visit by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, to Andorra. The Prime Minister also highlighted that he will meet the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Junker, on the 12th of March in Brussels.
Martí detailed the electoral calendar for the 1st of March elections to the Prime Minister Valls. He also mentioned that, independently of the results of the election, his wish is that Andorra maintains its attitude of co-operation with its neighbouring states. An indispensable collaboration to be able to face the immediate challenges that Andorra has pending.
During the meeting, Martí reiterated to the French Prime Minister the importance of the French education system in Andorra, representing a third of the pupils of the country, approximately 3.500. Last year there was a 5% increase in registration to the nursery classes of the French system.
The Cap de Govern also explained that in the past years there has been a rise in Andorran students going to do higher education in France. That 75% of the Lycée Comte de Foix pupils choose France to continue their studies. Also in the past years there has been up to a 20% rise in pupils from the Andorran Education system heading to France to realise their higher education. At present there are more than 200 Andorran students in France. Martí also pointed out that the Government has a plot of land in Encamp reserved for the construction of a future college when France disposes of the necessary credits for its construction.
Martí thanked the French state for the 30 million Euros that it invested in the Ax les Thermes by pass. The Cap de Govern detailed the meeting that he had with the president Martin Malvy, of the Midi Pyrenées region, where it was agreed to work together in order to improve the access between Ax les Thermes and the Puymorens tunnel. The Prime Minister Valls took note of this topic and showed interest in analysing and proposing specific improvements to the road.
The Cap de Govern also explained that Andorra has the presidency of the Comunitat de Treball dels Pirineus (Work Community of the Pyrenees) and that the intention is to present a programme within the POCTEFA EU funds, jointly with the neighbouring areas, in order to be able to carry out studies and works in relation to natural hazards that will allow the creation of protections for landslides and avalanche channels.
Valls was accompanied by his diplomatic advisor, Stéphane Romatet, by the French Ambassador to Andorra, Ginette de Matha, and by the Assistant Director of DG Europe, Fabrice Léonzi. Completing the Andorran delegation were the Andorran Ambassador in France, Maria Ubach and the Chief of Staff of the Cap de Govern, Esteve Vidal.
