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"BRUSSELS - European Union negotiators have initialed a deal to liberalize trade in most farm and fishery products with Egypt, the most important Middle East market for EU produce, the European Commission said on Friday.

The agreement will give EU exporters free and immediate access to the Egyptian market for around 90 percent of agriculture and fisheries products, it said in a statement.

Egypt will continue to apply existing conditions to imports of tobacco, wines and spirits and pig meat but will halve its duties on confectionery, chocolate, pasta and bakery products." (ME online)