• Economic Affairs
  • Department of Arab Economic Integration
Missions - Targets
  • A- The Greater Arab Free Trade Zone Division is responsible for the following:

     

    Implement the Facilitation and Development Agreement of Trade Exchange between Arab States.

     

    Implement the Executive Programme of the Declaration of the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone for 1998, resolutions of the Economic and Social Council and the Council of the League of Arab States at both Summit and Ministerial Levels.

     

    Follow-up on requirements for the Greater Arab Free Trade Area.

     

    Convene the meetings of the Technical Committee on issues related to Greater Arab Free Trade Area, and prepare the Committee's agendas and reports.

     

    Prepare studies, reports and analyses on the process of trade within Arab States.

     

    Participate in Arab and international workshops and conferences relevant to trade liberalization.

     

    B. The Arab Customs Union Division is responsible for the following:

     

    Prepare the executive programme of the Arab Customs Union and follow up on the resolutions of the Economic and Social Council and the Council of the League of Arab States at both Summit and Ministerial Levels.

     

    Follow up on implementation of the Arab Customs Union plan and its requirements.

     

    Create databases for the tariff structures applied in Arab States as well as regional and international blocs.

     

    Conduct negotiations regarding the implementation of a unified customs tariff within the framework of the Arab Customs Union.

     

    Convene Committees on topics relevant to Customs Union and review their agendas and reports.

     

    Develop studies, reports and analyses about the Arab Customs Union.

     

     

    C. The Customs Division is responsible for the following:

     

    Follow up on "transit" issues between Arab States and custom issues related to the structure and exchange of trade.

     

     Strengthen the Arab customs cooperation and formulate relevant agreements.

     

    Develop the structure for facilitation of trade and logistic services.

     

    Draft the Unified Arab Customs Law.

     

    Determine national distribution of the Unified Customs tariff.

     

    Prepare studies, reports and analyses about customs in Arab States.

     

    Participate in Arab and international workshops and conferences on issues related to customs.


  • The Department of Arab Economic Integration seeks to implement Article III of the rules of procedure of the Economic and Social Council, which identified its field of competence by developing the general policy of integration and Arab economic cooperation, planning the necessary programmes for its implementation. In practice, the Department manages the components of Arab economic integration represented in liberalization of trade in commodities and services, development of investment. In addition, creating investment opportunities is an important link in the economic integration chain and a catalyst for achieving a dynamic impact which reflected in economic growth. The Department also promotes inter customs cooperation and its requirements as the main steps for implementing the requirements of Arab economic integration. The Department reports to the Economic and Social Council through the Economic Commission, generally represented by senior officials. This is preceded by follow-up on liberalization of trade in commodities and services, investment, customs union and the Arab customs cooperation through the following committees:

     

    The Implementation and Follow-up Committee.

     

    The Trade Negotiations Committee.

     

    The Technical Committee on Arab Rules of Origin.

     

    The Committee for Transit Regulations between Arab States.

     

    The Meeting of Directors of Customs in Arab States.

     

    The Committee of Coordination System's Translations.

     

    The Committee on Customs Procedures and Information.

     

    The Committee on Unified Arab Customs Law.

     

    The Committee for Common Customs Tariff.

     

    The Committee of Arab Customs Unions.

     

    The Negotiating team for Liberalization of Trade in Services.

     

    Specialized Technical Task Forces in areas of dumping, security, facilitation of trade and other technical issues.

    The cooperation carried out by the Department at the regional level is limited to the Secretariat General of the Cooperation Council for Arab States, the Council of Economic Unity, the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab States and the Islamic Development Bank Group. As for the international level, cooperation is achieved through the World Trade Organization, the World Customs Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).


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