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Objectives
1. The Parties undertake to intensify economic cooperation in their mutual interest. 2. The aim of economic cooperation shall be to: — encourage the implementation of the overall objectives of this Agreement, — promote balanced economic relations between the Parties, — support Egypt's own efforts to achieve sustainable economic and social development.
Scope
1. Cooperation shall focus primarily on sectors suffering from internal difficulties or affected by the overall process of liberalisation of the Egyptian economy, and in particular by the liberalisation of trade between Egypt and the Community. 2. Similarly, cooperation shall focus on areas likely to bring the economies of the Community and Egypt closer together, particularly those which will generate growth and employment. 3. Cooperation shall encourage the implementation of measures designed to develop intra-regional cooperation. 4. Conservation of the environment and ecological balance shall be taken into account in the implementation of the various sectors of economic cooperation to which it is relevant. 5. The Parties may agree to extend the economic cooperation to other sectors not covered by the provisions of this Title.
Methods and modalities
Economic cooperation shall be implemented in particular by: (a) a regular economic dialogue between the Parties, which covers all areas of macroeconomic policy; (b) regular exchange of information and ideas in every sector of cooperation including meetings of officials and experts; (c) transfer of advice, expertise and training; (d) implementation of joint actions such as seminars and workshops; (e) technical, administrative and regulatory assistance.
Education and training
The Parties shall cooperate with the objective of identifying and employing the most effective means to improve significantly education and vocational training, in particular with regard to public and private enterprises, trade-related services, public administrations and authorities, technical agencies, standardisation and certification bodies and other relevant organisations. In this context, the access of women to higher education and training will receive special attention. Cooperation shall also encourage the establishment of links between specialised bodies in the Community and in Egypt and shall promote the exchange of information and experience and the pooling of technical resources.
Scientific and technological cooperation
Cooperation shall have the objective of: (a) encouraging the establishment of durable links between the scientific communities of the Parties, notably through: — the access of Egypt to Community R & D programmes, in conformity with existing provisions concerning the participation of third countries, — the participation of Egypt in networks of decentralised cooperation, — the promotion of synergy between training and research; (b) strengthening research capacity in Egypt; (c) stimulating technological innovation, transfer of new technologies, and dissemination of know-how.
Environment
1. Cooperation shall aim at preventing deterioration of the environment, controlling pollution and ensuring the rational use of natural resources, with a view to ensuring sustainable development. 2. Cooperation shall focus, in particular, on: — desertification, — quality of Mediterranean water and the control and prevention of marine pollution, — water resource management, — energy management, — waste management, — salinisation, — environmental management of sensitive coastal areas, — the impact of industrial development and the safety of industrial plant in particular, — the impact of agriculture on soil and water quality, — environmental education and awareness.
Industrial cooperation
Cooperation shall promote and encourage in particular: — the debate regarding industrial policy and competitiveness in an open economy, — industrial cooperation between economic operators in the Community and in Egypt, including access for Egypt to the Community's networks for the rapprochement of businesses and to networks created in the context of decentralised cooperation, — modernisation and restructuring of Egyptian industry, — the establishment of an environment favourable to the development of private enterprise, in order to stimulate the growth and the diversification of industrial production, — technology transfer, innovation and R & D, — the enhancement of human resources, — access to the capital market for the financing of productive investments.
Investments and promotion of investments
Cooperation shall aim at increasing the flow of capital, expertise and technology to Egypt through, inter alia: — appropriate means of identifying investment opportunities and information channels on investment regulations, — providing information on European investment regimes (such as technical assistance, direct financial support, fiscal incentives and investment insurance) related to outward investments and enhancing the possibility for Egypt to benefit from them, — a legal environment conducive to investment between the two Parties, where appropriate through the conclusion by the Member States and Egypt of investment protection agreements, and agreements to prevent double taxation, — examining the creation of joint ventures, especially for SMEs and, when appropriate, the conclusion of agreements between the Member States and Egypt, — establishing mechanisms for encouraging and promoting investments. Cooperation may extend to the planning and implementation of projects demonstrating the effective acquisition and use of basic technologies, the use of standards, the development of human resources and the creation of jobs locally.
Standardisation and conformity assessment
The Parties shall aim to reduce differences in standardisation and conformity assessment. Cooperation in this field shall focus in particular on: (a) rules in the field of standardisation, metrology, quality standards, and recognition of conformity, in particular as regards sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural products and foodstuffs; (b) upgrading the level of Egyptian conformity assessment bodies, with a view to the establishment, in due time, of mutual recognition agreements in the area of conformity assessment; (c) developing structures for the protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights, for standardisation and for setting quality standards.
Approximation of laws
The Parties shall use their best endeavours to approximate their respective laws in order to facilitate the implementation of this Agreement.
Financial services
The Parties shall cooperate with a view to the rapprochement of their standards and rules, in particular: (a) to encourage the strengthening and restructuring of the financial sector in Egypt; (b) to improve accounting and supervisory and regulatory systems of banking, insurance and other parts of the financial sector in Egypt.
