EU-Mediterranean
The Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA) is a free trade zone under construction since the Barcelona Declaration, a framework plan, was adopted in 1995. It is being built through a series of bilateral FTAs (called Association Agreements) between Brussels and each state bordering the Mediterranean, as well as so-called horizontal FTAs between the non-EU Mediterranean countries themselves, such as the Agadir Agreement.
The countries in question are Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. (Libya is left out of the EMFTA plan as such, but will be served a separate bilateral trade and investment deal from the EU.)
Many people view the EU’s ambitions to build this special "partnership" with North African and Middle Eastern states — which involves not only trade and investment liberalisation but deep political reform, what Brussels calls "approximation" of other countries’ legal and political institutions with its own — as both imperialist and neocolonial. This is all the more significant taking into account the United States’ plans to weave together a US-Middle East Free Trade Agreement (MEFTA). For the two are in direct competition.
EMFTA was supposed to be completed by 2010. However, a sustainability impact assessment of EMFTA commissioned by the EU already foresees important negative social and environmental consequences. Complicating things further, French President Sarkozy took the initiative to set up a Union for the Mediterranean, involving only the countries that border the sea, which was launched in July 2008. Further still, questions have been arising as to why the EU does not merge its Mediterranean FTA initiative with its GCC FTA initiative.
In September 2011, the EU announced the opening of "deep and comprehensive" trade negotiations with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. In February 2012, the EU and Morocco signed an agricultural trade deal (which also covers fisheries). Critics have noted that the agreement will promote the exploitation of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, that the main benefactors will be transnational companies and the King of Morocco, and that small farmers will suffer under the deal.
last update: May 2012
Articles
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27-Sep-2016 Nawaat Libre-échange et énergie : les résolutions fermes de l’Europe
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15-Sep-2016 Forbes Morocco suffers legal setback as EU official declares Western Sahara ’not part of Morocco’
Western Sahara is not part of Moroccan territory and therefore the EU-Morocco Association Agreement is not applicable to it: an advocate general at the Court of Justice in Brussels. -
11-Aug-2016 Western Sahara Resource Watch See how the controversial plantations boomed in the desert
The large increase of plantation infrastructure in occupied Western Sahara at the time when Morocco and the EU were negotiating a trade agreement suggests that the Moroccan government and the Moroccan/French companies involved had expected the trade agreement to go through. -
21-Jul-2016 Huffington Post Accord agricole Maroc-UE: La cour de justice de l’UE entame l’examen du pourvoi en appel
La cour de justice de l’Union européenne a entamé l’examen du pourvoi en appel formé par le Conseil de l’UE contre l’arrêt annulant l’accord agricole avec le Maroc -
30-Jun-2016 Algérie Eco La zone de libre-échange euro-méditerranéenne est elle encore viable pour l’Algérie ?
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23-Jun-2016 WSRW Confirmed: these 5 countries intervene against Saharawis at EU Court
The EU Court has now officially confirmed that five EU Member States will intervene in favour of Morocco in the proceedings to reverse the Court’s decision to halt imports from occupied Western Sahara through a trade deal with Morocco. -
10-Jun-2016 WSRW EU Member States to intervene against Western Sahara in EU Court
A handful of EU Member States will intervene in the European Court proceedings in favour of Morocco, asking the Court to reverse its decision to cancel the EU-Morocco trade deal in occupied Western Sahara. -
26-May-2016 Fresh Plaza Spain: COAG will request cancellation of EU-Morocco free trade agreement
The head for fruits and vegetables at COAG is requesting in the European Parliament for the immediate implementation of the ruling cancelling the agreement for free agricultural trade between the EU and Morocco because of the illegal inclusion of Western Sahara. -
2-May-2016 Kapitalis La Tunisie et le libre échange avec l’Europe : Panacée ou risque majeur ?
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23-Apr-2016 Jeune Afrique Accord de libre-échange UE-Tunisie : la société civile veut une place à la table des négociations
Le Forum tunisien des droits économiques et sociaux a tenu une conférence pour dénoncer le déséquilibre des discussions en faveurs des pays européens. -
22-Apr-2016 AITEC UE-Tunisie : 1er cycle de négociations commerciales. Diktat de la libéralisation commerciale ou partenariat authentique ?
Mais plutôt qu’un partenariat, l’ALECA révèle en fait l’impérialisme commercial agressif de l’Union européenne. -
19-Apr-2016 Nawaat ALECA / marchés publics : le coup fatal aux entreprises tunisiennes
S’il arrive à être adopté, le chapitre de l’ALECA relatif aux marchés publics, apportera le coup de grâce aux PME tunisiennes. -
14-Apr-2016 Nawaat ALECA / Energie : points de discorde avec la constitution et les lois
L’accord qui ligoterait la Tunisie à l’Union européenne, est aussi un accord énergétique, qui entre en conflit avec la Constitution et les lois. -
13-Apr-2016 Leaders L’ALECA serait-il le Pacte Fondamental de 1857 dans sa version plus moderne?
