{"id":172,"date":"2023-06-09T04:52:42","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T02:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/esf\/?page_id=172"},"modified":"2023-08-21T16:52:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T14:52:24","slug":"eu-mediterranean-countries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.esf.be\/new\/bilateral-negotiations\/eu-ongoing-bilateral-negotiations\/eu-mediterranean-countries\/","title":{"rendered":"EU-Mediterranean countries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Having been launched as a result of the EuroMed conference in Barcelona, in 1995, the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EU and the Mediterranean partnership countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, and Tunisia were rekindled by the French EU-Presidency, in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EU-Mediterranean negotiations have progressed very slowly, so far. This is, above all, due to the Mediterranean partnership countries\u2019 difficulties in cooperating effectively with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Source: European Commission)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Services Forum would welcome any advancement of the Mediterranean cooperation. Since services account for about at least 50% of every Mediterranean partnership country\u2019s GDP, and even for 70% of the GDP in Jordan and Lebanon, a EU-Mediterranean FTA covering free trade in services would generate considerable economic gains on both sides of the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to consider that apart from Syria, every Mediterranean country in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership concluded an Association Agreement with the EU.\u201d \u2013> Provisions on services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For further details see the<\/p>\n\n\n\n