Infringement of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States and the Republic of Tunisia
22.1.2015
Question for written answer E-000894-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Angel Dzhambazki (ECR)
There is a problem with the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States and the Republic of Tunisia. At the last part-session we voted expressly for the Agreement also to apply to citizens of Bulgaria and Romania. Since early 2014, I have received a number of complaints from Bulgarian citizens concerning Tunisia’s failure to comply with the Agreement in the case of labour relations and social security. Articles 64 and 65 of the Agreement are not being applied. Bulgarian citizens — teaching staff and medical staff — have been complaining that Tunisia is not, in their case, applying social security schemes, health insurance schemes or pension schemes. At the same time, Bulgarian teaching staff have complained that, despite inflation, their pay is not indexed, when this is the case for teaching staff who are Tunisian nationals. I believe this to constitute an infringement of Article 64 and Article 65 of the Agreement.
Can the Commission state:
- 1.Whether it considers this to constitute an infringement of Article 64 and 65 of the Agreement?
- 2.What steps it will take to ensure compliance with Articles 64 and 65 of the Agreement in the case of all EU Member State citizens working in Tunisia
- 3.Whether it feels that Parliament should adopt a position on this issue in the form of a resolution?