04/12/2006
Herald Tribune Newspaper 2006/DECEMBER /04
European Union quotas placed on Egyptian agricultural exports are restrictive, do not reflect the country’s economic potential, and ignore growing season, says an Egyptian business leader.
The quotas also fail to take into account products that aren’t grown in the EU – all of which is hurting local growers. Dr. Nader Riad, chairman of Confederation of Euro Chambers in Egypt (Ceeba) said “Should the quotas be revisited ? I think so.” Dr. Nader Riad added “ There is not a single guava or mango tree in the EU, so why are they counted in the quota? There is not a single EU producer to protect.” He confirmed that the EU and their Mediterranean partners hope to eliminate tariffs and border restrictions between countries to create the zone by 2010. On other hand Marian Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development admitted “To be very frank, I think it could be difficult to face the deadline in 2010. Yet despite the daunting deadline, progress can still be made.”