North
Africa and the Mediterranean – Euro Mediterranean Partnership
The
Euro Mediterranean Partnership commonly referred to as the
‘Barcelona Process’, was founded at the Conference of EU
and Mediterranean Foreign Ministers in Barcelona in November
1995. It provides the framework for intensifying political,
economic, and social co-operation between the European Union,
the 25 Member States and 12 Mediterranean Partners.
The
12 Partners, situated in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean
are Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the
Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus and
Malta
One
of the major goals of the Barcelona Process is to create
a Euro Mediterranean Free Trade Area. The parties have set
2010 as a target date for the gradual establishment of this
area, which will cover the majority of trade in line with
WTO commitments (Article XXIV of the GATT). This will be
achieved through a series of Association Agreements between
the EU and the Mediterranean Partners and between the Mediterranean
Partners themselves. The latter is important to promote
greater intra-regional co-operation, and boost levels of
trade between the Mediterranean Partners.
Association
Agreements between the EU and Tunisia, Jordan, Israel, Morocco,
and the Palestinian Authority (interim agreement) have already
entered into force. Negotiations with Egypt were concluded
in June 1999 and the Agreement signed in June 2001. Negotiations
with Algeria were concluded in December 2001, and those
with Lebanon in January 2002. With the other three partners
Cyprus, Malta and Turkey the European Community concluded
first generation association agreements in the 1960s and
early 1970s. The UK has ratified agreements with all countries
with the exception of Syria who are yet to complete negotiations
Contact:
Ian Broadhurst
Tel: 020 7215 5772
Fax: 020 7215 2235
Email: ian.broadhurst@dti.gsi.gov.uk
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