Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 311: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the stage of the association agreement between the European Union and Syria; the reason there has been a delay in signing an agreement; and if account has been taken of the fact that the EU is Syria's biggest trading partner and that only Syria and Libya of the Mediterranean countries do not have an association agreement with the European Union. [10366/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Negotiations on an Association Agreement with Syria began in May 1998 on the basis of a mandate agreed by the Council of Ministers. The text of a draft Agreement was initialled by the Commission and Syria in 2004 and submitted for approval to the Council. The Council did not approve signature of the Agreement at the time because of concerns regarding Syria's policies towards Lebanon. In the light of more positive developments in Syria's regional policy, consensus within the EU emerged that the draft Agreement previously negotiated should be updated with a view to its signature and eventual conclusion. The text of the revised draft Agreement was initialled by the Commission and Syria on 14 December 2008.

The EU extended an invitation to Syria to sign the Agreement in Brussels on 26 October 2009. However, the Syrian authorities declined the invitation and advised that they required more time to study the impact of the Agreement on economic sectors in Syria. They undertook to remain in contact and to keep the EU informed of developments.

I understand that the Spanish Presidency is now working towards signature during the first half of this year.

The Agreement aims to promote a new, closer relationship between the EU and Syria. By establishing a free trade area between the EU and Syria over a transitional period it seeks to support economic and political reform in Syria, while preparing the country for greater integration into the world economy and promoting regional integration. It will enable the EU to engage in discussions with Syria on all topics of mutual concern, in particular human rights and democratic principles, combating terrorism and cooperation on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction.

Syria is the only one of the southern members of the Union for the Mediterranean with which an Association Agreement is not yet in force. Negotiations on a Framework Agreement with Libya, which is not a member of the Union for the Mediterranean, commenced on 13 November 2008 and are ongoing.

I regard the Association Agreement with Syria, which is the product of long negotiations, to be of mutual benefit to both the EU and Syria. It is my hope that the Syrian authorities will soon be in a position to move forward on the signature of the Agreement.