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Euro-Mediterranean partnership Marseille - 2nd July 2008
7th EuroMed Trade Ministerial Conference
The Seventh Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Trade Conference will take place in Marseille, France, on Wednesday 2 nd July 2008.
The Conference will allow Ministers to continue the discussion launched at the last Ministerial Conference in Lisbon, on the ways to enhance economic integration and diversification and boost Euro-Mediterranean trade and investment with the objective of achieving a genuine Free Trade Area by 2010. The Conference will discuss both progress made so far in economic and trade integration in the Mediterranean region and perspectives for 2010 and beyond. It will pave the way for the Heads of State and Government Summit on the Union for the Mediterranean which will take place in Paris on 13 July.
Ministers will first take stock of progress achieved in the on-going negotiations for the liberalisation of trade in services and establishment, negotiations on the establishment of a dispute settlement mechanism and market access for agricultural, processed agricultural and fishery products.
Ministers will also consider the state of regional economic integration, namely the negotiation and implementation of South-South integration initiatives as well as further steps concerning the PanEuroMed system of cumulation of origin.
Looking ahead, Ministers will make a first assessment of the on-going reflection carried out by Euromed Senior Officials on the Euromed Trade Roadmap till 2010 and beyond. The aim of this work that was launched by the 2007 Ministerial is to deepen our current trade and investment relations with Euromed partners with a view to enhancing economic integration, trade diversification and European investments in Mediterranean countries. In the short and medium term, the priority will be given to conclude on-going negotiations and to focus on concrete proposals to enhance transparency and facilitate market access in the Euromed region. In the longer term, partners could envisage turning the existing Association Agreements into deep and comprehensive free trade agreements, including provisions on trade-related beyond-the-border and regulatory issues which will bring positive results both in North-South and South-South relations.
Ministers are expected to draw conclusions, in particular on the definition of future guidelines for the Euromed trade agenda.
This year's Conference will include an open session with business, which will allow an exchange of views with key representatives of the business sector from both sides of the Mediterranean.
The conference will gather the Trade Ministers of the 13 countries of the Mediterranean region, together with the Trade Ministers of the EU Member States.
It will be co-chaired by Mr. Mandelson, European Trade Commissioner and Ms Idrac, State Secretary for External Trade for France, representing the EU Presidency and the hosting country.
Special pages
- Chairman's Conclusions
- Press Conference
- Euromed ministers give new impetus to trade and investment relations
- Statistics
Programme of the Day
Opening of the conference
Ms Idrac, State Secretary for External Trade for France will open the conference on behalf of the French Presidency of the European Union. Mr Mandelson European Commissioner for Trade will subsequently present the programme of the conference and launch the discussion on the following items.
Towards the establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area
Ministers will take stock of the on-going negotiations, which aim at completing our Euromed free trade area by 2010 on the basis of the Barcelona roadmap.
Liberalising trade in services and establishment: state of play & next steps
After the launching of regional negotiations in Marrakesh and of bilateral negotiations in Lisbon, Ministers will take stock of the results of the regional and bilateral phases of the negotiations and will define the way forward for the liberalisation of trade in services and the right of establishment in the Mediterranean.
Reinforcing the institutional and legal framework for Euro-Mediterranean trade: negotiations on the establishment of a dispute settlement mechanism. Prospects of conclusion of protocols
Ministers will take note of progress made in the negotiations and of the bilateral protocols which have been initialled or are being negotiated.
Deepening agriculture liberalisation
Ministers will take stock of the on-going negotiations on the further liberalisation concerning agricultural, processed agricultural and fishery products.
Enhancing regional integration
Ministers will assess progress in the implementation, negotiations and conclusion of agreements amongst Mediterranean partners to deepen regional South-South economic and trade integration.
Ministers will also take stock of progress made in the implementation of the PanEuroMed system of cumulation of origin.
The Euromed Trade Roadmap till 2010 and beyond? How to make it a success
Ministers will hear a first presentation of the work carried out so far by the Senior Officials Working Group on the Euromed Roadmap till 2010 and beyond and will give guidance to further work with a view to adopting an action plan at the Euromed Trade Ministerial in 2009.
Open session
This session will be devoted to an exchange of views between Ministers and key Euromed business representatives on the future Euromed Trade relations:
- The Chairman of the CAISSE DE DEPOTS ET DE GESTION, Mr. Mustapha BAKKOURI
- The Chairman of the Group DENIZCILIK AS and Vice-chairman of TUSIAD, Mr. Pekin BARAN
- The Chairman of the Group EBRO PULEVA, Mr. Antonio HERNÁNDEZ CALLEJAS
- The Chairman of the Group CEVITAL, Mr. Issad REBRAB
- The Chairman of the Group CMA CGM, Mr. Jacques R. SAADE
- The Chairman of the Group ORASCOM TELECOM, Mr. Naguib SAWIRIS
Practical Information & Contacts
Venue: Marseille (France)
Date: Wednesday 2nd July 2008
Participants:
Mr. P. Mandelson, European Commission for Trade
Trade Ministers of the 13 countries of the Mediterranean region
Trade Ministers of the EU Member States