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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29-Jan-2015 PNN Ashrawi praises MEPs call on suspending EU-Israel Association Agreement
"It is time for the EU to reconsider its political and trade relations with Israel and agreements, including the EU-Israel Association Agreement which Israel has persistently violated,” PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi said. -
29-Dec-2014 TeleSur Powerlessness and confusion: The EU and Israel
EU’s trade policy with Israel continues to be business as usual, including trade in military hardware. -
9-Dec-2014 WSCUK WSC UK threaten legal action against UK government
Western Sahara Campaign UK is threatening legal action against the British government for treating imported products originating in Western Sahara as Moroccan for the purposes of the EU–Morocco Association Agreement. -
26-Nov-2014 Al Jazeera Where are the EU sanctions on Israel?
EU inaction is likely to further bolster the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement if it is seen as the only effective avenue for European rejection of Israeli policies. -
24-Nov-2014 APS Algeria: EU Association Agreement has not had the desired effect, says Benyounes
The Algeria-EU trade deal has not had the desired effect of promoting non-oil exports and attracting foreign investment, Trade Minister Amara Benyounes said. -
21-Nov-2014 BDS Movement EU must cease “material support” for Israel’s crimes, say leading trade unions
The huge number of mainstream organizations that are calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement reflects the growing frustration across Europe with the failure of European governments to respond to Israel’s repeated massacres and violations of international law. -
4-Nov-2014 WAFA 309 human rights groups call on EU to hold israel accountable for war crimes in Gaza
More than 300 human rights groups, trade unions and political parties from across Europe called on the EU to hold Israel accountable for its massacre committed in Gaza earlier this year by suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the main treaty between the EU and Israel. -
15-Oct-2014 WSRW ECJ finds Swedish fisheries in Western Sahara illegal
The European Court of Justice has in an answer to a question from a Swedish court of appeal informed that private fisheries agreements with Moroccan authorities are not allowed outside of the context of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement. -
8-Oct-2014 Times of Israel L’UE songe à réévaluer sa relation avec Israël
L’Union européenne menace implicitement mais de manière déterminée de réexaminer ses liens bilatéraux avec Israël si le gouvernement de Netanyahu ne s’implique pas dans une solution à deux Etats et continue de mettre en œuvre sa politique actuelle qui est d’autoriser les constructions au-delà des lignes antérieures à 1967. -
24-Sep-2014 Electronic Intifada End "booming military trade" between EU and Israel, say Palestinian rights groups
The European Union’s key trade and political agreement with the European Union should be suspended in response to the recent attack on Gaza, according to 24 Palestinian campaign groups.
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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
News from the movements
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27-Feb-2015 RLS
UPDATE: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): A charter for deregulation, an attack on jobs, an end to democracy
Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung have today released an updated version of their publication on TTIP by John Hilary. -
26-Feb-2015 El Faradio
Izquierda Unida también se moviliza contra el TTIP
Desde Izquierda Unida este viernes se ha organizado un acto público en el Colegio Público Cisneros sobre el Tratado de Libre Comercio e Inversiones entre EEUU y la Unión Europea (TTIP). -
26-Feb-2015 IGJ
Update on Indonesia BITs review
Indonesia for Global Justice together with Indonesian civil society networks met with the Director of Bilateral Cooperation of Investment Coordinating Board, Fritz Horas Silalahi, in Jakarta to discuss the review of Indonesia Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITS). -
25-Feb-2015 Financial Express
Will a new US-led IP empire in India put access to medicines at risk?
Prof Brook K Baker, Professor of Law and Northeastern University, cautions that the Modi government’s accelerating flirtation with the US and its investors is dangerous to hundreds of millions of people worldwide whose lives depend on Indian generics -
23-Feb-2015 Planète Non Violence
Les Américains veulent imposer TAFTA avec interdiction de BDS
Une loi bipartisane est en préparation au Congrés US pour conditionner l’Accord de Libre Echange Transatlantique (TAFTA) à l’interdiction par les pays membres de l’UE de toute campagne BDS (Boycott Desinvestissement Sanctions contre Israël). -
20-Feb-2015 Electronic Intifada
How EU-US trade deal could thwart “boycott Israel” campaign
Two members of the US Congress have introduced a bill that would turn a giant trade deal between the EU and US into a devastating weapon against the people of Palestine and all those seeking justice alongside them. -
19-Feb-2015 Entrescantos.es
TTIP, un tratado que te afecta
El pasado domingo 8 de febrero, organizada por la Asamblea Popular de Tres Cantos, se celebró la charla TTIP, un tratado que te afecta. -
19-Feb-2015 TNI
ISDS beyond TTIP: EU reforms and impacts on the Global South
Public event organised by Transnational Institute, Friends of the Earth Europe and Traidcraft on 4 March 2015 in Brussels
