Morocco, Tunisia sign draft agreement on revising cooperation legal frame
Morocco-Tunisia, Judicial, 9/11/2000

Morocco and Tunisia signed in Rabat on Friday a draft agreement providing for the amendment of legal provisions regulating bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The document, prepared by a joint committee, will be submitted to the Moroccan-Tunisian high commission, scheduled to meet this September 21-22 in Tunis.

Regarding the project to set up a free-trade area between the two north African countries, the document insists on the need to extend the list of products enjoying customs exemptions, reduce the list of products getting preferential treatment on their markets, exempt of duties products on the free-trade zone and respect certificates of origin.

The draft agreement also called for consolidating coordination between the two countries regarding cooperation with the European Union and negotiations with the World Trade Organization.

The draft agreement was initialed by visiting Tunisian secretary of state for foreign affairs, Tahar Seyoud, Moroccan peer, Taieb Fassi Fihri.

The Moroccan-Tunisian high joint commission, the highest cooperation body between the two Maghreban countries, holds a regular meeting every year, under the co-chairmanship of the two countries' prime ministers, to assess trade exchanges.

Morocco and Tunisia are bound by an agreement setting up a free trade area that was concluded in March 1999. The accord provides for the suppression --as of the signing date-- of all duties on some 2,000 non-agricultural products carrying below 10% customs duty.

The other custom duties will be gradually lowered up to year 2007.

Morocco and Tunisia are both bound to the European Union by separate association accords that provide, inter alia, for the creation of free exchange areas by year 2010. Morocco has signed free-trade zone agreements with Jordan and Egypt.

At the level of the Arab world, Morocco is Tunisia's second client and supplier, soaking 10.3 % of Tunisia's exports and providing 12.2 % of its imports.

Morocco's exports to Tunisia are mainly made up of chemical wood paste, soluble coffee, tires, car spare parts, and industrial oils. The kingdom's imports from Tunisia consist of plastic items, electric transformers and TV sets.

Morocco and Tunisia are both member of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) that was set up in 1989. The union also musters Algeria, Libya and Mauritania.

Previous Stories:
  Tunisian secretary of state for foreign affairs in Rabat   (9/7/2000)
  Moroccan judo team tops Tunis african junior championships   (7/11/2000)
  Morocco, Tunisia agree to implement fisheries program   (7/6/2000)

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