SIA Study of EMFTA

The Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Barcelona in November 1995 set the year 2010 as the target date for the gradual establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA). This is to be achieved by means of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements negotiated between the European Union and its Mediterranean Partners, together with Free Trade Agreements between the Mediterranean Partners themselves.

The European Union has set itself the objective of achieving sustainable development internally and promoting such development worldwide. In this context, trade liberalisation is not perceived as an end in itself, but rather as an essential tool contributing to sustainable development. The impact of trade measures needs to be assessed, therefore, in terms of environment, social and economic effects.

The European Commission has, therefore, recently commissioned an independent sustainability impact assessment (SIA) study of EMFTA which will examine the potential impacts of agreed trade measures on sustainable development. The major objective of this SIA study (as described in the Terms of Reference) is to provide a reliable and widely accepted analysis and understanding of the impact of trade measures on sustainable development, in the context of ongoing and future trade negotiations for the EMFTA.

Consultation with stakeholders is an integral part of the SIA process.

The study is being undertaken in three phases over a period of two years, and the work is being undertaken by the SIA-EMFTA consortium.

The three reports for Phase Two have been submitted (see comments and responses to date) and three report for Phase Three.

A consultation draft of the Final Report (PDF, 850KB) of the project is now available.

The Exectutive Summary is available in English (PDF, 100KB), French (PDF 112KB), and Arabic (PDF, 254KB).

Minutes from the public meeting to discuss the First Report for Phase 3 can be downloaded here.