The European Commission will provide €675 million to Tunisia this year as part of its new deal to support the North African country’s economy, intercontinental projects and efforts to curb migration, EURACTIV has learned from a senior Commission official.
The announcement of the funds was made following the signing of the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding in Tunis on Sunday (16 July), with Tunisian President Kais Saied, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.
The funds will be used to support Tunisia’s struggling economy, counter migration, and finance projects for underwater fibre-optic and electricity cables between the EU and North Africa.
EU, Tunisia sign 'strategic' deal on migration, economy
The European Union and Tunisia on Sunday (16 July) signed a memorandum of understanding for a “strategic and comprehensive partnership” on irregular migration, economic development and renewable energy.
The deal, which includes financial assistance, came as Tunisia has been under fire …
The document sets out the basis of a partnership covering macroeconomic stability, economy and trade, green energy transition, and migration and mobility.
The €675 million will come from the EU budget under the European Sustainable Development Fund and includes €150 million of direct budget support.
Of the €675 million, the EU is allocating around €105 million for migration management, including the fight against “irregular departures”, the return of foreigners in Tunisia to their countries of origin, returns of Tunisians without permission to remain currently staying in the EU, and support for the Tunisian coastguard with new equipment for search and rescue activities.
“We are boosting the delivery of the relevant assets and look forward as of next week to enhance cooperation in the area of returns,” the EU official said.
However, the memorandum does not feature any references to the €900 million that the EU has promised to provide to Tunisia if President Saied’s government accepts a loan programme, worth $1.5 billion, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Neither does it refer to persecutions of people from sub-Sarahan Africa in Tunisia, or the mass deportations at the start of July by Tunisian police to the border with Libya and Algeria, documented by organisations and media.
Tunisia pact a 'blueprint' for new 'cash for migrant' deals, says EU chief
The EU should make its recently-agreed ‘cash for migrant control’ deal with Tunisia a model for similar deals with other countries, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter to EU leaders ahead of a Brussels summit on Thursday (29 June).
Arrivals from Tunisia have increased significantly in recent months. In the last week alone, roughly 6,500 disembarked in Italy, the Italian research institute ISPI reported.
The memorandum references respect for human rights and international law, without going into detail.
The agreement outlined the creation of a new visa programme for Tunisian citizens to come and work in the EU under the so-called ‘Talent Partnership’, to promote legal ‘skilled’ migration.
According to the Commission website, the project aims to boost “mutually beneficial international mobility based on better matching of labour market needs and skills between the EU and partner countries”.
“We will also get started on talent partnerships. To give the young Tunisian opportunities to study, work or train in the EU. So they will gain expertise in the EU and they will acquire new skills that will be important for Tunisia’s economy back home,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday.
Our teams have worked very hard to deliver rapidly on a strong package, which is an investment in our shared prosperity, stability and in future generations.
It is built on 5 pillars ↓ https://t.co/xYKDk3tisJ
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 16, 2023
The Commission chief also announced the possibility for Tunisians to study in Europe with Erasmus+ funds.
“We are creating opportunities for young people in particular, we will be opening a Tunisia window in the Erasmus + programme,” von der Leyen explained.
In practice, this will consist of 300 places for Tunisians coming into Belgium, France and Germany in 2023 and “maybe” another 700 in 2024 to the same countries, the Commission senior official said.
The allocation of €380 million for the undersea high-voltage electricity cable project between Italy and Tunisia, known as ELMED, had previously been approved at the end of 2022. Such an allocation was re-announced this Sunday as part of the €675 million deal.
Regarding the MEDUSA project, a submarine fibre optic cable system to connect the Mediterranean region, the EU will invest €40 million and provide an additional €150 million in loans for Tunisia.
“We have good projects in the pipeline, like the MEDUSA submarine cable, which will connect Tunisia with Europe. It will link 11 countries around the Mediterranean from 2025,” von der Leyen told reporters on Sunday.
Next steps
The implementation of these initiatives will be discussed in the third quarter of 2023, the Commission official said, and an EU-Tunisia Association Council will take place before the end of the year.
As a political agreement, the memorandum will have to be endorsed by national governments. “That is normally done by unanimity,” the Commission official explained.
[Edited by Benjamin Fox/Nathalie Weatherald]
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Source: euractiv.com
