The adoption of the Special Measure in favour of Tunisia for 2023
TA-9-2024-0175 · P9_TA(2024)0175 · PE759.058
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Parliament's resolution contests the Commission's use of an urgent written procedure to adopt the special measure in favour of Tunisia for 2023, which provides EUR 150 million in budget support.¶¶ It asks the Commission to explain why it did not contact Parliament beforehand, why it did not share the financing agreement, and how it defines and assesses budget support conditions such as 'satisfactory progress'.¶¶¶ It doubts that respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law is met, given the deterioration in Tunisia since July 2021, and asks how the measure will improve the business and investment climate.¶¶ It asks why the EUR 150 million was disbursed in a single tranche, why Tunisia rejected EUR 60 million in October 2023, and what guarantees Parliament will be allowed to visit EU-funded project sites.¶¶¶
Key points
- Contests the need for an urgent written procedure for the special measure, since the EUR 150 million budget support was announced on 11 June 2023, leaving time for the normal procedure.¶
- Calls on the Commission to explain in the next high-level geopolitical dialogue why no informal contact took place with Parliament before the special measure was adopted.¶
- Considers that the Memorandum of Understanding's commitment to pay budgetary support for 2023 'in full' is not legal grounds for adopting the measure under Article 23(4) of the NDICI-Global Europe Regulation or an urgent written procedure.¶
- Regrets that the Commission did not proactively provide Parliament with the financing agreement with Tunisia, which sets out conditions and requirements.¶
- Requests an explanation of how the term 'satisfactory progress' in the action document constitutes clearly defined criteria for budget support conditionality under Article 27(4) of the NDICI-Global Europe Regulation.¶
- Expresses doubt that respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law is met for the special measure, given the deterioration in fundamental rights in Tunisia since July 2021.¶
- Calls on the Commission to provide written details on how and when it will assess whether the conditions for disbursement have been met and what objective criteria determine 'satisfactory progress'.¶
- Requests that the Commission clarify in writing how Tunisia meets the requirement in section 4.3.2(b) of the action document relating to fundamental values.¶
- Calls on the Commission to explain why it disbursed the EUR 150 million in a single tranche rather than gradually based on milestones, removing the option to suspend further disbursements.¶
- Calls on the Commission to explain how the special measure will improve the business and investment climate given the deterioration of the rule of law in Tunisia since July 2021.¶
- Calls on the Commission to clarify why Tunisia rejected EUR 60 million in budget support under the COVID facility in October 2023 and why it believes Tunisia will accept this budget support.¶
- Calls on the Commission to clarify what guarantees it has received since September 2023 that Parliament will be allowed to visit EU-funded project sites in Tunisia.¶
Who is affected
- The Commission, which must explain its use of the urgent written procedure, the single tranche and the budget support conditions.¶¶¶
- Tunisia, whose authorities rejected EUR 60 million in budget support and postponed a Commission visit.¶¶¶
- Parliament, which was denied entry to Tunisia and seeks to exercise its scrutiny rights.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 150 million in budget support announced on 11 June 2023.¶
- EUR 60 million in budget support rejected by the Tunisian President in October 2023.¶
- 13 September 2023: a delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs was denied entry to Tunisia.¶
- 26 September 2023: the Tunisian authorities unilaterally postponed a Commission visit.¶
- July 2021: start of the deterioration in fundamental rights in Tunisia.¶
Legal basis: Article 14 of the Treaty on European Union¶