Brussels, 19/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - “Tunisia must not miss out on its destiny”, said the EU ambassador to Tunis, Laura Baeza, at the opening of the “Civil society consultation on the deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement” (DCFTA), on Wednesday 18 June. The prospect of this agreement has led to a debate within civil society and the media, which have expressed reservations. Hence the demonstrated need to discuss the matter together with the EU. The aim, the ambassador reminded her audience, is to “allow the Tunisian economy to embed itself in the European area more”.
“The EU's offer is an opportunity not to be missed” to “engage in fair and transparent negotiations, with the active participation of civil society and legislators on both sides, with a view to building a new kind of economic and commercial relationship”, Baeza said. The EU is already negotiating several free-trade agreements with a number of countries in the world, including Morocco, she said, and “Tunisia must not end up isolated, as it is on the right tracks for pulling off an exemplary democratic transition, but still faces considerable economic and social challenges”. (FB)