EU signs €500 million assistance programme with Tunisia

April 28, 2017
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The EU and Tunisia have signed a new Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) programme package worth €500 million. The programme will take the form of a medium-term loan made in three instalments, or disbursements, over the course of 2017 and 2018. This assistance is part of the EU’s comprehensive efforts to help Tunisia respond to the severe economic difficulties it has faced since 2011, particularly as a result of the 2015 terror attacks and persistent political instability in the region.

MFA is an exceptional EU crisis response instrument available to the EU’s neighbouring partner countries. The signing of the MFA package – which consists of a Memorandum of Understanding and a Loan Facility Agreement – follows approval by the European Parliament and the Council in July 2016.

Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said: “Today’s agreement demonstrates that the EU is taking its commitment to support Tunisia’s democratic transition and its economic stabilisation seriously. This assistance will help ease Tunisia’s financing constraints, support its structural reforms and encourage sustainable growth to the benefit of all Tunisian citizens.”

The new programme follows on from a EUR 300 million MFA programme approved in 2014. Two tranches of this latter programme have already been disbursed.

Read more

Press release

Relations between the EU and Tunisia – Factsheet

EU cooperation with Tunisia

Q&A: Supporting Tunisia’s transition: a strategic priority for the EU

EU Delegation to Tunisia – website and Facebook page

Countries covered:

  • Tunisia