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-Mar-2018 Sahara Press Service EU-Morocco fisheries agreement: European Commission will abide by CJEU’s ruling
In this regard, Federica Mogherini said that the Commission "has taken note" of the CJEU’s ruling and is examining it in order to determine the consequences and possible actions to be taken. -
21-Mar-2018 Ecofin Maroc : la société civile alerte le Parlement européen sur un « accaparement de terres collectives » à Tamtatoucht
Dans une lettre ouverte, le Syndicat national des petits paysans et professionnels forestiers dénonce les risques encourus par les populations de Tamtatoucht, dans le cadre de la réalisation du projet de barrage touristique de Toudgha. -
13-Mar-2018 Euractiv Court in confusion – the EU and Western Sahara
Representatives of the Polisario Front, the independence movement which claims to represent the people of Western Sahara, say that talks should now start on a separate EU-Western Sahara agreement. -
28-Feb-2018 Le Monde L’accord de pêche UE-Maroc n’est pas applicable au Sahara occidental, selon la justice européenne
La Cour de justice de l’Union européenne avait été saisie par un tribunal britannique, à qui il reviendra de trancher le dossier. -
27-Feb-2018 Turkey Telegraph European justice dictates that the fisheries pact with Morocco does not apply to Western Sahara
The Luxembourg court validates the EU-Morocco fisheries pact, but excludes Western Sahara because that area is not part of the Kingdom of Morocco -
27-Feb-2018 Mondafrique Tunisie, stop à l’accord de libre-échange!
ALECA/TAFTA : Deux Accords de libre-échange, deux positions françaises ! -
23-Feb-2018 Radio Algérie Le Front Polisario condamne les manoeuvres de la Commission européenne pour passer outre l’arrêt de la CJUE
Le Front a souligné que l’arrêt du 21 décembre 2016 de la Cour de Justice de l’Union Européenne déclare ‘‘illégitime toute forme d’investissement économique faite par des sociétés multinationales sur les terres occupées du Sahara occidental’’. -
22-Feb-2018 WSRW Sweden to vote against new EU-Morocco fish talks
"Sweden considers that the proposed mandate does not meet the requirements of international law", the official government statement reads. -
15-Feb-2018 Mediapart La Tunisie sous pression européenne
L’Union européenne a élevé la Tunisie au rang de pays à risque en matière de blanchiment de capitaux et de financement du terrorisme. Un coup de pression pour lui tordre la main dans le dossier de l’accord de libre-échange Aleca ? -
1-Feb-2018 Telquel Le Maroc et l’UE franchissent un pas vers l’amendement de l’accord agricole
Un amendement de l’accord de libre-échange agricole a été "paraphé" par le Maroc et l’Union européenne le 31 janvier à Bruxelles. -
18-Jan-2018 FTDES 10 ans après – L’échec du libre échange avec l’UE
Ne reproduisons pas les erreurs du passé ! -
10-Jan-2018 VOA L’accord de pêche UE-Maroc "invalide", selon l’avocat général de la CJUE
L’avocat général de la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne (CJUE) a estimé qu’un accord de pêche conclu entre l’UE et le Maroc était "invalide" au motif qu’il bafoue "le droit du peuple du Sahara occidental à l’autodétermination". -
10-Jan-2018 Reuters EU-Morocco fish deal should be declared invalid: EU court adviser
The European Union’s fisheries agreement with Morocco should be declared invalid because it includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara, an adviser to the EU’s top court said. -
9-Jan-2018 WSRW EU Commission eying new fish deal including Western Sahara
Not awaiting the EU Court of Justice’s verdict on the legality of the current fisheries protocol with Morocco over the inclusion of Western Sahara’s waters, the EU Commission is already thinking out loud about its successor. -
18-Dec-2017 L’Economiste Maghrébin Tunisie – UE – ALECA : entre craintes et espoirs
Faute de vision et d’une négociation pertinente du projet ALECA, la Tunisie court beaucoup de risques générés par l’adoption de choix inadaptés. -
1-Dec-2017 Jeune Afrique Accord de libre échange Tunisie – UE : et la libre circulation des personnes ?
Tunis et Bruxelles, actuellement en pleines négociations en vue d’un accord de libre-échange complet et approfondi (Aleca), ne pourront faire l’impasse sur la question de l’octroi - ou de la suppression - des visas entre les deux zones. -
25-Oct-2017 Morocco World News Morocco and EU discuss amending agriculture deal
The two sides discussed the amendment of the Morocco-EU agriculture agreement, after the European Court of Justice ruled in December 2016 that is not applicable to goods from Western Sahara. -
25-Oct-2017 Western Sahara Resource Watch EU Parliament approves Morocco aviation deal including Western Sahara
Opposition referred to the inclusion of Western Sahara, which they say renders the deal illegal under EU law. -
5-Sep-2017 Western Sahara Resource Watch Saharawi organisations slam EU over trade talks with Morocco
"Seeking to circumvent the ECJ’s ruling, directly challenges the credibility of the EU, and significantly damages the potential for progress through the UN-led negotiation process", Saharawi groups qualify the EU’s talks with Morocco regarding Western Sahara trade, in their letter to the EU’s Foreign Affairs Chief. -
17-May-2017 Observatoire Tunisien de l’Economie L’ALECA, un instrument clé dans la politique de l’UE
Quel rôle joue l’ALECA dans la stratégie de l’UE et quelle est sa relation avec la politique européenne de voisinage?
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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.
