Nearly a dozen working parties have been working on a large majority of the chapters of the future comprehensive and deep free trade agreement (DCFTA) between Tunisia and the European Union, in Tunis in early May 2019. The negotiators also exchanged views with civil society.
The joint report of this fourth round of talks, published on Wednesday 5 June, describes the atmosphere as “cordial and constructive”. During these discussions, the principles of asymmetry, in particular as regards the reciprocal opening of markets, and progressiveness on regulatory approximation issues were taken into account, according to the report (see EUROPE 12162/18).
The Tunisians insisted that this asymmetry should be taken into account in particular in the liberalisation of the agricultural and fisheries sectors, in order to allow these sectors to adapt.
During the discussions on the convergence of Tunisian legislation with EU sanitary and phytosanitary standards, it was specified that “it is up to Tunisia to make its own choice of sectors for which it will consider progressive regulatory approximation”. The recognition of phytosanitary status and regional conditions, determination of equivalence and safeguards were also raised.
Among other topics discussed, market access for goods revealed a divergence on the provisions relating to repaired and remanufactured goods. While work on customs and trade facilitation issues has progressed well, the Tunisians have been reluctant to devote a chapter to “national treatment and market access for goods”, the report notes.
On intellectual property, negotiators addressed the issue of extending the term of patent protection for medicines, which remains “a point of divergence”, the text stresses.
Discussions on public procurement have been complex, the report also notes, highlighting negotiators' difficulties in proposing a common text.
As for the energy chapter, the approach to export monopolies and the regulation of domestic prices remain unresolved issues.
Following the model of the trade agreements with Singapore and Vietnam, separate negotiations to conclude an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) have also been launched.
The Tunisian side proposed adopting a “positive list” method for the liberalisation of investments, allowing only certain sectors to be committed, the others remaining, by default, excluded from this liberalisation.
Negotiations on a future visa facilitation agreement, which would also include specific provisions for Tunisian service providers, are being conducted in parallel with these talks.
Civil society also consulted
In the margins of this work, the negotiators have also met with civil society. During this exchange, the negotiators confirmed that the principles of asymmetry and progressiveness were taken into account in the future agreement.
The need for EU technical and financial assistance on all commitments was also highlighted, the report notes. For the Tunisians, the aim is to prepare their economic operators as well as possible for this opening and to improve the competitiveness of their exports. They are also concerned about the negative impact that strategic sectors such as olive oil and textiles could have.
Talks began in October 2015 and have resumed since May 2018. Both parties have stated that they want to seal this agreement in 2019.
To consult the minutes of the meeting with civil society: https://bit.ly/2WLWmPS. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)