Euro-Mediterranean free trade area

The European Union-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EU-MED FTA, EMFTA), also called the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area or Euromed FTA, is based on the Barcelona Process and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The Barcelona Process, developed after the Barcelona Conference in successive annual meetings, is a set of goals designed to lead to a free trade area in the Mediterranean Region and the Middle East.

A Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential Rules of Origin was signed in June 2011 to allow identical rules of origin across the region. The convention covers the EU, the EFTA, the EU customs unions with third states (Turkey, Andorra, San Marino), the EU candidate states, the partners of the Barcelona Process and possibly at a later stage all of the European Neighbourhood Policy partners. The convention was in force from May 2012 and is the last step taken in the Barcelona Process so far.

History

The Agadir Agreement of 2004 (FTA between Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt) was seen as its first building block. Further steps were envisioned into the European Neighbourhood policy (ENP) Action plans negotiated between the European Union and the partner states on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, mostly with Arab League member states.

The initial aim was to create a matrix of Free Trade Agreements between each of the partners and the others. Then a single free trade area was to be formed, including the European Union.

Partners European Union Turkey (maintains a Customs Union with the EU) Morocco (member of the Arab League and the Arab Maghreb Union) Algeria (member of the Arab League and the Arab Maghreb Union) Tunisia (member of the Arab League and the Arab Maghreb Union) Egypt (member of the Arab League) Jordan (member of the Arab League) Lebanon (member of the Arab League) Israel Palestinian National Authority (member of the Arab League)

Prospective partners Syria (Member of the Arab League) Libya (member of the Arab League and the Arab Maghreb Union) Gulf Cooperation Council Iraq (Member of the Arab League) Mauritania (member of the Arab League and the Arab Maghreb Union) United Kingdom (Former member of the EU)

FTA progress Morocco EU FTA 1973 CU 1996 AA 2000 AA 2005 AA 1998 AA 2004 AA 2002 AA 2006 AA AA 2000 AA 1997 FTA EFTA FTA 1973 FTA 1992 FTA 1999 FTA 2005 FTA 2002 FTA 2005 FTA 1993 FTA 1999 Turkey CU CU 1996 FTA 1992 FTA 2004 FTA 2005 FTA 2006 FTA 2009 FTA 2010 FTA 2004 FTA 1997 FTA 2005 Morocco AA 2000 FTA 1999 FTA 2004 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Algeria AA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Tunisia AA 1998 FTA 2005 FTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Egypt AA 2004 FTA 2006 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Jordan AA 2002 FTA 2002 FTA 2009 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Lebanon AA 2006 FTA 2005 FTA 2010 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 FTA 2002, GAFTA 2005 Syria AA FTA 2004 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Israel AA 2000 FTA 1993 FTA 1997 CU 1994 PA AA 1997 FTA 1999 FTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 CU 1994 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Libya GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GCC FTA GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 Mauritania Iraq GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 FTA 2002, GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005 GAFTA 2005

See also

African Economic Community Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Eastern Partnership Economic integration EUR.1 movement certificate List of free trade agreements List of trade blocs Middle East economic integration Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe Union for the Mediterranean US-Middle East Free Trade Area (US-MEFTA)

References

External links General overviews Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements, Summaries of EU Legislation, EU website, 2007. Consulted 4 September 2010. System of Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Cumulation, European Commission Taxation and Customs Union page. Consulted 4 September 2010.

More specific studies European Union–Developing Country FTAs: Overview and Analysis, by JOSEPH F. FRANCOIS, MATTHEW MCQUEEN and GANESHAN WIGNARAJA, in "World Development" Vol. 33, No. 10, pp. 1545–1565, 2005, Elsesvier Ltd, UK. Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area – Is It Time to Be Optimistic about the Future?, by Eylin Ege on the IEMed Observatory website, Barcelona, no date. Consulted 4 September 2010. The Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area and its Impact on the Economies Involved, by Nicola Minasi, Rome, no date. Consulted 4 September 2010. THE EUROMEDITERRANEAN FREE TRADE AREA: FROM COMPETITION TO INTEGRATION , by Alejandro Lorca and Gonzalo Escribano, Madrid, no date. Consulted 4 September 2010.