Global Arab Network | 'Motorways of the sea' boosts trade and transport in Tunisia

Translate this article to your language:

GANPublications

e-Publications

Add Site to Favorites

Add Page to Favorites

Make Homepage

Share This Page

RSS Feed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| |

'Motorways of the sea' boosts trade and transport in Tunisia

Global Arab Network - - John Short

Saturday, 10 October 2009 18:38

The EU-funded project “Motorways of the sea” project has slashed the transit time of goods at Tunisian ports by more than half, according to the latest Eurojar feature.

The report says the project is helping to reduce transit times as it aims to simplify customs procedures with a single administration party in charge of handling them, which will also reduce the cost of transport of goods. The project also seeks to improve integrated transport services in the port and ensure the safety of goods imported and exported and business continuity.

The project will also enhance the efforts of local transport companies to control energy consumption, through accompanying the technical maintenance of ships by a constant follow up of energy consumption indicators and the use of energy-saving equipment and machinery on docks.

EU & Tunisia
In 2008, €73 million were allocated to support the implementation of the Action Plan agreed with Tunisia.

At the Association Council meeting in November 2008, Tunisia expressed interest in a strengthened partnership in the same spirit as the Advanced Status with Morocco. The EU has indicated its willingness to work actively on this.

In the same year, Tunisia managed progress in a large number of cooperation areas foreseen in the Action Plan: in particular, the economic, social and statutory reforms registered important progress and can be explained by the strong growth of the country’s economy and its exchanges with the EU. There was also an intensification of the EU-Tunisia dialogue within the framework of the various sub-committees and the working groups. Negotiations on the liberalisation of services and freedom of establishment began in March 2008, as did talks on the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products.

The situation of women in Tunisia is among the best in the Arab world, with further progress on equality registered in 2008. The EU is supporting reforms through helping the country improve its education system, from elementary school to university. It also offers practical support to increase job opportunities, improve the port in Tunis and rural development.

Tunisia has pursued its efforts in the field of border and illegal immigration controls, with new equipment and the adoption of biometric passports. Dialogue on democracy and human rights has continued, but objectives set have not yet been achieved.

Commissioner’s statement (23 April 2009)
External Relations and ENP Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said “the partnership between the EU and Tunisia continues to intensify. I am satisfied with the progress achieved in the implementation of the Action Plan, and can only encourage Tunisia to continue to persevere with the aim of complete achievement of this plan and in the perspective of an ambitious strengthening of its future relations with the EU.” She added “our cooperation has become particularly active on a number of issues of common interest, such as education and social policy. We have also managed to establish a constructive dialogue on human rights, and are confident that this will be further developed in order to achieve progress on the issue.”
An indicative amount of €300 million is allocated to Tunisia for 2007-2010 under the ENPI.

Background
Tunisia was the first country of the region to sign an Association Agreement with the EU, aiming at establishing a political, economic and social partnership between the two sides. Under this agreement, which came into force in March 1998, Tunisia and the EU committed to working towards a free trade area by 2010. Tunisia is the most advanced country in this field, and the first partner in the region to have entered into a free trade area for industrial products, on 1 January 2008, two years in advance of the original timetable.

Mediterranean Motorways of the Sea
Promotes the Motorways of the Sea concept and the creation of better maritime transport connections in the Mediterranean through support to Ministries, port authorities, customs and relevant private sector stakeholders

Timeframe: 2007-2012

Budget: € 9 million

Objectives
It aims at improving transport connections between the EU and its Mediterranean neighbours and to promote the Motorways of the Sea (MoS) concept and assisting the partner countries in further implementing the maritime transport and port operations actions as adopted in the Regional Transport Action Plan (RTAP), a road map for transport cooperation adopted in 2007 (covering 2007-2013).

Acting as a catalyst for economic and social development, the MoS project seeks to make martime transport connections connecting the north and the south of the Mediterranean more efficient and more reliable by improving and integrating intermodal and integrated port and transport services.

What does it do?
It promotes the MoS concept, fosters the development of transport intermodality in the region, and supports pilot initiatives with a higher maturity, quality, relevance and potential impact. It focuses on the selection and design of a number of Maritime Motorways to link the (non-EU) East and Southern Mediterranean Transport Systems and the European TEN-T and develops innovative partnerships between public and private stakeholders.

The MoS project facilitates partners in understanding the markets, current flows, trends and forecasts, it helps them adapt infrastructures, equipment and technologies and promotes cooperation and services integration. It also supports the designing of an MoS organisation framework, the marketing of innovative services and improvement of regulations and facilitating proecedures, while simultaneously stimulating market trades on the new axes. It promotes progress of port transit facilitation, in the double function of ports as maritime and land transfer points and border crossing.

Actions in brief
* Promotes the MoS concept and fosters the development of transport intermodality;
* Implements pilot projects, West-Med and East-Med, to improve the efficiency, regularity and reliability of maritime transport axes and schemes, and increase the use of maritime routes;
* Follows up the implementation of the RTAP Road Map and carries out impact assessment;
* Sets up stakeholders’ groups committed to the concept and projects and increases the visibility of MoS and model building;
* Facilitates awareness-raising, the exchange of best practices and training.

Global Arab Network

< Prev		Next >

Add comment

The opinions of the authors in articles published are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Global Arab Network
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published comments are the opinions of private individuals and do not reflect the views of Global Arab Network