Algeria Denounces EU’s “Unilateral and Premature” Arbitration Move: A Serious Breach of the Spirit and Letter of the Association Agreement

Algeria Denounces EU’s “Unilateral and Premature” Arbitration Move: A Serious Breach of the Spirit and Letter of the Association Agreement

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

In an official letter to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf expresses Algeria’s deep concern over Brussels’ abrupt decision to bypass dialogue and trigger an arbitration process, warning of institutional neglect and imbalance in bilateral relations.

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Algiers, Algeria– Thursday, July 17, 2025 |  Algeria has strongly denounced the European Commission’s recent decision to initiate an arbitration procedure under the EU-Algeria Association Agreement, calling the move “hasty,” “unilateral,” and “in breach of both the spirit and the letter” of the agreement. In a firm response released Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad, and African Affairs expressed “surprise” at the European Union’s conduct and called for an immediate convening of the long-dormant Association Council.

According to the official communiqué, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade informed Algerian authorities of its decision to open an arbitration process concerning what it claims are “restrictions on trade and investment,” allegedly violating the terms of the Association Agreement binding both parties.

In response, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf addressed an official letter to Ms. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission. In the letter, Attaf firmly criticized the EU’s unilateral move to bypass ongoing consultations and trigger an arbitration mechanism—despite the fact that only two consultation meetings had been held over a span of just two months.

The ministry emphasized that “six of the eight contentious issues raised by the European side were already in the process of being resolved.” Attaf further noted that Algeria had submitted “concrete proposals” on the remaining two issues, yet had received “no formal response” from the EU counterparts—underscoring a lack of good faith and procedural diligence.

The letter characterizes the European decision as a clear departure from the negotiated spirit of partnership, adding that this course of action violates key articles of the Association Agreement, notably Articles 92 and 100, which underscore the principles of joint dialogue, mutual respect, and institutional arbitration through the Association Council.

Of particular concern, Minister Attaf underlined, is the apparent sidelining of the Association Council—a central decision-making body under the agreement. “The European side acted as though the Association Council no longer exists,” the communiqué lamented. The Council has not been convened in five years, despite repeated and insistent calls from Algeria for its activation.

“The failure to convene the Association Council has deprived both parties of a vital institutional framework designed not only to ensure balanced development of bilateral ties but also to serve as the primary venue for dispute resolution,” the ministry stated.

In his capacity as president of the Association Council for the current year, Attaf has formally requested the urgent convening of a Council session, insisting that only this institutional body has the authority to assess the outcome of consultations and to determine the proper course of action.

Algeria’s position is that the arbitration decision reflects a broader pattern of neglect by the European Union toward its obligations under the Association framework—an approach that, if left unchecked, could erode the foundations of mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.

The letter concludes by urging the EU to return to the principles of constructive dialogue and legal reciprocity that underpin the Association Agreement, and to uphold the integrity of the bilateral partnership by respecting its mechanisms and spirit.

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