Brussels, 10/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in plenary in Strasbourg on Thursday 10 March, the European Parliament adopted emergency commercial measures in favour of Tunisia, the substance of which had already been approved at the last plenary session, on 25 February.
The EP had supported the adoption of an additional quota of duty-free imports of 35,000 tonnes a year of Tunisian olive oil over two years (2016 and 2017 - EUROPE 11499), but had not formally concluded the first reading of the text. Since then, for the Council, the Committee of Permanent Representatives on Wednesday 9 March approved the amendments voted through by the Parliament, thereby giving the EP the opportunity to adopt them formally and definitively. These amendments underline the temporary and exceptional nature of the additional quantities permitted into the Community market, as the MEPs had concerns about market disturbances; there is also an amendment which calls for a mid-term review of the measures adopted.
Marielle de Sarnez (ALDE, France), chair of the monitoring group for the EU's commercial relations with the countries of the Maghreb and parliamentary reporter on this text, said that this “is good news for Tunisia, which is facing serious problems and major challenges. The terrorist attacks which have hit the country over the last year are no coincidence. Tunisia has been targeted because it has succeeded. These attacks have harmed the economy and tourism” and “unemployment is extremely high, particularly among young people and young graduates”. On top of this comes its neighbourhood with a Libya which is “extremely unstable”; therefore, de Sarnez argues, it is “essential that the European Union help the Tunisians to succeed”. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)