FTA with Tunisia & Morocco vital for Textile sector

25 Apr '06

2 min read

Currently, Turkey has inked Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with 19 countries and now, the formation of Mediterranean Basin Free Trade Area, is being added which will improve economic and commercial transactions between the Mediterranean countries.

FTA that Turkey has signed with Morocco and Tunisia is expected to be significant for the textile sector as this is one of the leading sectors of the country.

Morocco FTA was implemented from January 1, 2005 and Tunisia FTA came into force on June 1, the same year.

Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters' Union (ITAEU) has received reports from the Exporters Union that confirm that the agreements will increase textile export considerably to these two North African countries.

Last year after the agreement came into force, the textile export to Tunisia increased at the rate of 34.8 percent.

While during 2004, the textile export to Tunisia was US $21 million, and in 2005, it rose to $28 million.

Afif Chelbi, Tunisia Industry, Energy and SMEs Ministry, said, "I expect that the volume of business between two countries which is right now $400 million will develop more at the forthcoming period. We will sell you more phosphate and purchase from you more textiles. We will put earn-earn strategy into use so that the two sides will earn more."

Fibre2fashion, NewsDesk - Turkey

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