Tensions between Egypt and Turkey spilled over on Sunday, when the Egyptian parliament`s industry committee called for the lifting of the free trade agreement between the two countries, saying it “harms local products.” Although Cairo and Ankara reduced diplomatic relations in 2013, in the wake of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s opposition to Egypt`s June 30 revolution, the free trade agreement signed in 2005 remains in force. In addition, Egypt has signed several bilateral agreements with Arab countries: Jordan (December 1999), Lebanon (March 1999), Libya (January 1991), Morocco (April 1999), Syria (December 1991) and Tunisia (March 1999). In addition, Egypt and China entered into a trade agreement in 1995. Egypt has also signed an economic treaty with Russia. In June 2001, Egypt signed an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU), which came into force on 1 June 2004. The agreement provided for immediate duty-free access of Egyptian products to EU markets, while duty-free access for EU products was phased in over a 12-year period. In 2010, Egypt and the EU concluded an agricultural annex to their free trade agreement and liberalized trade in more than 90% of agricultural goods. Major trading partners: China, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, United States. “The free trade agreement between Egypt and Turkey was signed in 2005, but it came into force in 2013 under the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood,” he added. Amer said the commission had repeatedly asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to denounce the agreement because it had harmed many Egyptian industries.

In early January, Egyptian customs authorities began excluding imported Turkish vehicles under the free trade agreement from customs. It describes the bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to which that country belongs, including with the United States. Egyptian imports from Turkey increased by 11 percent between January and September 2019 to $2.39 billion, up from US$2.16 billion in 2018, the business paper Al-Mal reported in a report by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Industry Committee Chairman Farag Amer said Sunday that the deal harms Egyptian products and floods the local market with Turkish goods. Egypt is a signatory to several multilateral trade agreements: Egyptian free trade agreement: Agadir Agreement, TPS-OIC, CEN-SAD, COMESA, COMESA-EAC-SADC, USA-COMESA, AGOA, MERCOSUR, EFTA, European Union… “Turkish products have already entered the Egyptian market without tariffs,” said MP Mohamed El-Ghoul. The Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and Egypt (FTA) is part of Islamic civilization (central economic area) and African civilization (East African economic space). Main export products: raw petroleum products, textiles and textiles, iron and steel, metal products and road vehicles. – Economic Forum: the last meeting took place on 30 September 2012 in Ankara.

– Joint Commission: the last meeting of the Joint Committee was held on 5 and 6 March 2012. – Business Council: The last business council meeting was held on 10 May 2013 in Cairo. Main export products: mineral fuels, pearls and precious stones, electrical and electronic equipment, plastics and plastic products.