Free Trade Agreement between Tunisia and the States of the European Free Trade Association

The free trade agreement between Tunisia and the European Free Trade Association States ("EFTA"), involving Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, was signed on 17 Dec 2004.  The Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2005 for Switzerland and Liechtenstein, 1 August 2005 for Norway and 1 March 2006 for Iceland.

It covers most energy products and its constituents including but not limited to: 

• Electric motors, turbines and generators; 
• Mechanical equipment including pumps, appliances, and other advanced machinery; 
• Electric accumulators, transformers, capacitors, batteries; 
• Motor vehicles; 
• Mineral ore, slag and ash; 
• Mineral fuels, oils and other products; 
• Metals and their articles e.g. iron and steel; 
• Semiconductors devices and photovoltaic cells; 

Rule of origins apply to qualify for the preferential tariff treatment, conditions to confer originating status include but not limited to the following: 

• For mineral ores, fuels as well as iron and steel, it includes manufacturing from materials of any heading, except that of the product
• For petroleum oils and gases, it could qualify i. manufacturing of any material except that of the product,  ii. refining of non-originating materials or iii. other operations provided that materials same as the product heading is not more than 50% of the ex-works price of the product 
• For most of the remaining products listed above, it includes i. manufacturing from non-originating materials except the product itself or ii. value of all the manufacturing materials used does not exceed 10-50 % of the ex-works price of the product

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