Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that a trade agreement between the EU and Tunisia is imperative. Not because sensational events of the recent past must be repeated. But because in the creation of convergent institutions north and south of the Mediterranean, Tunisia occupies a principal role. Dr. Sant, reacting to a proposed trade agreement between the EU and Tunisia, said there should be consensus on this agreement, beneficial to both sides. Convergence of institutions is an interactive process which cannot be finalised overnight. Believing that convergence will happen just as a result of rapprochement with Europe, is an illusion.
The arrangements by which we try to detail the tax systems that Tunisian authorities should apply, can serve to undermine Tunisia’s flexibility to enhance its endowments and attract direct investment. The institutions at north and south of the Mediterranean, still do not converge, are still incompatible. This is not like judging whether institutions of the north or of the south are “best”. This is a question of saying things as they are.
“However across the divide of those signing the agreement, institutionally and economically, we are not operating at the same level. In agriculture, what trading concessions we concede to Tunisia, weak though they seem from the south of the Mediterranean, are perceived from the north as undermining the livelihood of farmers.” concluded Dr. Sant.
Following the terrorist attacks of 18 March 2015 in Tunis and 26 June 2015 in Sousse, tourist arrivals in Tunisia dropped substantially, hitting the already struggling economy hard, and the EU Council announced that it wants to take exceptional and temporary measures to support the Tunisian economy. The EU Commission proposed, as an emergency measure, to expand the duty-free quota for Tunisian olive oil imports by 35,000 tonnes annually, over a period of two years. Olive oil is Tunisia’s main agricultural export, and one-fifth of its total agricultural workforce depending on olive oil production.
Maltese Version – FTEHIM TA’ KUMMERĊ BEJN IT-TUNEŻIJA U L-UE HUWA FUNDAMENTALI
Il-Kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant qal li ftehim ta’ kummerċ bejn l-UE u t-Tuneżija huwa fundamentali għax bil-ħolqien ta’ istituzzjonijiet konverġenti fin-Nord u s-Sud tal-Mediterran, it-Tuneżija tokkupa rwol prinċipali. Dr Sant, li kien qed jirreaġixxi fil-Parlament Ewropew għall-proposta ta’ ftehim ta’ kummerċ bejn it-Tuneżija u l-UE, saħaq li jkun hemm qbil dwar dan il-ftehim, li hu ta’ benefiċċju għaż-żewġ naħat. Il-konverġenza tal-istituzzjonijiet huwa proċess interattiv li jieħu ż-żmien.
“Madanakollu dawk kollha involuti f’dan l-arranġament, istituzzjonalment u ekonomikament mhux qed joperaw fuq l-istess livell. Fil-qasam tal-agrikoltura, kull tip ta’ konċessjoni li tingħata lit-Tuneżija, żgħira kemm tidher żgħira fis-Sud tal-Mediterran, tidher li qed ixxekkel l-għixien tal-bdiewa tan-Nord.
“It-twemmin li l-konverġenza tinħoloq permezz ta’ rikonċiljazzjoni mal-Ewropa hija illużjoni. L-arranġamenti li bihom nippruvaw nidħlu fid-dettalji tas-sistemi ta’ tassazzjoni li l-awtoritajiet Tuneżini għandhom jużaw, jistgħu jnaqqsu mill-flessibilita` tat-Tuneżija li tattira investimenti diretti. L-istituzzjonijiet tan-Nord u tas-Sud tal-Mediterran, s’issa għadhom mhux konverġenti u mhux kompatibbli. Din mhix kwistjoni ta’ liema istituzzjoni hi l-aħjar – hux tas-Sud jew tan-Nord. Din hija kwistjoni li tgħid l-affarijiet kif inhuma.” qal Dr. Sant.
It-turiżmu fit-Tuneżija ħa daqqa ta’ ħarta wara l-attakk terroristiku tat-18 ta’ Marzu 2015 f’Tunis u dak tas-26 ta’ Ġunju 2015 f’Sousse. Dan laqat ħafna l-ekonomija Tuneżina li diġa` kienet f’diffikulta`. Il-Kunsill tal-Unjoni Ewropea ħabbar li ried jieħu miżuri eċċezzjonali u temporanji biex jappoġġja l-ekonomija Tuneżina. Il-Kummisjoni Ewropea ħarġet bil-proposta li bħala miżura ta’ emerġenza, żżid il-kwota, mingħajr tariffi, taż-żejt taż-żebbuġa Tuneżin għal 35, 000 tunnellata fuq perijodu ta’ sentejn. Iż-żejt taż-żebbuġa huwa prodott ewlieni fost l-esportazzjoni agrarja tat-Tuneżija. 1/5 tal-ammont totali ta’ nies li jaħdmu fl-agrikoltura jiddependu mill-produzzjoni taż-żejt taż-żebbuġa.
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