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The acp-eu-trade.org newsletter -- No. 14/October 2007 
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Announcement
*** EPA negotiations: Where do we stand? ***
New weekly update by ECDPM

In this issue:
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I. Focus on…: The EPAs Global Day of Action - Stop EPA Day – An interview with Alexander Woollcombe, spokesman for Oxfam International
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II. News: Highlights of the Month
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III. Selection from www.acp-eu-trade.org Library
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IV. Resources from Recent Events
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V. Upcoming Events

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***La version française suit***

 

*** New on acp-eu-trade.org ***

EPA negotiations: Where do we stand?
- updated weekly -

At a time when the pace of the EPA negotiations has increased in all regions, and the state of play is ever changing, accessing the latest information available on these wide-ranging agreements is of essence.

Pursuing its efforts to increase the transparency of the highly sensitive EPA negotiations, ECDPM has decided to set up dedicated pages for each ACP region negotiating an EPA with the EU at www.acp-eu-trade.org/epa . (The same content is also accessible at www.ecdpm.org/epa .)

These pages will be updated on a weekly basis, drawing from various sources of information.

French versions of the updates are available for Central Africa, West Africa and ESA .

These spaces are open for contribution and we invite all stakeholders and interested parties on ACP-EU trade relations to actively contribute, share or suggest any relevant piece of information on the on-going negotiations at acpeutrade@ecdpm.org .

Should you wish to make a confidential comment, please contact Melissa Julian ( mj@ecdpm.org ) or Corinna Braun-Munzinger ( cbm@ecdpm.org ).

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*** Nouveau à acp-eu-trade.org ***

La négociation des APE: Etat des lieux
- mises à jour hebdomadaires -

A l'heure où la négociation des APE s'est intensifiée dans toutes les régions, et alors que l'état d'avancement est en mutation constante, il est essentiel de pouvoir accéder aux dernières informations disponibles sur ces accords de grande envergure.

Poursuivant ses efforts pour accroître la transparence et pour une meilleure compréhension de ces négociations hautement sensibles, l'ECDPM a décidé de mettre en ligne des pages consacrées à chacune des régions ACP négociant un APE avec l'UE.

Mises à jour de manière hebdomadaire, ces pages visent à fournir un aperçu clair, concis et plus régulier de l'état d'avancement des négociations.

Les versions françaises de ces mises à jour sont disponibles pour les régions d'Afrique centrale, d'Afrique de l'Ouest, et d'Afrique orientale et australe. Ces pages sont accessibles sur les sites www.acp-eu-trade.org/ape et www.ecdpm.org/ape

Cet espace ne demande qu'à être un lieu d'échange. Nous invitons donc toutes les parties prenantes et intéressées par les relations commerciales entre les pays ACP et l'UE à contribuer activement au développement de ce site, à partager ou suggérer toutes les informations pertinentes relatives aux négociations en cours en écrivant à acpeutrade@ecdpm.org .

Pour les observations à caractère confidentiel, merci de contacter Melissa Julian ( mj@ecdpm.org ) ou Corinna Braun-Munzinger ( cbm@ecdpm.org ).

 

Dear readers,

As EPA negotiations are accelerating in face of the deadline of 31 December 2007, we created new dedicated webpages to keep you informed on the latest state of play in each region. The pages are accessible at www.acp-eu-trade/epa as well as at www.ecdpm.org/epa (identical content under both addresses) and will be updated weekly.

The monthly EPA negotiations update by Melissa Julian is available at www.acp-eu-trade.org/epaupdate as usual.

ACP-EU stakeholders are encouraged to participate in our new pages as well as in the various other services provided via this website with the aim to exchange relevant information, build up trade negotiating capacity and facilitate networking activities. We therefore invite our readers to take an active role in www.acp-eu-trade.org by:

We appreciate any feedback on this newsletter and look forward to your reactions. You may send your comments to acpeutrade@ecdpm.org.

Enjoy your reading!

Editors: Davina Makhan ( dm@ecdpm.org ) and Corinna Braun-Munzinger ( cbm@ecdpm.org )


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I. Focus On...
The EPAs Global Day of Action - Stop EPA Day - an interview with Alexander Woollcombe, spokesman for Oxfam International
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With only a few weeks to go before the end of year deadline for the EPA negotiations, the ACP-EU partnership on trade is taking very different features from one region to the other. While a comprehensive EPA will most likely be signed with the Caribbean (and in the EC's view, with Central Africa as well), a two-stage approach will be adopted in the Pacific and is being proposed to other ACP regions that are not in a position to sign a comprehensive EPA within the set timeline. On the other hand, West Africa has rejected such a proposal and requested for a two years extension of the negotiations. In the meantime, a wide coalition of NGOs in both Europe and the ACP organized an EPA Global Day of Action on the occasion of the 5 th anniversary of the launch of the EPA negotiations, on the 27 th of September. What are their demands?


