EU and Egypt: course of relations
1. The Temporary Agreement entered into force in 2004.
2. The Association Agreement entered into force in 2004.
Association Agreement
The Association Agreement covers the following areas:
- Promoting common political initiatives
- Customs tariff liberalization
- Lifting of import restrictions
- Free circulation of goods, services and capital
- Educational cooperation
- Cooperation for fighting against terrorism and organized crime
3. An Action Plan, within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy, was presented and agreed on in 2007. It stipulates, among other issues, the following measures:
- Strengthening political dialogue about common values and security
- Reinforcing institutions seeking democratic and human rights practices
- Reinforcing economic integration
- Improving macroeconomic governance
- Consolidating the role of the private sector
- Financial sector reform
- Stimulating the industrial sector
- Fiscal sector reform
- Encouraging foreign direct investments
- Reducing poverty and seeking social development
- Cooperation in the fields of technology and science, research and development, information and communication technology
- Cooperation in the field of migration
- Reinforcing the cooperation in energy issues
- Environmental cooperation
Action Plan
4. EU funding (European Commission) promised and paid in:
1995 to 2003 : € 328 million
5. The European Investment Bank loans:
- € 1.70 billion (1996-2003)
- € 1.83 billion (2004-2009)
6. EU fields of action in Egypt: vocational training, improving trade flows, developing civil society, cooperation in the fields of finance and investments, education, rural development…
List of Projects
7. Beneficiaries: public institutions, private sector, higher education, farmers, rural population…
8. Export to the EU (27 countries):
| Year | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount (€ Billion) | 3.6 | 5.2 | 7.0 |
| Export to the EU/Total export | 48% | 41.6% | 42.2% |
9. Import from the EU (27 countries) :
| Year | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount (€Billion) | 6.3 | 8.5 | 10.4 |
| Import from the EU/Total import | 33.6% | 32.3% | 29.5% |
10. European direct investments*:
€ 18 billion for the period 2003-2008, which constitutes approximately 34% of the foreign direct investments in Egypt.
(*) From the following countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, UK and Sweden. (Source: ANIMA-MIPO)
Your reactions
I would like to be brief and thank Europa Jaratona program for its achievments in Jordan.
On: E-TVET reform (Jordan)
It is good to hear that there is someone who really cares about our historical monuments. While reading the article, I was hoping to find so many Tunisian names to make sure that, also, in our country there are people who are hell-bent on preserving what is left of a glorious history. Tunisia, thanks to its location, welcomed many civilizations whose leaders built huge and glorious buildings. Not only in cities near the shores, but also in the far west cities like Sbitla, Kasserin...
I believe that in order to save the surviving monuments, there should be a campaign to make Tunisians aware of the significance of such a loss if those buildings become ruins.
On: Initiatives to preserve Tunisian architecture
I have read this article with cautious and i was not happy of the approaches being written due i guess to lack of real understanding of current environmental issues we are facing. The problem of pollution will not be tackled only through fundings bec most of the money used is not appropriately used and if ever used we seek the traditional methods the old fashion way. We need to look at alternatives , less costs , better and more sustainable output. Waste problems are derived from mass consumerism and lack of understanding of what our lives should mean to us as far as human values and choices we should take in life. Building waste water treatment is needed but what is more needed is eduation and awereness and return to ethics and values. We can keep dumping money on projects but who would assure me that our resources are being well taken care of and not depleted in a fast way? Where is the concept of sustainibility?
On: Mediterranean pollution “hot spots” under control by 2020?
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