Cairo: Europe and the Arabs
Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the European Union Delegation in Cairo, held a press conference in which he discussed the partnership’s achievements in 2023, which range from trade relations, women and youth empowerment, cooperation in the water, energy, mobility and security sectors, in addition to high-level visits by officials from the European Union. According to the publication of the website The European Union Mission in a post on the X website (formerly Twitter) this afternoon, Sunday
In the past few days, the Office of the European Union Delegation in Egypt published a statement saying that at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), a major step was achieved in environmental cooperation between the European Union and Egypt, as the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginius Sinkevicius, and the Minister of Resources signed the agreement. Water and Irrigation Minister Hani Sweilem, on a joint declaration to establish a sustainable water partnership, which represents a pivotal moment in long-term environmental cooperation between the European Union and Egypt.
  Highlights of the ad:
1. Establish annual high-level meetings: a forum for strategic discussions and decision-making.
2. Forming a joint working group: enhancing cooperation in a structured approach.
3. The upcoming Corporate Water Forum: A platform for engagement and business collaboration to achieve water security.
Earlier, Anne Shaw, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation in Egypt, said during her participation in the World Youth Forum: “Strengthening dialogue and political solutions is necessary at the present time to end conflicts that cause enormous human suffering and to create a safe and peaceful future.”
The European Union is committed to cooperating with Egypt on common challenges. On the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Declaration, and to relaunch and strengthen the strategic partnership between the European Union and its partners in the southern neighbourhood, including Egypt, the European Union proposed an ambitious new agenda for the Mediterranean region. The new agenda is based on the conviction that by working together and in the spirit of partnership, common challenges can be transformed into opportunities for the common benefit of the European Union and its southern Mediterranean neighbours.
At the bilateral level, the partnership priorities (2017-2020) agreed upon by the two parties aim to address the common challenges facing both the European Union and Egypt, in order to support common interests and ensure stability on both sides of the Mediterranean in the long term.
The Partnership's priorities are guided by a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, and aim to enhance cooperation in support of Egypt's “Sustainable Development Strategy - Vision 2030”. This partnership includes supporting sustainable economic and social development, good governance, rule of law, human rights, migration, security, counter-terrorism, and foreign policy cooperation through holding extensive consultations on regional and international issues.
The European Union and Egypt are moving forward to work in accordance with the common priorities stipulated in the framework of the Association Agreement, which was signed in 2001 and entered into force in 2004.
The Association Agreement established a free trade zone, eliminating tariffs on industrial products, and granting significant concessions to agricultural products. As of 2010, an ambitious agreement on agriculture and processed agricultural and fishery products entered into force.
The European Union is Egypt's most important trading partner. It represents about 25% of the total volume of trade with Egypt. Bilateral trade in goods has almost tripled since the FTA entered into force; It grew from €8.6 billion in 2003 (the year before the Association Agreement entered into force) to €24.5 billion in 2020. Egypt mostly exports fuel, mining products, chemicals and agricultural products to the EU.
The European Union is also the leading investor in Egypt; The accumulated investment balance amounts to about 38.8 billion euros, representing about 39% of the total foreign direct investment in Egypt. Egypt remains the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment from the European Union in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The European Union and Egypt are constantly working to improve trade and investment relations in order to promote development and growth for mutual benefit.