Agriculture and fisheries
Cooperation shall be aimed at: (a) the modernisation and restructuring of agriculture and fisheries, including: the modernisation of infrastructures and of equipment; the development of packaging, storage and marketing techniques; the improvement of private distribution channels; (b) the diversification of production and of external outlets, inter alia, through the encouragement of joint ventures in the agri-business sector; (c) the promotion of cooperation in veterinary and phytosanitary matters and in growing techniques, with the objective of facilitating trade between the Parties. In this regard, the Parties shall exchange information.
Transport
Cooperation shall be aimed at: — the restructuring and modernisation of road, port and airport infrastructures linked to the main trans-European lines of communication of common interest, — the establishment and enforcement of operating standards comparable to those prevailing in the Community, — the upgrading of technical equipment for road/rail transport, container traffic and transhipment, — the improvement of management of airports, railways and air traffic control, including cooperation between the relevant national bodies, — the improvement of navigation aids.
Information society and telecommunications
The Parties recognise that information and communication technologies constitute a key element of modern society, vital to economic and social development and a cornerstone of the emerging information society. The cooperation activities between the Parties in this field shall aim at : — a dialogue on issues related to the different aspects of the information society, including telecommunications policies, — the exchanges of information and eventual technical assistance with regulatory matters, standardisation, conformity testing and certification in relation to information technologies and telecommunications, — the diffusion of new information and communications technologies and the refinement of new applications in these fields, — the implementation of joint projects for research, technical development or industrial applications in information technologies, communications, telematics and information society, — the participation of Egyptian organisations in pilot projects and European programmes within the established frameworks, — interconnection between networks and the interoperability of telematic services in the Community and Egypt.
Energy
The priority areas of cooperation shall be: — the promotion of renewable energies, — the promotion of energy-saving and energy efficiency, — applied research into data bank networks in the economic and social sectors, linking Community and Egyptian operators in particular, — support for the modernisation and development of energy networks and for their linking to European Community networks.
Tourism
Priorities for cooperation shall be: — promoting investments in tourism, — improving the knowledge of the tourist industry and ensuring greater consistency of policies affecting tourism, — promoting a good seasonal spread of tourism, — promoting cooperation between regions and cities of neighbouring countries, — highlighting the importance of the cultural heritage for tourism, — ensuring that the interaction between tourism and the environment is suitably maintained, — making tourism more competitive through support for increased professionalism.
Customs
1. The Parties shall develop customs cooperation to ensure that the provisions on trade are observed. Cooperation will focus in particular on: (a) the simplification of controls and procedures concerning the customs clearance of goods; (b) the introduction of the single administrative document and a system to link up the Community's and Egypt's transit arrangements. 2. Without prejudice to other forms of cooperation envisaged in this Agreement, notably for the fight against drugs and money laundering, the Parties' administrations will provide mutual assistance in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 5.
Cooperation on statistics
The main objective of cooperation in this field shall be to harmonise methodology in order to create a reliable basis for handling statistics in all the fields that are covered by this Agreement and lend themselves to the establishment of statistics.
Money laundering
1. The Parties shall cooperate with a view in particular to preventing the use of their financial systems to launder the proceeds arising from criminal activities in general and drug trafficking in particular. 2. Cooperation in this field shall include, in particular, technical and administrative assistance aimed at establishing effective standards relating to the fight against money laundering in line with international standards.
Fight against drugs
1 The Parties shall cooperate with a view in particular to: — improving the effectiveness of policies and measures to counter the supply of, and illicit trafficking in, narcotic drugs and psycho-tropic substances and the reduction of the abuse of these products, — encouraging a joint approach to reducing demand. 2. The Parties shall determine together, in accordance with their respective legislation, the strategies and cooperation methods appropriate for attaining these objectives. Their operations, other than joint operations, shall form the subject of consultations and close coordination. The relevant governmental and non-governmental sector bodies, in accordance with their own powers, working with the competent bodies of Egypt, the Community and its Member States, may take part in these operations. 3. Cooperation shall take the form of exchanges of information and, where appropriate, joint activities on: — establishment or extension of social and health institutions and information centres for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts, — implementation of projects in the areas of prevention, training and epidemiological research, — establishment of effective standards relating to the prevention of the diversion of precursors and other essential substances used for the illicit production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in line with international standards.
Fight against terrorism
In accordance with international conventions and with their respective national legislations, the Parties shall cooperate in this field and focus in particular on: — exchange of information on means and methods used to counter terrorism, — exchange of experiences in respect of terrorism prevention, — joint research and studies in the area of terrorism prevention.
Regional cooperation
Regional cooperation shall focus on: — development of economic infrastructures, — scientific and technological research, — intra-regional trade, — customs matters, — cultural matters, — environmental issues.
Consumer protection
Cooperation in this field should be geared to making consumer protection schemes in the European Community and Egypt compatible and should, as far as possible, involve: — increasing the compatibility of consumer legislation in order to avoid barriers to trade, — establishment and development of systems of mutual information on dangerous food and industrial products and interconnecting them (rapid alert systems), — exchanges of information and experts, — organising training schemes and supplying technical assistance.
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Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.