Directorate-General for Trade

Tunisia

The EU is Tunisia's first trading partner, currently accounting for 72.5% of Tunisian imports and 75% of Tunisian exports: exports from Tunisia have risen swiftly in recent years. Tunisia was the first Mediterranean country to sign an Association Agreement with the EU, in July 1995, although even before the date of entry into force, Tunisia started dismantling tariffs on bilateral EU trade. Tunisia finalised the tariffs dismantling for industrial products in 2008 and therefore was the 1st Mediterranean country to enter in a free trade area with EU.

Tunisia is one of the EU’s most established trading partners in the Mediterranean region (EU's 30th largest trading partner)

Trade in goods

• EU good exports to Tunisia 2008: €9.9 billion
• EU goods imports from Tunisia 2008: €9.5 billion

Tunisia's main exports to the EU in 2007 were manufactured products (73% of which 30% textile and clothing and 21% machinery) energy (16.5%) and agricultural products (6.8%). Major imports from the EU were machinery and transport equipment (35.5%), textile and clothing (17%), chemicals (9.5%) and energy (6.5%).

Trade in services

In 2007, Tunisian services exports consist mainly of travel (53.8%) and transportation (30.4%). Nearly 82% of Tunisia's tourism receipts are from the EU.

Foreign Direct Investment

Foreign direct investment flows to Tunisia from the world amount for €1180.5 million in 2007. The EU is the largest foreign investor in the country (17% in 2004). Funds are concentrated on the development of the infrastructure network but also in the textiles and clothing sectors.

More statistics on Tunisia

The new ENP framework

EU-Tunisia co-operation is an important part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. The Neighbourhood policy supports political and economic cooperation between Tunisia and the EU and is the framework for financial assistance from the EU to Tunisia. The European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument - ENPI - will be endowed with €11.9 billion for 2007-2013. For the period 2007-2010 the funds allocated by the National Indicative Programme (NIP) to the Tunisian government amounted to €300million. These funds will be used for projects that include measures to facilitate trade.

South-South integration

On 25 February 2004, Tunisia signed the Agadir Agreement with Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. This committed all parties to removing substantially all tariffs on trade between them and to harmonising their legislation with regard to standards and customs procedures. It entered into force in July 2006. The effective implementation started in April 2007 with the creation of the Agadir Technical Unit in Amman. A free trade agreement between Tunisia and Turkey entered into force in July 2005.

Tunisia has started to implement the new Pan-Euro-Mediterranean system of cumulation of origin. When applied, the system allow Tunisia to export goods made with components imported from elsewhere without losing preferential access to the EU market. This encourages productive industry and the creation of regional markets.