Relationship between trade and better living conditions
Since 2015, the EU and Tunisia, its neighbour to the south, have been negotiating a free trade area (ALECA). For the countries of the southern neighbourhood (to which the EU is not offering any prospect of accession), the DCFTAs have a different incentive structure than for countries of the Eastern Partnership, the majority of whose citizens are seeking “a return to Europe” or EU membership. Arab societies do not see the European model of democracy and social market economy as the only point of reference. They primarily view the EU as a donor and trading partner.
This raises questions about useful insights and experiences from the so-called “DCFTA3”: What is the relationship between the benefits of regulatory cooperation and the loss of national sovereignty rights, and which level of cooperation benefits all parties involved? Are the EU and the governments of neighbouring countries on an equal footing in negotiations? For the complex agreements to be accepted and enacted, are transparency as well as parliamentary and civil society participation enough?