Europe-Africa Free Trade Zone Possible by 2010The European Commission, the Italian government and small and medium-sized European investors from the Business Council Europe, Africa, Mediterranean (BCEAM) on Friday confirmed their support for the creation of an 80-nation free- trade zone between Europe and Africa by the year 2010.The project for a free-trade zone was illustrated during Friday 's "European Union and African Union" conference which BCEAM organized at the offices National Committee for the Economy and Labor (Cnel). Among those taking part in the conference were Cnel Chairman Pietro Larizza, coordinator of the European Commission's European Aid Program Geremia Scianca and head of the Italian Foreign Ministry's department for African affairs Eugenio Melani. The project was initiated in 1995 when 12 nations bordering on the southern Mediterranean rim and the 15 European Union members signed an agreement to create a "Euro-Mediterranean Area." The project was then expanded last year to include the participation of all the members of the Organization for African Unity (OAU). Cooperation between Europe and Africa, the foreign ministry official added, was one of the points Italy placed on the agenda for the July 20-22 G-8 summit in Genoa. |
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