§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the Department's assessment of the effectiveness of the principle of regional cumulation of goods in promoting(a) economic co-operation and (b) trade integration in the Middle East. [124172]
§ Hilary BennEU and Mediterranean partner trade ministers meeting in Palermo on 7 July 2003 agreed to extend the system of pan-European cumulation of origin to the Mediterranean partners (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey). Cumulation of origin means goods can be processed using inputs from any source within the Euro-Mediterranean area, and take advantage of the system of preferential tariffs, which currently exists between Europe and the Mediterranean partners. As such, it should help to foster economic integration between Mediterranean partners and with Europe, enable goods to be produced more efficiently through sourcing the cheapest inputs, and encourage economies of scale. A subsequent assessment of the effectiveness of this agreement will eventually be possible.