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Fourth Euromed Trade Ministerial takes
steps to open trade in services
Euromed Trade Ministers meeting in Istanbul on 21 July 2004
took further steps to open trade in services in the region.
Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to start talks to open
trade in services, to complement the existing free trade in
goods. To this effect the meeting adopted a set of
guidelines detailing the main objectives and principles of
the opening of trade in services for all Euromed partners.
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said: “With the decision
to open trade in services, we take another important step in
integrating our economies now representing 700 million
citizens.”
Ministers have agreed to open up trade in services in a two
step innovative approach: in a first step all Euromed
partners have adopted a Framework Protocol detailing
objectives and principles to be achieved in the negotiation.
In a second step Euromed partners will negotiate bilateral
agreements in accordance with WTO rules.
Ministers had an opportunity to discuss the challenges
facing Euromed countries with the disappearance of the
remaining WTO quotas on textiles and clothing in 2005. They
underlined the importance of implementing the common set of
rules of origin adopted last year in Palermo as an
instrument to foster an integrated Euromed area in this
important economic sector.
Ministers also confirmed their determination to work
together to reach a balanced agreement on key areas in the
on-going WTO negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda
by the end of July.
The next Euromed Trade Ministerial will be hosted in Tunisia
in 2005.
For a full text of the conclusions of the 4th Euromed Trade
Ministerial:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/euromed/index_en.htm
For more information
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/index_en.htm
Contact
Arancha González 02 296 15 53
Catherine Ray 02 295 47 21
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