1. What are the key messages that were put forward during the world-wide "EPAs Global Day of Action - Stop EPA Day" on 27th of September?

Free trade deals along the lines that have been proposed by the European Commission (EC) would threaten livelihoods and the environment and risk undermining future development and regional integration. National Parliaments and Governments, as well as EU institutions should reorientate the talks towards development. The EC must ensure that ACP exports to the EU are not disrupted for regions that don't sign an EPA, and consider interim measures such as an enhanced version of the EU's preferential market access scheme known as GSP+. Using the end of year deadline as a tactic to make ACP regions sign deals that are not in their interests is not acceptable.

Thousands of campaigners, workers, farmers and activists from across Europe , Africa , the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) share a common concern that what the EU has proposed will have a negative impact on development. On 27 September more than 200 organisations in over 40 countries organised events in dozens of cities across the EU and ACP. Campaigners marched in Port-au-Prince , Dakar , Nairobi , and Bamako . In St Vincent activists organised a Stop EPAs concert. Meetings with Government officials were held simultaneously in Ouagadougou , Copenhagen , Kampala , London and many other cities. In Brussels a protest took place in front of EU offices. Joining together we are united in asking the EU to look again at what it says is the only option for the ACP.


2. How do you intend to influence the negotiating process till the end of the year?

The point of 27 September was to show the world that thousands of people are worried about EPAs. Around the world, in the north and in the south, we stood in solidarity with people in Africa , the Caribbean and Pacific whose livelihoods are at risk from the impact of these free trade agreements. From now until the end of the year different organisations will be organise activities and in both the ACP and EU we will be talking to politicians, journalists, academic and trade experts, farmers, business people and the public, asking them to demand that any future trade deal is focussed on development.


3. What would be your take if EPAs are concluded?

It depends entirely on what is signed. If the EPA remains as the Commission forsees it the potential negative impact would be huge. Even the Commission now admits full EPAs won't be signed by the end of the year. However, they continue to insist that the ACP must sign a goods agreement before January and that would still be likely to have a severe impact on ACP economies. We're keeping the pressure and attention on negotiators to come up with a deal that is good for development.

For more information, see the Website of the epa2007 coalition http://www.epa2007.org/

See also our Resources from Recent events section for key documents.

 


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II. News: Highlights of the Month
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From ACP and EU news providers:
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* Kenyan farmers ask court to block proposed EU trade agreement
AFP, 26 October 2007
Kenyan small scale farmers on Thursday asked the high court to block a proposed new trade agreement with the European Union that activists warn could strangle poor economies and industries.

*CEMAC APE : Divergences trop profondes
bilaterals.org, PANEAC - Plate Forme des Acteurs Non Etatiques d'Afrique Centrale, Brussels, 24 Octobre 2007
Depuis le 15 octobre 2007, se déroulent à Bruxelles les négociations sur l'Accord de Partenariat Economique entre la Commission Européenne et l'Afrique Centrale. La Plateforme des Acteurs Non Etatiques de l'Afrique Centrale exprime sa vive inquiétude par rapport aux pressions multiformes exercées par la partie européenne pour aboutir à un accord capable de lui garantir un « régime commercial fiable et préférentiel » à l'échéance du 31 décembre 2007.
voir notre section Evénements pour plus de documents

* Africa 's Indian Ocean nations eye interim trade pact with EU
AFP, africasia.com, 25 October 2007
Four Africa 's Indian Ocean nations plan to sign a temporary trade pact with the European Union next month if eastern and southern Africa nations fail to agree on a new deal with the bloc, an official said Thursday.

* European Commission presents roadmap for negotiating trade agreements with ACP countries
Press release, European Commission, 23 October 2007
The European Commission has issued a communication to the Council and the European Parliament on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), setting out clearly the way forward and the issues at stake to conclude these important trade pacts. The Commission sees full EPAs as essential to enable ACP states to play a full part in international trade. The end of 2007 represents a firm deadline for negotiating the goods market access element of the EPAs, and the communication deals with how the Commission intends to work with the ACP to address this deadline while still securing full EPA content and full regional coverage. The communication also answers the important questions this raises for development cooperation, Rules of Origin and market access in the event full EPAs are not concluded.
-> * Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Economic Partnership Agreements
European Commission, 23 October 2007

