Tunisia Announces France's Support for Its Request to Review the Partnership Agreement with the European Union

Tunis, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday that France reaffirmed its support for Tunisia’s demand to review and upgrade the partnership agreement with the European Union, in line with current economic transformations. The ministry said in a statement that this came during a phone call between Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti and French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, which covered bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation between Tunisia and the EU. It added that Barrot reiterated his country’s support and backing for Tunisia’s efforts to review the provisions of the partnership agreement with the EU and upgrade it, ensuring the establishment of a “balanced and fair partnership that responds to current economic transformations.” For months, Tunisia has been seeking to revise the 1995 partnership agreement through talks held by government officials with their EU counterparts, arguing that its provisions “no longer respond to current economic transformations and the repercussions of conflicts in the Middle East and Europe.” Tunisian demands focus on facilitating access for Tunisian products to European markets, easing the movement of people, and boosting investments in high value-added sectors, alongside expanding cooperation in energy, technology, and economic development. So far, the EU has not issued official comments on Tunisia’s demands, although the EU delegation in Tunisia indicated European openness to strengthening and upgrading the partnership between the two sides. According to French Treasury data, the EU accounts for about 60 percent of Tunisia’s total foreign trade, making it its main trading partner, while France is Tunisia’s top trading partner, with a trade volume of 8.9 billion euros ($9.9 billion) in 2025. (End) S.B.M. / M.N.F.