Report Twenty Six

Report No. (26) of the Union of Arab Chambers on the Greater Arab Free Trade Area deals with the “Results of the 2019 Union of Arab Chambers Survey on the Greater Arab Free Trade Area”, which will be submitted to the meeting of the “Implementation and Follow-up Committee” of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States, scheduled to be held at the League’s headquarters in Cairo on 17-20/6/2019.

The report reflects the customs and non-customs obstacles facing inter-Arab trade, and allocates a section to the reality of e-commerce and the obstacles it faces. It conveys the views of the Arab private sector on the progress of work in the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, and carries its aspirations and proposals to overcome the obstacles facing and shackling inter-Arab trade, based on a field survey in which many Arab companies and entities concerned with inter-Arab trade participated, whose number this year reached 92, most of whom are from the industrial sector.

Summary

Results of the 2019 Union of Arab Chambers Survey on the "Greater Arab Free Trade Area"

Report Twenty Five

We are honored to issue Report No. (25) of the Union of Arab Chambers on the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, entitled “The Greater Arab Free Trade Area – New Horizons for Growth Despite Global and Regional Challenges”, which will be submitted to the meeting of the “Implementation and Follow-up Committee” of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States, scheduled to be held at the League’s headquarters in Cairo on 13-15/5/2018.

The report addresses exceptional developments in global trade policies, and reviews the status of Arab foreign and intra-trade in light of the highly complex regional developments. It reflects the views of the Arab private sector on the progress of work in the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, and conveys its aspirations and proposals to overcome the obstacles facing and shackling intra-Arab trade, based on a field survey in which many Arab companies and entities concerned with intra-Arab trade participated. The results reflect the problem of differences in specifications of goods and products between Arab countries, followed by restrictions related to the multiplicity of entities concerned with intra-Arab trade, then the complexities and costs associated with customs procedures, the long time taken to cross borders, exaggeration in health conditions, restrictions imposed on financial transfers, restrictions related to export, import or re-export licenses, high trade costs, and restrictions and costs related to laboratories.

It also addresses the procedural developments of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, focusing on the main areas for expanding the horizons of intra- and external trade to their actual potential, and on the issue of food safety within the framework of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area.

New Prospects for Growth Despite Global and Regional Challenges.

Report Twenty - Fourth

Report No. (24) of the Federation of Arab Chambers on the Greater Arab Free Trade Area is issued under the title “The Greater Arab Free Trade Area between Trends of Commercial Closure and Prospects of the Silk Road”. This report was submitted to the meeting of the “Implementation and Follow-up Committee” of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States, which was held at the League’s headquarters in Cairo on 29-31/5/2017. It aims to form an objective assessment of the region’s work performance in light of global and regional developments, and to identify the available options to break the stagnation and address the constraints facing Arab trade integration, whether at the Arab regional level, or by expanding Arab trade capabilities at the international level by taking advantage of a unique opportunity represented by the new initiative launched by China to establish the New Silk Road.

The report addresses developments in global trade and the risks that may be involved in trends towards isolationism. It also reviews the repercussions of international and regional situations and oil price trends, and provides a detailed analysis of the conditions of inter-Arab trade, in light of the results of the annual survey of the Union of Arab Chambers, which this year focuses on the issue of the quality and safety of food goods and products. The results confirm the findings of previous years’ reports, with high transport costs, long border crossing times and technical constraints at the forefront of constraints. The research devotes a section to analysing the reasons for high transport costs, which are particularly relevant to commercial transport logistics.

Between Trade Closure Trends and the Prospects of the Silk Road

Report Twenty - Third

Annual Report No. (23) of the Federation of Arab Chambers on the progress of work in the Greater Arab Free Trade Area under the title "The Greater Arab Free Trade Area Facing the Challenges of Restructuring in Global Oil Markets". It reviews the conditions of global trade, which is going through a difficult crossroads in light of the fragility of the global economic recovery and the decline in global trade values, and the new pressure factors on global and Arab trade due to the record decline in oil prices in global markets, which indicates a new phase that is completely different from previous phases, and calls for new and different procedures and policies at the level of challenges. The report analyzes the status of Arab and inter-Arab trade, which remains weak, while the obstacles facing it remain the same without any significant progress, according to the results of the annual survey conducted by the Union on the progress of work in the region, which confirmed the persistence of four main obstacles, in relative order: high transportation costs, long transit times, technical restrictions, and difficulty in obtaining entry visas. These restrictions do not only affect trade, but also investment and growth rates. Regional trade has become an important and growing force in the global economy, and plays a fundamental role in achieving a higher level of economic growth as well as in achieving better standards of living. The report was submitted to the (98) session of the Economic and Social Council, and was discussed at the (41) meeting of the Implementation and Follow-up Committee of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo on 24-25 May 2016, with the participation of delegations of Arab countries from official economic, commercial, customs and financial departments, specialized Arab organizations and relevant Arab federations.

Facing Challenges of Restructuring World Oil Markets

Report Twenty - Second

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