Marokko en Turkije sluiten vrijhandelsverdrag (en)

The European Commission welcomed the free trade agreement signed today in Ankara between Moroccan Prime Minister Mr. Jettou and his Turkish counterpart Mr. Erdogan. The agreement is a significant stepping stone towards the conclusion of the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area by 2010. EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said: "Now that the network of free trade agreements between the EU and its Mediterranean partners is almost completed, the focus must be on fostering regional integration between Mediterranean countries. Today's move by two key Mediterranean trading partners to open trade between themselves is the right step in that direction. We are getting closer to our goal of creating a fully integrated trade area around the Mediterranean rim by 2010."

Through the agreement concluded today Morocco and Turkey will gradually create a Free Trade Area (FTA). The agreement also includes provisions on technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, safeguards, antidumping, services and investments, state monopolies, state aid, competition, intellectual property rights, public procurement and rules of origin, etc.

The two signatories foresee using the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean system of cumulation of origin launched by the Euro-Mediterranean trade ministerial in Palermo in July 2003, a fundamental tool for developing trade and fostering regional integration.

Background

The Euro-Mediterranean partners have agreed within the Barcelona Process to create a comprehensive Euro-Mediterranean free trade area by 2010. This means that by that date all countries must have signed free trade agreements with the EU and with each other.

The level of bilateral trade between Turkey and Morocco, which was $120 million in 1995, reached $ 260 million in 2003. In 2003, Turkey's exports to Morocco amounted to $180 million, while its imports from Morocco reached $80 million.

For more information on Euro-Mediterranean trade relations:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/euromed/index_en.htm