Euro-Mediterranean association agreement between the EU and Tunisia

 

SUMMARY OF

Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the EU and the Republic of Tunisia

Decision 98/238/EC, ECSC — on the conclusion of a Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the EU and the Republic of Tunisia

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The aims of the agreement are to:

• provide an appropriate basis for political dialogue between the EU and Tunisia, allowing the development of close relations in all areas they consider relevant to such dialogue;
• establish the conditions for the gradual liberalisation of trade in goods, services and capital;
• promote trade and the expansion of harmonious economic and social relations, notably through dialogue and cooperation, so as to foster the development and prosperity of Tunisia and its people;
• encourage integration of 5 Maghreb countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia) by promoting trade and cooperation between Tunisia and other countries of the region;
• promote economic, social, cultural and financial cooperation.

The decision concludes the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

The agreement comprises 8 headings.

• 1.
  Political dialogue

  Political dialogue and cooperation between the parties is to be further developed, in particular to:

  • improve relations through the development of better mutual understanding and regular coordination on international issues of common interest;
  • enable each party to consider the position and interests of the other;
  • contribute to consolidating security and stability in the Mediterranean region and in the Maghreb in particular;
  • help develop joint initiatives.
• 2.
  Free movement of goods

  • The parties are committed to gradually establishing a free trade area over a period lasting a maximum of 12 years.
  • The agreement sets out a process for reducing and removing customs tariffs and quotas on goods from both the EU and Tunisia.
• 3.
  Establishment and services

  The parties:

  • reaffirm their obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services, particularly the obligation to grant reciprocal most-favoured-nation treatment i.e. to offer each other their most favourable trading terms, in the service sectors covered by that obligation.
  • agree to widen the scope of the agreement to cover the right of companies from one party to establish themselves on the territory of the other and liberalisation of the provision of services by one party’s firms to consumers of services in the other.
• 4.
  Payments, capital, competition and other economic provisions

  • Current payments for current transactions must be made in a freely convertible currency.
  • Capital relating to direct investments in Tunisia in companies formed in accordance with current laws can move freely and the yield from such investments and any profit accruing can be liquidated and transferred back out of the country.
  • Through consultation the parties aim to facilitate, when the time is right, the full liberalisation of the movement of capital between the EU and Tunisia.
  • Both sides are bound by competition rules, based on EU law, relating to actions that may affect trade between the two parties.
• 5.
  Economic cooperation

  The agreement aims to support Tunisia’s own efforts to achieve sustainable economic and social development. Methods of cooperation include:

  • regular economic dialogue covering all aspects of macroeconomic policy;
  • communication and exchanges of information;
  • advice, use of the services of experts and training;
  • joint ventures;
  • assistance with technical, administrative and regulatory matters.

  Cooperation covers a wide range of policy areas including:

  • education and training;
  • environment;
  • regional cooperation;
  • scientific, technical and technological cooperation;
  • financial services;
  • transport.
• 6.
  Cooperation in social and cultural matters

  • Tunisian nationals working legally in an EU country must be free of any form of discrimination compared to nationals of the country concerned. EU nationals working in Tunisia must be accorded the same treatment.
  • The parties will engage in regular dialogue on any social matter of interest to them.
  • The parties will undertake continuous cultural cooperation to help boost mutual knowledge and understanding.
• 7.
  Financial cooperation

  In addition to the areas already covered, cooperation will include:

  • facilitating reforms aimed at modernising the economy;
  • updating economic infrastructure;
  • promoting private investment and job creation activities;
  • taking into account the effects on the Tunisian economy of the progressive introduction of a free trade area, in particular where the updating and restructuring of industry is concerned;
  • flanking measures for policies implemented in the social sectors.
• 8.
  Institutional and general provisions

  An Association Council supervises the application and implementation of the agreement.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 March 1998.

BACKGROUND

• The agreement is based on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (EuroMed) established between the EU and countries in the Southern Mediterranean.
• EuroMed is part of the EU Neighbourhood Policy.
• Negotiations for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Tunisia were launched on 13 October 2015.

For further information, see:

• Tunisia (European Commission)
• Euro-Mediterranean partnership (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (OJ L 97, 30.3.1998, pp. 2-183)

Successive amendments to the Agreement have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Decision 98/238/EC, ECSC of the Council and the Commission of 26 January 1998 on the conclusion of a Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (OJ L 97, 30.3.1998, p. 1)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Decision No 1/2018 of the EU-Tunisia Association Council of 9 November 2018 adopting the EU-Tunisia strategic priorities for the period 2018-2020 [2018/1792] (OJ L 293, 20.11.2018, pp. 39-45)

Commission Staff Working Document — Individual reports and info sheets on implementation of EU Free Trade Agreements — Accompanying the document Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Implementation of Free Trade Agreements 1 January 2017 - 31 December 2017 (SWD(2018) 454 final, 31.10.2018)

Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (OJ L 296, 14.10.2014, pp. 3-12)

EU Trade and Investment Strategy for the Southern Mediterranean following the Arab Spring revolutions European Parliament resolution of 10 May 2012 on Trade for Change: The EU Trade and Investment Strategy for the Southern Mediterranean following the Arab Spring revolutions (2011/2113(INI)) (OJ C 261E, 10.9.2013, pp. 21-30)

2009/819/EC: Decision No 1/2009 of the EU-Tunisia Association Council of 22 October 2009 amending Decision No 1/1999 on the implementation of the provisions on processed agricultural products laid down in Article 10 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (OJ L 291, 7.11.2009, pp. 29-39)

2006/612/EC: Decision No 1/2006 of the EU-Tunisia Association Council of 28 July 2006 amending Protocol 4 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, concerning the definition of the concept of originating products and methods of administrative cooperation

Protocol 4 concerning the definition of the concept of originating products and methods of administrative cooperation (OJ L 260, 21.9.2006, pp. 1-110)

Council Decision 2005/720/EC of 20 September 2005 on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union (OJ L 278, 21.10.2005, p. 1)

Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic to the European Union (OJ L 278, 21.10.2005, pp. 3-8)

Council Decision 2000/822/EC of 22 December 2000 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of Tunisia concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures and amendment of the Agricultural Protocols to the EC/Tunisia Association Agreement (OJ L 336, 30.12.2000, p. 92)

Information on the entry into force of the Euro_+Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (OJ L 132, 6.5.1998, p. 14)

last update 23.10.2019