Conceived in the early 2000s, the terms of this agreement no longer follow Algeria, which, through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, called on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, for a “better balance of the interests of both parties.”
The controversy over the banning of El Mordjene spread in the European Union (EU) had already demonstrated the tensions in trade between Algeria and Europe. This time, it is the association agreement that poses a problem. Not fair enough for Algeria. The Maghreb country is too dependent on its hydrocarbons, it wants to export more manufactured products.
“Algeria has changed since the signing of this agreement,” says Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Algerian president re-elected last month, and it must adapt “without entering into conflict.”
The agreement allows for the reduction of customs duties on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. It thus facilitates the access of European products to the Algerian market and vice versa. The European Union is Algeria’s main trading partner, absorbing more than 58% of Algerian exports. Exports have also increased significantly in recent years.
The agreement, which came into force in 2005, is due to be revised in 2025. EU member states have not yet responded to this Algerian request.
