Following the Arab spring, the EU made numerous commitments to its southern neighbours to help promote peace, democracy and social justice. One of the ways it has done so is by exploring numerous deep and comprehensive free trade agreements (DCFTA) with Euromed countries in order to boost jobs and growth on both sides of the Mediterranean.
In February 2014, trade ministers from the EU and Euromed countries will hold a joint ministerial meeting. This resolution will form the Parliament's position ahead of this meeting and also outline how we expect DCFTA negotiations to progress. The resolution highlights that these agreements are a good opportunity to enhance bilateral trade and investments. However, the text also emphasises that a return to democracy must be fully restored in Egypt and Tunisia before trade relations are deepened further.