On Sunday, the European Union finalized a deal with Tunisia — a common entry point for asylum seekers in Europe — that offers millions in exchange for helping stop boats carrying large numbers of people to Europe. Key point: The deal goes beyond migration and touches on areas like trade, investment and green energy.
A sign of agreement to come. Now that the EU has this framework in place, Brussels wants to strike similar deals with other North African countries. According to an EU official, negotiators are already considering Egypt and Morocco as next targets.
“This is a model for building new relations with our North African neighbors,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed Sunday after concluding the deal during a visit to Tunisia with European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Van der Leyen took to her Instagram account to refer to the trip as “Team Europe” – the EU’s brand for cooperation between Brussels and national governments. But for some, it was a usurpation of power – three people operating across Europe. Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld sarcastically suggested on Twitter that van der Leyen should come to the European Parliament and “explain what Team Europe is”.
Migrant rights campaigners expressed their frustration on Monday, arguing that the EU was turning a blind eye to Tunisia’s poor human rights record and its increasingly authoritarian government. The deal will now be submitted to EU countries for wider approval, giving dissidents more time to argue over its details.
The EU has underlined that the agreement with Tunisia is not only about migration. Official documents refer to the country as a “partner” in everything from energy to digital connectivity. EU officials say language is key to placating Tunisian President Gais Souajid, who insisted in June that his country should not become a border guard for wealthy European nations. The contract reflects this balance.
The agreement commits the EU to 105 million euros to support Tunisia’s border control measures following a surge in migrants leaving the central Mediterranean. The agreement also provides for an additional 150 million euros to support Tunisia’s budget amid rising inflation. There are promises to help Tunisia get cheap, low-carbon energy. There is talk of increasing renewable energy production in Tunisia (which may incidentally help Europe). There are promises to collaborate on research and education. There is also a section on clean drinking water.
However, the contract is essentially an expression of intent and not a binding agreement. Despite this, van der Leyen said the EU is ready to give Tunisia more than €1 billion if all goes well (and if Tunisia agrees to accept IMF assistance).
A senior EU official emphasized that this model could be followed by other countries: “There are other countries in the region where the energy component is very important, and migration challenges are there, where there is great potential for trade and economic intensification. relationships.
The agreement’s narrow human rights clause has drawn the ire of humanitarian organizations. Amnesty International’s Eve Geddy said in a statement that the deal was “misguided”. According to him, the agreement was signed in the face of “growing evidence of serious human rights violations by the Tunisian authorities”. Gedi believes its signature “signals the EU’s acceptance of the increasingly repressive behavior of the Tunisian president and government”.
They accuse President Sujaid of suppressing domestic resistance and pursuing an inhumane policy towards sub-Saharan African settlers. The issue came to the fore after Tunisian authorities revealed last week that migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were stranded in the desert without food or water.
An EU official stressed that the development of democracy “is a key objective of the European Union”. However, the treaty does not directly address this topic.
The three main groups in the European Parliament condemned the deterioration of democracy in Tunisia last week. On Tuesday, EU Migration Commissioner Ylva Johansson will be in parliament to answer questions about the deal with Tunisia.
If the EU eventually signs similar deals with Egypt and Morocco, Team Europe will surely have more questions.
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