Towards a free trade area between Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Egyptian

Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia will discuss the possibility to set up a free trade area between the three states, Chairman of the Moroccan-Egyptian businessmen council announced.

In this area, custom duties on goods will be gradually lowered, Yamani Foulfoula said in a statement that was published on Wednesday.

He said the free trade area will increase the volume of trade between the three states and will constitute a major component of the projected large Arab free trade zone.

Bilateral accords on the setting up of free trade areas had been concluded between Morocco and Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia and Egypt and tunisia.

The Moroccan-Tunisian accord that has just been ratified by the Tunisian parliament provides for the suppression, with immediate effect, of all duties on some 2,000 non-agricultural products carrying below 10 % customs duty.

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