The EU established its privileged partnership with the Eastern and Southern shores of the Mediterranean back in 1995 with the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership at the Barcelona Conference, establishing the goal of an area of peace, stability, economic prosperity, upholding democratic values and human rights. EU cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood takes place in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and includes ten partner countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine*, Syria and Tunisia.

Relations between the EU and Egypt are based on the Association Agreement, which entered into force in June 2004. They have intensified over the past years to cover a wide spectrum of fields of intervention.

The Commission regularly analyses macroeconomic and financial developments in Egypt and engages in ongoing discussions with the national authorities regarding economic policies. The EU has decided to provide macro-financial assistance to Egypt.

Facts, figures and latest developments.

Egypt is a destination, transit and country of origin for migration. It is the most populous Arab country, a third of whom younger than 15 years. Fuelled by both the instability in the wider region, and a shift in labour demand in the Gulf countries, Egypt is struggling with the number of Egyptians returning from abroad, putting further pressure on an Egyptian labour market that is already particularly strained. The cooperation with Egyptian Authorities under the framework of the EUTF for Africa will focus on strengthening migration governance, countering trafficking of human beings and smuggling of migrants, improving protection of migrants’ rights and supporting host communities and migrants. This will go hand in hand with cooperation in addressing the root causes of irregular migration, in particular unemployment of young population prone to migration.

The EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities (PPs) 2021 - 2027, adopted in June 2022 set the framework of cooperation on a range of domains, including digital transformation, research and innovation, culture and the preservation of cultural heritage. The focus on youth is a cross-cutting issue throughout the Partnership Priorities, promoting inclusion and providing opportunities for the young.

In 2024, the EU allocated €9 million in humanitarian aid to help the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. EU humanitarian funding covers 2 main sectors: education in emergencies and basic needs. The EU is responding to the influx of people fleeing the conflict in Sudan by funding life-saving assistance such as food, water, sanitation, and hygiene items for those newly arriving across the border to Egypt. In addition, we support emergency cash assistance, child friendly spaces, and psychosocial support for the children.

The Country Knowledge Community is led by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy. Access is restricted.

The European Union Delegation to Egypt, officially opened in 1978, covers the full range of bilateral issues between the EU and Egypt, and in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy plays a role in the implementation and monitoring of the EU-Egypt partnership priorities. The Delegation interacts with the government ministries but also with civil society and non-governmental organisations and reports to Brussels on developments in Egypt. An important focus is the management of the projects under the different development co-operation programmes concerning Egypt. The Delegation manages an ongoing development co-operation portfolio of over €1.2 billion in Egypt.

The Arab Republic of Egypt is a transcontinental nation on the northeast of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. The Republic lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel in the northeast, the Red Sea to the East, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. The majority of the population live in arable land found in the banks of the Nile River. 90% of the Populace is Muslim and 99.6% are ethnic Egyptian.