Brussels, 11/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - Visiting Brussels for a NATO meeting, Tunisia's Foreign Affairs Minister Taieb Baccouche also met High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on Thursday 10 September.
According to a European source, the meeting permitted an update on EU-Tunisia cooperation, especially as regards fulfilment of the commitments taken in July as part of the bilateral framework (during a visit from Tunisia's prime minister) - both on the financial level and trade level (olive oil) - and as regards the support to address Tunisia's economic and social challenges. Confirmation was given that the negotiations on the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA) “should begin in October, which is expected to send a positive signal to investors - and especially European investors”.
Mogherini's spokesperson stated that the meeting also enabled Mogherini and Baccouche to discuss the regional situation, “including security and terrorism”, and the situation in neighbouring Libya.
With regard to security and the fight against terrorism, which were designated as a “common priority” by the last Foreign Affairs Council, the support programme for reforming Tunisian security has been granted €23 million and its implementation “will begin in the coming weeks”. Mogherini's spokesperson added that “discussions are progressing for further cooperation actions”. “We are studying the best way for the EU to take its part, through many already-existing programmes [ed: regional and thematic] and new action [ed: political dialogue on counter-terrorism is planned in Tunis in the near future], in order to tackle all the issues and validate options for enhanced cooperation”. (Fathi B'Chir)