Gap and Impact Study on Consumer Products of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Tunisia and the EU

We advised the Tunisian government in preparing for deeper economic integration with the European Union through the negotiation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). Specifically, our work focused on developing a detailed Action Plan for the future conclusion of an Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA)—a key step toward regulatory alignment with the EU single market.

Our intervention involved a comprehensive gap and impact analysis to identify Tunisia’s institutional and technical needs in technical barriers to trade. The objective being to facilitate Tunisia’s access to the EU market by gradually aligning its regulatory framework with that of the EU in selected industrial sectors.

Our work focused on two specific sectors:

• Electrical, electronic and appliance industries
• Building materials, ceramics and glass industries

Key activities included:

• Analysis of Tunisia’s current horizontal regulations and quality infrastructure
• Institutional mapping and governance assessment
• Export and import diagnostics in both sectors
• Study of regulatory gaps and conformity assessment practices
• Estimation of the economic impact and costs of regulatory convergence
• Identification of reform priorities

The study offered a structured Action Plan to guide Tunisia’s alignment with EU market rules, boosting trade potential and industrial competitiveness