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EUROPEAN COMMISSION LAUNCHES
AGRICULTURAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EGYPT
A team of experts from the European Commission will
arrive in Cairo on 8 February for the first round of
negotiations on agricultural trade between the European
Union and Egypt. The team is sent by European
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms.
Mariann Fischer Boel, following a letter to H.E. Eng.
Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Egyptian Minister of Trade and
Industry, proposing the start of talks on liberalisation
of agricultural trade between Egypt and the European
Union.
The negotiations will form part of the process set out
in the Rabat Roadmap, which aims at wide-ranging
liberalisation of trade in agriculture, processed
agricultural and fishery products between the EU and the
countries of the southern Mediterranean which are
covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The EU/Egypt Association Agreement created a Free Trade
Area between Egypt and the EU. Concerning Egyptian
industrial products, the EU completely dismantled its
customs duties and other charges having equivalent
effect from 1 January 2004, there are no quantitative
restrictions. For EU industrial products, there is a
gradual abolition of customs duties according to a
schedule.
As for agricultural goods, currently there are lists on
both sides: for Egyptian agricultural products into the
EU, there is a 100% customs duties reduction for a list
of agricultural and processed agricultural products, as
well as increased quotas. For the EU's agricultural
products into Egypt, there is a reduction of customs
duties between 25% to 100% for a list of products, in
some cases within the limit of a quota. Gradual tariffs
reductions are foreseen for processed agricultural
products. The EU/Egypt Association Agreement foresees
that after 2006, the EU and Egypt will examine the
situation with the aim of establishing a greater
liberalisation of their trade in agricultural, fisheries
and processed agricultural products.
With these liberalisation talks, the EU and Egypt will
move nearer to the target of creating a
Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area by 2010, as set out
by the Barcelona process.
ENDS
Contact: Germaine Demian
Press and Information Officer
Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt
Tel:3749 46 80 (ext: 221)
germaine.demian@cec.eu.int
http://www.eu-delegation.org.eg |
