EPA Negotiations: Where do we stand? - Central Africa - last update : September 2010

State of play

In the Central African negotiating region, only Cameroon signed an interim agreement (on 15 January 2009). However, Cameroon has made a request to the EU to delay its tariff dismantlement as set out in its IEPA until conclusion of a regional EPA agreement in order to not disrupt the customs union of the Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale (CEMAC). The EU has yet to formally respond to this request.

Although Equatorial Guinea has signified its intention not to join the EPA before 2020, the Central Africa region remains committed to the full EPA. However, not much progress has been made so far towards the completion of the full EPA. Main difficulties remain on the contentious issues, notably the scope and timeframe for liberalisation.

Beyond this question, contentious issues in the region include : MFN clause, EU agricultural subsidies, export taxes and the question of the non-execution clause. Regarding the critical issue of community levy, it seems that the region intends to work together with the West Africa region with a view to finding a common position before December 2010.

In parallel, at the regional level, Central African States are currently working to accelerate negotiations to harmonize tariffs in view of the implementation of the common external tariff (CET), which is expected to serve as the basis for their market access offers. Work is also ongoing on fiscal reforms that need to be put in place in different countries to address the revenue losses resulting from tariff cuts.

-> For details on the current negotiations, please consult our monthly EPA negotiations update.

Trade regime from 1 January 2008

In order to safeguard market access for the non-LDC Cameroon after 31 December 2007 , Cameroon and the EC have initialled an interim agreement on 17 December.

The other two non-LDCs in the region, Gabon and Republic of the Congo, are exporting under the standard GSP arrangement since 1 January 2008. (Gabon's request to be included into the list of beneficiaries of the GSP+ scheme was rejected in a decision by the European Commission on 9 December 2008 as Gabon has not ratified all the required international conventions to enter GSP+.)

The LDCs Central African Republic, Chad , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Principe export under the EBA initiative since 1 January 2008 .

Cameroon-EU interim agreement

Text of the agreement:
Accord d'étape vers un accord de partenariat économique entre la Communauté européenne et ses États membres, d'une part, et la partie Afrique centrale, d'autre part, Journal officiel de l'Union européenne, 28 février 2009
English version:
Interim Agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part, Official Journal of the European Union, 28 February 2009

Summary of the agreement:
"Market Access Schedule
The coverage of goods liberalised by Cameroon under this Agreement amounts to 80% of EC imports in value over 15 years; over 10 years it amounts to 50% of EC imports in value. All sectors are covered. The Agreement is available for signature by other members of the Central African negotiating configuration.

Agreement (goods)
The Agreement covers all major provisions of a trade in goods agreements such as provisions on custom duties, export taxes, a standstill clause, a non discrimination clause, trade defence instruments (anti-dumping and countervailing measures, multilateral and bilateral safeguards), special provisions on administrative cooperation in custom matters, a chapter on custom and trade facilitation, a chapter on technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures as well as exception clauses.
The respective offers of the parties are set out in annexes attached to the agreement. The agreement also contains an annex on mutual administrative assistance in custom matters.
The Agreement provides that each party will apply its rules of origin in force on 01/01/08 and, in parallel, Chief Negotiators have written agreement to negotiate rules of origin to be annexed to the Agreement by 31/03/2008 at the latest.

Agreement (other components)
This Agreement focuses on safeguarding the market access of Cameroon to the EC on 01/01/2008 and avoids trade disruption which could have an important negative economic impact for this country. It hence focuses on trade in goods aspects.
The Agreement is accompanied by a chief negotiators' declaration and contains a preamble reaffirming the objective of concluding a global EPA with all Central African countries and regional organisations. Commitment to regional integration is also reasserted. Specific chapters in the Agreement identify the areas on which negotiations will continue in order to conclude a global EPA with the whole region (services, investment, competition, intellectual property, public procurement, sustainable development, protection of personal data).
The Agreement contains a Title on Development Cooperation covering priority areas of development cooperation for accompanying the implementation of this Agreement. The main areas identified are reinforcement and upgrading of productive sectors, cooperation in respect to fiscal adjustment, and the implementation of trade rules contained in the Agreement. The parties agree to cooperate in these areas notably in the context of the Cotonou Agreement.
Finally, the agreement contains a detailed dispute settlement mechanism, as well as general, final and institutional provisions." (Summary provided by the European Commission, keywords highlighted by acp-eu-trade.org editors)

Relevant documents and websites

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