(AGENPARL) – Thu 20 March 2025 None [1] Press service ** European Parliament **
Available in * None [2]
Press release 20-03-2025 INTA   None [3] MEPs back new financial assistance for Egypt and Jordan
Parliament’s International Trade Committee approved two proposals on Thursday to offer Jordan and Egypt loans worth €500 million and €4 billion respectively.
The macro-financial assistance (MFA) for Egypt was approved by the International Trade Committee [4] by 28 votes in favour, seven against and five abstentions. The MFA for Jordan was passed by 35 votes in favour, two against and three abstentions.
Given Egypt’s critical economic and financial situation and its role as an important stabilising presence amid geopolitical tensions in an increasingly volatile region, the Commission proposed [5] on 15 March 2024 to support the country with macro-financial assistance of up to €5 billion in loans. These break down into a short-term loan of up to €1 billion – already disbursed at the end of 2024 – and another, regular, operation of up to €4 billion to be disbursed in three instalments. The International Trade committee has just backed the latter.
For Jordan this is the fourth MFA [6] operation since 2013. It should help cover the country’s residual financing needs, support its structural reforms and shore up its fiscal consolidation efforts. In January, the Commission announced an additional financial package [7] to help Jordan face financial and other challenges.
Quote*
Rapporteur Celine Imart (EPP, France) [8], said: “The International Trade Committee’s backing for this EU loan reflects this Parliament’s high regard for Egypt as a partner country. By helping Egypt, we are also looking after EU interests in an unstable region. By endorsing this EU loan for Jordan, the Committee is helping to build our new partnership with the country, one that has recently been announced at the highest level. I am very pleased by this result.
Next steps*
Both reports will be put to a vote in Parliament’s April 2025 plenary session [9] . Before the financial assistance can be disbursed, it will have to be adopted by both Parliament and Council.
Background*
These loans are part of financial support packages concluded with EU partner countries [10] struggling with financial, economic, societal challenges, to help with structural political and economic reforms.
  –> Further information None [11] Committee on International Trade None [12] Procedure file Jordan None [13] Procedure file Egypt None [14] Macro-financial assistance None [15] Trade relations with Jordan None [16] Trade relations with Egypt
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[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room
[4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/inta/home
[5] https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/international-economic-relations/candidate-and-neighbouring-countries/neighbouring-countries-eu/neighbourhood-countries/egypt_en
[6] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1829
[7] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/eu-jordan-strategic-and-comprehensive-partnership_en
[8] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/256918/CELINE_IMART/home
[9] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/OJ-10-2025-03-31-SYN_EN.html
[10] https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries_en
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[12] https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/en/procedure-file?reference=2024/0086(COD)
[13] https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/en/procedure-file?reference=2024/0071(COD)
[14] https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/eu-financial-assistance/macro-financial-assistance-mfa_en
[15] https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/jordan_en
[16] https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/egypt_en
[19] http://twitter.com/EP_Trade
[20] https://epspfo.europarl.europa.eu/epspfo/en
[21] https://epspfo.europarl.europa.eu/epspfo/en
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