European Union and Tunisia announce progress in building economic and trade ties, and on migration

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — European leaders and Tunisia’s president have announced progress in the building of hoped-for closer economic and trade relations and on measures to combat the often lethal smuggling of migrants across the Mediterranean Sea. The leaders of Italy, the Netherlands and the European Commission on Sunday made their second visit to Tunis in just over a month. They expressed hope that a memorandum newly signed with Tunisia during the trip would pave the way for a comprehensive partnership. The leaders also visited in June. They held out the promise at the time of more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in financial aid to rescue Tunisia’s teetering economy and better police its borders.