The justice system in the southern periphery of the Mediterranean region is another fundamental factor to doing business there for Western countries. It is distinguished by a strong partition between traditional law which reflects the Islamic system, and civil law which is under a civil administration. However, the priority for the European Union in establishing a free trade area in the Mediterranean region is to provide an equilibrium between the southern and northern peripheries. When we look at the northern periphery of the Mediterranean region, it demonstrates the absolute domination of the colored liberation for public and private interests that permit the world a certain manifestation of the pluralism in various social projects, politics and economics. Another significant positive example is Turkey.
Turkey is one of the largest countries in the Mediterranean in terms of size and population.
It is also a special case in that it hopes to complete a customs union with the EU by the end of this year. Turkey is also important because of its success as a trading and economic partner. Turkey is already the European Union's tenth biggest trading partner. The Belgian Europalia culture festival, which was to be held in Turkey in 1996 but was frozen earlier this year, may take place in 1997, according to the Turkish co-chairman of the organization. Bulent Eczacibasi, the Turkish co-chairman for Europalia Turkey '96, told the Turkish Daily News that the Europalia organizers will probably announce their decision within a month to resume preparations for Europalia Turkey, which is to be a major festival of Turkish culture.