With a strategic geographical position, at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, i. e. 2 hours flight
from the major European capitals and 24 hours sailing time from the main Mediterranean ports, a
highly qualified human capital, an advanced infrastructure and an advantageous and constantly
improving legal framework in terms of investment incentives, Tunisia aspires to become an
industrial and technological hub in the Mediterranean region. It would be an ideal platform for
access to the markets of its immediate neighbourhood, the Near and Middle East, Africa, and above
all, the European Union, the world’s largest common economic area.
Driven by geographical proximity, multiple economic interests, intensive cultural and human
exchanges in addition to shared destinies, Tunisia and the European Union are linked by a strategic
relationship and maintain a rich and multifaceted partnership, reflected in the Privileged Partner
Status granted in 2012 to Tunisia.
This status made it possible to initiate, from 2013 onwards, the first negotiations which should
eventually lead to the conclusion of a Comprehensive and Deep Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and
thus to the integration of the Tunisian economy into the EU’s internal market.
In addition to the conclusion of this important Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, and
as part of its strategy to promote its trade and diversify its partners around the world, Tunisia also
signed a number of bilateral and multilateral preferential agreements, including:
Bilateral agreements establishing free trade areas with Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and
Iraq
A Free Trade Area Agreement with Turkey;
A Multilateral Free Trade Agreement with the EFTA countries;
The Agadir Multilateral Free Trade Agreement between Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia;
The Agreement establishing the Pan Arab Free Trade Area with 18 member countries of the
League of Arab States;
Tunisia joined the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2017 with
Observer status and in 2018 the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
as a full member and
In July 2020, Tunisia ratified the Convention on the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA).
