Not beating around the bush, the Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, did not hesitate to express Tunisia’s apprehensions regarding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, imposed by the European Union. Due to come into force in 2026, this new regulation could, according to the minister, have repercussions on the competitiveness of the national economy. He calls for a more flexible and, above all, participatory European approach in the application of these regulations so as to take into consideration the fragility of the Tunisian industrial fabric.
It was during a training workshop on calculating the carbon footprint, organized jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), that Minister Samir Abid spoke about the economic repercussions possibilities of the carbon border adjustment mechanism (Macf), established by the European Union for companies established in Tunisia. Indeed, under this mechanism, Tunisian exports in the cement, chemical fertilizers, iron and aluminum sectors will be subject to additional taxes if their carbon footprints exceed those of similar products manufactured in space. European.
Difficulties that could impact the economy
According to Abid, this new regulation will not be without consequences on the Tunisian industrial fabric, since the European Union, monopolizing more than 70% of Tunisian exports, is the country’s leading economic and commercial partner.
Referring to the economic relations that link Tunisia and Europe, the minister affirmed that this partnership has contributed to the diversification of the Tunisian economy and has made it possible to strengthen the competitiveness of local industries and create numerous jobs. However, the objectives achieved within the framework of this partnership have not made it possible to overcome the challenges to which it is exposed, he affirms. “The world has been experiencing radical changes for years that have impacted the movement of trade and investment.
Faced with the gaps in economic and social criteria between Tunisia and the European Union, our country needs to strengthen its policies, particularly in the sectors of infrastructure, digital transition and energy transition in order to consolidate its competitiveness and achieve its economic integration,” he insisted. Abid, in this context, added that for these reasons, Tunisia is working to strengthen its relations with its European partner and to open new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in the areas of the green economy, energy transition and development. sustainable. “If the Macf constitutes a powerful economic instrument in the fight against economic change aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging businesses to use clean energy, through the establishment of taxes applied on each ton of CO2 issued, its application will cause difficulties that could impact the economy in general. Because the introduction of additional taxes will increase production costs, especially since they were imposed unilaterally outside of multilateral agreements,” said Abid. According to the minister, the application of this mechanism to Tunisian exports requires better consultation between the two parties and generally between States, because climate change is a problem that affects the entire planet. Developing countries may see this mechanism as an obstacle to their economic development, particularly because of their inability to achieve – unlike developed countries – an accelerated and rapid transition towards clean energy.
Partnerships with emerging and African countries
“Despite all these challenges, Tunisia is working to strengthen the weight of renewable energies in the national economy. In return, Tunisian companies are called upon to demonstrate innovation and work on the transfer of knowledge and technologies with a view to adapting to the new requirements of the European and international market,” added the official.
According to him, Tunisia, which is seeking to strengthen its economic ties with the European Union, aims to adopt a new strategic orientation reflecting its desire to establish economic and commercial partnerships with emerging and African countries. Partnerships which, according to him, open up new perspectives contributing to the country’s economic take-off. “The carbon border adjustment mechanism can be an effective instrument in the fight against climate change, but its application requires an innovative approach that makes it possible to overcome the difficulties that arise from it,” he concluded. For his part, Zakaria Louati, director of the SME support program at the EBRD, stressed that the bank’s support for the green transition of the Tunisian economy takes several forms. First of all, at the regulatory level, the EBRD continues to support legislative reforms relating to the energy transition, the results of which are beginning to be felt with the acceleration of investments in this sector.
Then, on a financial level, the bank provides SMEs with financing lines to support them in implementing ecological policies. Finally, Louati affirmed that the bank continues to provide the necessary technical support to SMEs to help them succeed in their transition, stressing that this training workshop on calculating the carbon footprint is among the bank’s actions in this area. . He indicated that, since its establishment in Tunisia in 2012, more than 1,900 SMEs have been able to benefit from technical support from the EBRD, within the framework of several programs to support the energy transition of businesses.
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