The European Integration, the Arab Regionalisms and the Euro-Mediterranean Relations after the Arab Spring: Is the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area a Viable Project Yet?

Abstract

The creation of a Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area represents one of the most important aims of EU’s relations with Mediterranean Countries. Indeed it was firstly provided for in the Barcelona Process and then confirmed as a strategic goal both in the European Neighbourhood Policy and in the Union for the Mediterranean. However the full implementation of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area depends on the existence of free trade relations not only in north-south direction (EU-Arab Mediterranean Countries) but also in south-south direction (among Arab Mediterranean Countries). Taking into account the main characteristics of European integration, the features of Arab regionalisms and the EU’s relations with Arab regional organizations and with each Mediterranean Country, this paper explores the EU’s response to the Arab Spring and its influence to the realization of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade area; the final goal is to put in evidence whether its full implementation is still positively a viable project.