APS : Monday, 17 February 2020
ALGIERS – Ministry of Trade will begin broader consultations with the economic operators and experts to evaluate the association Agreement with the European Union (EU) in order to decide on the possibility to create the
free trade area Algeria-EU, said Monday, in Algiers, Minister of Trade Kamel Rezig.
In a statement to the press on the sidelines of the wrap up of the meeting Government-Walis, Rezig said that his department “will organize next week a workshop at the Exhibition Center which will see the participation of economic operators in order to evaluate the bilateral agreements in force (Algeria-EU Association Agreement, the Greater Arab Free Trade Area GAFTA, the Preferential Agreement with Tunisia and the project of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
“This workshop will enable us to define the strengths and weaknesses of these areas,” he underlined, adding that “the consultations will be then broadened to experts before submitting the final recommendations to the Government.”
“It is up to the government to say what to do and to decide whether or not to start the remaining tariff dismantling (with EU). We will see it, but I assure you that we will defend Algeria’s interest,” said Rezig.
