Chris Patten	Pascal Lamy

No. 79/03
December 11, 2003

The European Union and Syria have reached an understanding at technical level on all remaining issues in the negotiations for a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement. The body of the Agreement will now have to be politically approved by both sides (Council Working Group for the EU) with a view to initialling the agreement before the end of the year, paving the way for Parliamentary ratification from both sides.  

Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten said: "When concluded, this agreement will complete the network of Association Agreements with all our Euro-Mediterranean partners. It will provide a solid platform for the EU to support Syrian efforts to carry out political and economic reform. The clauses that the agreement includes regarding respect for human rights, non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and fight against terrorism, will enhance our ability to engage with Syria on these important issues."  

EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said: "This is an important stepping stone in our long established goal of creating a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area. This agreement will help Syria better integrate into the world economy and paves the way for other initiatives, including possible future membership of the World Trade Organisation. We should now work together to ensure that trade opening is also achieved by Mediterranean countries between themselves."  

The EU-Syria Association Agreement covers political, economic, social and cultural relations.

On the political side, the agreement provides a framework to conduct regular political dialogue consultations on international issues of mutual interest, fostering mutual understanding and promoting the convergence of views. In particular, the agreement includes essential provisions on a) respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights established by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, b) cooperation to counter the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their means of delivery, in line with the conclusions of the November Foreign Affairs Council; and c) Anti-terrorism: exchange of information and joint efforts to prevent and fight against terrorism, including as regards implementation of relevant UN resolutions.  

On the economic chapter, the Association Agreement foresees the creation of a free trade area between the EU and Syria, contributing to the creation of a larger Euro-Mediterranean area by the envisaged date of 2010. The agreement covers trade in goods, services, public procurement, rules for the protection of intellectual property rights, as well as dispute settlement provisions in line with those in the WTO. The agreement also foresees co-operation in a large number of areas including on customs, transport, tourism or environment.

The Association Agreement also comprises a chapter on co-operation in social and cultural matters. Cooperation will extend to a wide range of fields, from education and culture to the fight against crime, money laundering drugs and terrorism as well as for the re-admission of nationals and non-nationals illegally arriving on the territory of one party from the other. Regarding co-operation in the field of Justice and Home Affairs in particular, the agreement includes provisions on: institution-building and strengthening the rule of law, movement of persons, control and prevention of illegal immigration, legal and judicial co-operation, fight against organised crime, money-laundering, racism and xenophobia, drugs and drug addiction as well as corruption.

Following signature and pending parliamentary ratification of the agreement, both parties have agreed to an early entry into force of the trade chapter of the Association Agreement (those provisions subject to Community competence) by means of an interim agreement.  

The EU has already concluded Association Agreements with all other Mediterranean partners in the Barcelona Process: Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Turkey and Syria.  

Background  

In the Barcelona Declaration (1995), the 27 Euro-Mediterranean Partners agreed on the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA) by the target date of 2010. This is to be achieved by means of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements negotiated and concluded between the European Union and 9 out of the 12 Mediterranean Partners, together with free trade agreements between the partners themselves. The other 3 Partners, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey are covered by Association Agreements dating back to the 1960s and 1970s which had envisaged eventual membership of the European Union (which is now the case of Cyprus and Malta) and provide inter alia for customs unions with the European Union (completed with Turkey and well advanced with Cyprus).  

The scope of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements goes well beyond trade. The details differ from one agreement to another but all agreements contain certain common features along the following lines:  

Political provisions. Respect for human rights and democratic principles are an essential element of the Agreements and the architecture of each Agreement is such as to enable it ultimately to be suspended in the event of major human rights violations; a political dialogue is provided for at various levels and at regular intervals. Other political standard clauses include provisions to counter Non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, as well as to prevent and fight terrorism.  

Trade. Free trade is to be established in accordance with WTO rules over a transitional period which may last up to 12 years as regards tariff dismantling by the partners; trade in agricultural products is to be "gradually liberalised"; gradual opening up of trade in services; legal approximation in a number of key areas such standards, customs matters, competition and intellectual property rights are also covered by the Association Agreements.  

Other economic provisions. These provisions are aimed at the greatest possible harmonisation between the EU and the Partners. They include maintenance of a high level of protection of intellectual property rights, gradual liberalisation of public procurement, adjustment of provisions relating to competition, state aid and monopolies; provisions on capital movements; economic co-operation in a wide range of sectors (e.g., industry, environment, energy, transport, customs, etc.).  

Financial co-operation. The Agreements provide for EU financial assistance for the Partners (except Cyprus, Israel and Malta), the main areas for such co-operation and for an economic dialogue, but no amounts of financial assistance are specified.

Social and cultural co-operation. The Agreements contain provisions on workers' rights and other social matters; as well as for the re-admission of nationals and non-nationals illegally arriving on the territory of one party from the other.  

Institutional and final provisions. An Association Council (ministerial) and Committee (officials) are set up as well as an arbitration procedure. The Agreements are of unlimited duration and may be denounced with a six-month period of notice. After signature, each Agreement has to be ratified by the European Parliament, by each EU member state and the Mediterranean Partner before it enters into force. This explains the long delay between signature and entry into force.  

The EU is the main trading partner of the Mediterranean countries, absorbing around 50% of their exports. Main EU imports from the region are textiles, agriculture, machinery and chemicals.  

The EU is also negotiating a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the regional grouping of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.  

For more information  

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/syria/intro/index.htm http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/euromed/index_en.htm