|
Commissioner Patten attends signature of Agadir Agreement
On 25 February, Chris Patten, External Relations
Commissioner, will attend the signing ceremony of the Free
Trade Agreement between Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.
This agreement, known as the Agadir Agreement, is a crucial
step towards the envisaged creation of a Euro-Mediterranean
free trade area by 2010. The Commission has been one of the
main political supporters of this initiative since the
Agadir Declaration was signed in May 2001and it is also
supporting it with a €4 million programme funded under MEDA.
Speaking before his departure for Agadir, Commissioner
Patten said: “I am delighted to witness the conclusion of
the Agadir Agreement today. This agreement brings us closer
to our joint objective of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade
area by 2010. It will create much needed momentum for
Mediterranean regional integration and foster private
investment in the region. I strongly encourage other
Euro-Med partners to join this agreement.”
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy added: “Tearing down
barriers to trade and investment is part of the strategic
partnership between the EU and the Mediterranean region
launched in 1995. Trade is a vital boost for the development
of this region thus contributing to building the road
stability in the region. Today we are a step closer to our
goal”.
Pending conclusion of an agreement with Syria, the European
Union has already concluded far-reaching Association
Agreements with all the other Mediterranean partners, in an
effort at encouraging closer political, economic and social
ties with the region. The Agadir Agreement will offer
further momentum towards the goal of achieving a
Euro-Mediterranean free trade area by 2010 initiated by the
Barcelona Declaration in 1995.
The agreement signed today will create an integrated market
of more than 100 million people in the four countries
involved, thus providing new attractive opportunities for
European investors in the region.
The European Commission has strongly supported the Agadir
initiative since its inception and will continue to do so
through a MEDA programme of € 4 million, that will provide
technical assistance to Agadir member countries and to its
soon-to-be-established Secretariat.
Background
In the Barcelona Declaration, the 27 Euro-Mediterranean
Partners agreed on the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean
Free Trade Area (EMFTA) by the target date of 2010. This is
to be achieved by means of the Euro-Mediterranean
Association Agreements negotiated and concluded between the
European Union and 9 out of the 12 Mediterranean Partners,
together with free trade agreements between the Partners
themselves: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan,
Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Palestinian Authority. The
other three Partners, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey are covered
by Association Agreements dating back to the 1960s and 1970s
which envisaged possible membership of the European Union in
due course and provide inter alia for customs unions with
the European Union (completed with Turkey).
The Agadir process, an important sub-regional initiative,
was initiated by Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan at
Agadir in May 2001. These four partners expressed in a
Declaration their intention to set up a free-trade area
among themselves. This initiative was also significant since
it links Maghreb and Mashrak countries. It is no coincidence
that it concerns the partners who were the most advanced in
the Association process.
The EU has pledged to support the Agadir Process from both a
financial and technical point of view. The programme Helping
the Association Agreement signatories to develop free trade
among themselves, and with the EU was launched in 2003. This
€ 4 million programme, funded under MEDA, aims at
encouraging South-South trade and integration, starting on a
sub-regional basis and at introducing pan Euro-Mediterranean
cumulation of origin. The programme works for the creation
of a pool of technical assistance to help progress towards
South-South free trade.
Progress of Negotiations on Euro-Mediterranean
Association Agreements
|
Mediterranean Partner |
Conclusion of Negotiations |
Signature of agreement |
Entry
into force |
| Tunisia |
June 1995 |
July 1995 |
March 1998 |
| Israel |
September 1995 |
November 1995 |
June 2000 |
| Morocco
|
November 1995 |
February 1996 |
March 2000 |
| Palestinian Authority
|
December 1996 |
February 1997 |
July 1997 |
| Jordan |
April 1997 |
November 1997 |
May 2002 |
| Egypt |
June 1999 |
June 2001 |
Ratification pending |
| Algeria |
December 2001 |
April 2002 |
Ratification pending |
| Lebanon |
December 2001 |
June 2002 |
Ratification
pending |
| Syria |
Negotiations in progress |
- |
- |
|
