Evrensel-Brown, Ayse. (1991) "European Community and the Mediterranean Basin: Assessment of an Economic Cooperation". In: UNSPECIFIED, Fairfax, Virginia. (Unpublished)
The EC has always had a vital interest in the process of economic development in the Mediterranean Basin. The Mediterranean nonmember countries represent its third most important trade partner. Also, some of these countries are gateways to oil rich countries in the neighboring region. The EC began to establish relations with the countries of the Mediterranean Basin by closing various agreements beginning in the 1960s (Association Agreements, Preferential Trade Agreements, Non-preferential Trade Agreements, and Cooperation Agreements). In 1972, these ad hoc bilateral agreements were organized under the "Mediterranean Global Approach" which gave them a common framework. After almost three decades of economic cooperation, what exactly have the countries in the Mediterranean Basin gained from their relationship to the EC? While there is evidence indicating that the economic cooperation between the Community and the Mediterranean countries has had a positive effect on the Mediterranean countries' foreign trade, in the areas of export expansion and export diversification, the enlaqement of the Community in 1981 with the entrance of Greece, and in 1986 with the entrance of Spain and Portugal has created problems for Mediterranean countries' exports. While the EC is still the most important trade partner for the countries in the Mediterranean Basin, the EC's trade with the Basin countries is declining.
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