Tariff Dismantling: Algeria, EU 6th Round Failed, A 7th Round Planned For September

Algeria and the European Union (EU) will hold a seventh round of negotiations over tariff dismantling, early in September, APS news agency said Tuesday, quoting a well-informed source.

“The two parties agreed Monday to continue negotiations probably during the first week of September in order to reach an agreement regarding the list of industrial products excluded from tariff dismantling and also regarding the economic support requested by Algeria from the EU,” the source added. In fact, the Sixth round of talks is still stalling on the industrial section, as the two parties have not reached yet an agreement on the aforementioned list of industrial products excluded from tariff dismantling.  

In fact, Algeria pleads to exclude a list of products from tariff dismantling. The list includes steel, textiles, electronics, and products related to the automotive industry.

Algeria and the EU held on Monday in Algiers the 6th round of negotiations.

The fifth round held last June in Brussels failed to bring closer views between Algeria and EU to postpone the tariff dismantling from 2017 to 2020. 

To recall, the Association Agreement stipulates a gradual tariff dismantling of two lists of European products destined for export to Algeria, of which one is set to be fully dismantled as by 2012, while the second is scheduled for 2020.

The Agreement permits for the two parties to freeze the implementation of the dismantling for three months, in case the trade exchanges are misbalanced and serve one party on the expanse of another.