Source: European Parliament
EU-Algeria relations are framed by an Association Agreement[1] (2005) and Partnership Priorities[2] (2017), which have been extended. Recently, the Algerian authorities publicly expressed their intention to renegotiate the Association Agreement; however, no concrete proposals have yet been received by the EU.
Through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the EU finances projects in the field of governance and institutional capacity-building (including decentralisation), with a total budget of EUR 27 million.
These ongoing projects are implemented in the country by European public bodies, development agencies and private companies.
Additional projects focusing on protection of children in vulnerable situations, youth participation, women’s empowerment, and fight against sexual and gender-based violence are implemented by international organisations and civil society organisations.
The EU has been closely monitoring the case of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal since his arrest and, in full coordination with the French authorities, has raised the matter with Algerian authorities in both Algiers and Brussels. The EU remains fully engaged on this issue.
While the EU is committed to addressing human rights concerns, it believes that constructive dialogue is the most effective approach. It will continue to advocate for the respect of human rights, including freedom of expression, while maintaining engagement with Algeria.
This will also be pursued through the institutionalised dialogue on human rights, notably within the Sub-Committee on Political Dialogue, Security and Human Rights, which was established under the EU-Algeria Association Agreement.