The Future of Euro-Mediterranean Trade Cooperation: Deep and Comprehensive or Hub and Spokes?

Event Type
Conference

Location / Date
Berlin, 03.07.2018

German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

Trade cooperation has long been a key mechanism for Europe to support prosperity and good governance in countries to the south of the Mediterranean. The key objective of the Euro-Mediterranean trade partnership is the creation of a deep Free Trade Area, which aims at removing barriers to trade and investment between the EU and Southern Mediterranean countries and between the Southern Mediterranean countries themselves. Progress towards this goal has, nevertheless, not met the high expectations of the EU and its Mediterranean partners. Negotiations have stumbled over disagreements regarding further liberalisation of trade in agriculture and services, acceptance of industrial products and regulatory convergence. There have been protests in several countries against potential negative impacts of free trade. Fears about diminished state capacity for economic regulation have further fueled suspicion. Cooperation in the Mediterranean region has never been as pressing – and it has never been so challenging.  With a new German government looking to provide fresh impetus to the EU’s engagement with its neighbourhood, now is a good time to take stock of past errors and to explore the potential that is still to be unlocked. 

The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) is bringing together the following policymakers and researchers to discuss these issues:

Welcome

• Patrick Lobis, Head of the Political Section, Representation of the European Commission in Germany

    
Panel

• Günter Nooke, German Chancellor's Personal Representative for Africa, Commissioner for Africa, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Bonn/ Berlin
• Salam Said, Scientific Advisor and Editor, Regional Project For Socially Just Development in the Arab Region, Friedrich Ebert Foundation Tunisia/Berlin
• Ibrahim Saif, Associate Fellow, Middle East Institute, Washington DC / Former Minister of Planning and of Energy, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
• Amirah El-Haddad, Senior Researcher, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn
• Timo Hammaren, Deputy Head of Unit E3, South Mediterranean and the Middle East, DG Trade, European Commission, Brussels

Hinweis

Während unserer Veranstaltungen werden z.T. Foto- und/oder Filmaufnahmen gemacht, die für Zwecke der Veranstaltungsberichterstattung und allgemeinen Öffentlichkeitsarbeit in verschiedenen Medien veröffentlicht werden. Sie haben jederzeit das Recht, die Foto- oder Videograf*innen darauf hinzuweisen, dass Sie nicht aufgenommen werden möchten. / During our events photos and/or videos may be taken which may be published in various media for the purposes of documentation and PR activities. You have the right at any time to point out to the photographer or videographer that you do not want to be photographed or filmed.