Brussels, 11/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - The EU-Tunisia association committee, called upon to meet in Tunis on 19 June, will kick-start the in-depth negotiations on trade and allow the “privileged partnership” approach to be started, this being another name for “advanced status”, already enjoyed by Morocco. According to the Tunisian ambassador in Brussels, it will also set in place an agenda for talks for a “mobility agreement”.
The committee will finalise a timetable for general talks, said Tahar Chérif in an interview on the eurosduvillage.eu website, explaining that the 1995 agreement was limited to industrial products but that now all the other sectors will be tackled. He also welcomes the intention of the European Parliament to adopt a resolution that will help to recover goods “pillaged” by former leaders estimated at “€4-5 billion which represents half the Tunisian debt”. A committee of international experts, he said, will be set in place. He added that a text on this subject has been put to the European Commission for scrutiny.
It is believed that the provisional prime minister, Islamist Ali Larayedh, will be visiting Brussels on 25 June. (FB/transl.jl)