13/12/2016 (Agence Europe) – In a sitting in Strasbourg on Tuesday 13 December, the European Parliament endorsed by 594 to 70 with 13 abstentions an EU-Algeria framework-agreement that grants and lists criteria for Algeria’s participation in EU programmes. The agreement was signed by both sides in Brussels on 4 June 2015 (European OJ L 156), and takes the form of a protocol annexed to the European Commission-Algeria EuroMed Association Agreement that has been in force since 2005. Parliament’s go-ahead allows Algeria to take part in twenty EU programmes, including COSME (for SMEs), Horizon 2020 (research) and Creative Europe (culture and media), explains the Council of the EU. At the signing at an Association Council the same day, Algeria was asked to submit without delay a list of projects extending over the period until 2020. Algeria ratified the framework-agreement on 9 March 2016. (FB)