There are also gas pipelines connecting Algeria to the EU. Is Algeria in Europe?

Certainly. It was a part of the Roman Empire, state language is French, and most money flows from France. Its apity, that geographically its Africa. I propose to rename Northern Africa the Special European Economical Interest Area.

Israel, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan (and now even Australia!) participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. So I guess the concept of Europe is flexible enough to allow for that.

"The Greater European Co-Prosperity Sphere".

North Africa is quite distinct from the rest of Africa and the middle east either way you slice it.