Tunisia is preparing to ratify new free trade agreements with the European Union and other European partners. Objective: to take full advantage of simplified commercial rules which will facilitate the export of Tunisian products to the European market.
Currently pending the presidency of the government, these agreements will soon be presented in Parliament for adoption. They are part of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM), a unified system adopted by several countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It replaces the old complex rules in force since 2012.
These “rules of origin” make it possible to determine whether a product can benefit from advantageous customs treatment (without or with few taxes) when exported. For example, a product is considered to be “from Tunisia if it is fully manufactured in the country or if it has undergone sufficient transformation on site.
New more flexible rules will come into force between Tunisia and the EU. They will facilitate in particular the recognition of Tunisian origin for certain products such as textiles, opening the way to more exports exempt from customs duties to Europe.
According to the European Union delegation in Tunisia, this will allow more Tunisian products to access the European market in better conditions. Recall that the EU remains the main trading partner in Tunisia, absorbing around 70% of its exports.
The conference that presented these new features was organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BERD), as part of the Insadder program, funded by the EU to support Tunisian exporters.