L’Accord de libre-échange complet et approfondi (ALECA) serait-il ce pacte qui nous obligerait dans quelques années à accepter plus de concession au profit de la machine européenne. -
6-Apr-2016 Nawaat Accord de libre échange, radio nationale et liberté d’expression
Un journaliste parle de censure et de tentative d’intimidation en raison de sa critique à l’Accord de libre échange complet et approfondi (ALECA) que la Tunisie devrait signer, prochainement, avec l’Union Européenne -
4-Apr-2016 Web Manager Center ALECA… Retour sur impact!
Pour couper à toutes les spéculations concernant les éventuelles retombées du futur accord de libre-échange complet et approfondi (ALECA), nous proposons une lecture scientifique. -
4-Apr-2016 WSRW Here is why the EU appealed EU Court ruling on Western Sahara
The Official Journal of the European Union has published the appeal brought by the EU Council against the Court of Justice of the EU’s decision to annul the EU-Morocco agricultural agreement insofar as it applies in Western Sahara. -
17-Mar-2016 Kapitalis Pour un nouveau partenariat entre la Tunisie et l’Union européenne
Il faut que l’accord de libre échange complet et approfondi (Aleca) avec l’Union européenne soit adapté aux besoins spécifiques de la Tunisie post révolution. -
15-Mar-2016 Jeune Afrique Maroc – UE : petites fâcheries entre amis
Rabat a suspendu ses contacts avec Bruxelles. Raison de la brouille : le Tribunal de l’UE a annulé une partie de l’accord agricole, en accédant à une plainte du Front Polisario. -
11-Mar-2016 Leaders L’ALECA: Une analyse sectorielle des funestes retombées
Notre structure économie actuelle est une « enclave » de l’UE. Il faut chercher donc à sortir –à échapper- de telles conditions.
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EU-Mediterranean trade relations
EU overview of EMFTA process and goals -
FoE Med - Mediterranean Free Trade Zone
Friends of the Earth Middle East’s work on EMFTA -
No Association with Occupation!
Take action to suspend the EU-Israel free trade agreement! -
SIA study of EMFTA
Sustainability impact assessment of EMFTA. Also in Arabic and French.
Links
Upcoming days of action
8 Oct: mobilisation in Luxembourg against CETA - contact 8-15 oct: October of resistance against TTIP and CETA in Spain - contact 15 Oct: mobilisation in Paris against CETA - contact 10-15 Oct: regional week of action against RCEP in Asia-Pacific - contact 22 Oct: mobilisation in Amsterdam against CETA - contact 27-28 Oct: mobilisation in Brussels against CETA - contact
Any edits, please contact us
News from the movements
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28-Sep-2016 Global Labour Column
Unpacking CETA
For decades, labour has been fighting purely defensive battles against the neo-liberal trade and investment agenda; we lack an agenda of our own. Lost ground will not be reclaimed on what is fundamentally hostile territory, argues Peter Rossmann of the IUF. -
26-Sep-2016 No al TTIP
Aprobada en Les Corts Valencianes una iniciativa para instar al Gobierno central a no autorizar la firma del Acuerdo Económico y Comercial Global (CETA)
Un total de 32 ayuntamientos valencianos, que aglutinan a más de un millón de personas, han rechazado este acuerdo. -
23-Sep-2016 La Diaria
Para comerte mejor. Contra los TLC y otros tratados vampiros
Suplemento especial elaborado por La Diaria, Uruguay, dedicado a los Tratados de Libre Comercio. -
23-Sep-2016 TeleSur
Dozens of Indigenous absolved in Peru’s 2009 ’Baguazo’ massacre
Dozens of Indigenous people in Peru have been absolved of accusations that they were responsible for a massacre seven years ago that killed at least 32 people, due to intense conflict triggered by the country’s free trade agreements.
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22-Sep-2016 CADTM
ATTAC CADTM Maroc organise un séminaire sur les accords de libre échange au Maroc
Il est urgent de lever le silence qui entoure cette question dans notre pays et de présenter des éléments de réflexion critique et de débat sur ce sujet -
21-Sep-2016 El Economista
Miles de personas protestan ante las instituciones europeas contra el TTIP
Miles de personas se manifestaron hoy (20-9) en el barrio europeo de Bruselas contra el TTIP y el pacto comercial ya cerrado con Canadá (conocido por CETA), aún pendiente de ratificación. -
21-Sep-2016 EurActiv
Thousands protest in Brussels against US, Canada trade deals
Thousands of protesters marched through Brussels to demand the European Union abandon planned transatlantic free trade deals. -
21-Sep-2016 Le Monde
Des milliers de manifestants à Bruxelles contre les traités de libre-échange transatlantiques
Plusieurs milliers de personnes manifestaient à Bruxelles pour dénoncer le traité de libre-échange transatlantique que l’UE négocie avec les Etats-Unis (TTIP) et son équivalent avec le Canada (CETA).
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