Trade and Economic Integration in the Euro-Mediterranean Region

Description:

CASE will coordinate and implement a study for the Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE) of the European Commission (EC) on the potential effects of deeper trade integration between the European Union and the Southern Mediterranean countries (Morocco, tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Israel). 

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, formerly known as the Barcelona Process, was re-launched in 2008 as the Union for the Mediterranean at the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean in July and at the Marseille Meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Foreign Affairs in November 2008. The Partnership now includes all 27 member states of the European Union, along with 16 partners across the Southern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

The study will provide a short overview of the Euro-Mediterranean trade relations in the context of the new recent developments of the Barcelona Process and will take into account all existing regional integration agreements in both a north-south (EU-MED) and south-south (MED-MED) perspective.

The study will make use of a wide range of tools of economic analysis (Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models, Gravity Models, on-the-field surveys and a comprehensive desk review) to evaluate the effects of the current Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Agreement (Euromed FTA) for the EU and the Mediterranean region.

In particular, the study will seek to suggest possible future actions and instruments, with distinguishing, whenever possible between a short term and long-term horizon, to be taken to address the weaknesses identified in the current Euromed FTA, with a view of strengthening economic integration, increasing trade and investment between the EU and the Mediterranean countries and among the Mediterranean countries themselves.

This study will focus on the most active partners of the Euro-Mediterranean FTA i.e. Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Israel, but will place the results in the context of the existing FTA with the whole Euro-Med region.

The proposed team will be headed by Dr Maryla Malyszewska and Dr Luc de Wulf and has been chosen for its in-depth and complementary knowledge of both the thematic area and the regions.

Sponsor:

DG Trade of the European Commission

Partner:
CEPS