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EU leaders underline special relationship as new Tunisian premier visits Brussels

02-02-2012

EU financial assistance to Tunisia has almost doubled from €240 million to €400 million for the period 2011-2013, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said in Brussels today after talks with the new Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, stressing that the EU was determined to support the country’s reform process and to move towards a privileged partnership (advanced status) with its southern neighbour.
 
Beyond this direct cooperation assistance drawn from the Community budget, Barroso said the EU had worked to mobilise European and international partners to support Tunisia through the ‘EU-Tunisia Task Force’, including a contribution to a €1 billion drive in favour of economic recovery.
 
Prime Minister Jebali led a large official delegation to Brussels, including several ministers, and met Barroso, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, and European Parliament President Martin Schulz. It was his first overseas visit, a fact welcomed by all his interlocutors.
 
A joint declaration issued after the meeting with Barroso hailed the special relationship between the two sides: “During today’s meetings, both sides were able to reaffirm the privileged nature of relations between Tunisia and the European Union, and the common determination to deepen them at every level through concrete measures and a regular calendar of meetings.”
 
The declaration spelled out clear priorities for cooperation, including in particular:
  • The resumption of negotiations to finalise a privileged partnership which aims to strengthen political cooperation, support democratisation, and achieve a gradual harmonisation with the European single market.
  • The resumption of trade liberalisation talks.
  • The opening of negotiations aiming at the signature of a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement between Tunisia and the EU, leading ultimately to the creation of a common economic space.
  • The resumption of the dialogue on mobility, migration and security, aiming at the agreement of a Mobility Partnership.
The declaration said the two sides had agreed that the funds for 2012-13 would be earmarked in priority for support to reforms necessary to the establishment of a democratic state (support to the organisation of elections, to the security sector, justice, media, support to the process of transitional justice and respect for human rights and basic freedoms), and to supporting economic recovery.
 
In his comments to the media, Herman Van Rompuy hailed Tunisia as a model for the region: “The Tunisian population was the first in North Africa to dare to embrace democratic renewal; it has also been a precursor in establishing democratic structures. If it can sustain the process of democratisation that it has begun, Tunisia will continue to serve as a model for change in the region.” (ENPI Info Centre)
 
Read more
 
Joint declaration (FR)
 
Barroso comments (FR)
 
Van Rompuy comments (FR)
 
Schulz comments
 
Audiovisual coverage
 
Photo gallery
 
ENPI Info Centre webpage – Tunisia
 
EU Delegation – Tunisia
 
 

 


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