* EU sees trade talks with ex-colonies going to wire
Reuters, 22 October 2007
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the EU was open to temporary deals before broader, more ambitious agreements are worked on next year and countries in Africa , the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) would be able to shield sensitive sectors. […] "If we have WTO-compatible offers in the next 2-3 weeks, I am optimistic we and the (EU) member states can put the new regime in place in time," Mandelson said. "After that, we will do everything we can, but cannot guarantee any country improved market access from Jan. 1."
-> Comments by Peter Mandelson at the INTA Committee of the European Parliament on 22 October 2007
European Commission, 23 October 2007  

* Commentary: The Economic Partnership Agreement: Schedule of negotiations
Richard L Bernal, Caribbean Net News, 20 October 2007
Recent commentary in the media has given the misleading impression that the CARIFORUM (CF) countries are being forced by the European Union (EU) to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) by the end of 2007. It implied that this puts the Region's negotiators at a disadvantage and suggests that a more prudent course of action would be to extend the duration of the negotiations. Its most extreme exposition takes the form of the sound bite: “no agreement is better than a bad agreement”. This is simply incorrect and is a disservice to the negotiating structure, the apex of which is the CARIFORUM Heads of Government. The mandate to the negotiators as repeatedly reiterated by the Ministers and Heads has been to finish the negotiations on the schedule mutually designed and agreed to by the CF and the EU. The rationale of these instructions is that the Region would be worse off without an EPA in place on January 1, 2007 , and that completion at a later date would put the region in a disadvantageous position.

* Trade-West Africa : ''No Postponement of EPA Deadline'' – EU
David Cronin, IPS, 19 October 2007
The European Union has rejected calls by West African states to postpone the end-of-year deadline for concluding a free trade agreement. Earlier this month, West African governments urged the EU not to insist that the proposed economic partnership agreement (EPA) be finalised by the deadline of December 31.
-> West Africa asked the EU to request an extension of the waiver at the WTO, see:
* Déclaration de la Réunion Extraordinaire des Ministres des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, membres du Comité Ministériel de Suivi des Négociations de l'APE
-> The EU rejects the demand to request an extension of the waiver, see:
* EU rejects delay in West Africa trade talks
Reuters, 10 October 2007

* Final communiqué of the 12th ECOWAS-EU Ministerial Troika Meeting
Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso , 11 October 2007

* EU rethink on trade threat to ex-colonies
Alan Beattie and Andrew Bounds, Financial Times, 8 October 2007
The European Union appears to have backed away from a threat made just last month to end unilaterally trade privileges extended to its former colonies unless they sign new trade deals. […] Last week,[…] Mr Mandelson announced that he was prepared to sign an interim deal with the Pacific region of about 20 island states covering goods only. Other controversial areas Brussels had fought for, where its companies have an edge - such as services trade, investment rules and opening the government procurement market - could wait until a second stage.
-> LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Brussels seeks to bolster ACP states
Peter Power and John Clancy, 12 October 2007
Sir, The European Union has not in any way backed away from its argument that January 1 2008 represents an important deadline for Europe and African, Caribbean and Pacific regions to agree new preferential trade agreements […].
-> LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Doubt over EU development credentials
Sanoussi Bilal and others, 17 October 2007
Sir, One truth stands out in the fierce argument over economic partnership agreements being negotiated between the European Union and its African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) trading partners. It is that the Commission is incorrect to claim that it has no legal choice but to raise tariffs in January 2008 […].

* Doubts Hang Over New EU Trade Deal
Benson Kathuri, East African Standard, Nairobi , 16 October 2007
Trade experts and negotiators from 16 African countries are meeting representatives of the European Union (EU) in Madagascar amid fears that the ongoing trade talks may not be completed by December.

* Pacific ACP leaders express need to intensify negotiations of EPA with EU
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, 15 October 2007
They noted that a lot of progress has been made but there is a need to intensify the region's exchange with the EU to sort out issues that still remain to be negotiated.
Of importance to the region was that both parties have agreed that it is not possible to conclude negotiations by December 2007, as initially perceived, and that an Interim Arrangement would be in place until a more comprehensive EPA comes into force. The Pacific ACP Leaders released a Statement on the EPA negotiations and endorsed PACP-EC Declaration on Development Cooperation which will be submitted during the dialogue with the EU on Friday 19th October in Nuku'alofa.
See also the Joint Declaration of the Pacific-EC Ministerial meeting in our Resources from recent events section

* Council agrees EU strategy on aid for trade
Press release, Council of the European Union, 15 October 2007
The Council today agreed a strategy on "aid for trade" that includes clear figures on the
amount of aid potentially available, as well as clear dates for when the funds will be
available. The strategy is aimed at enabling all developing countries, particularly the least
developed ones, to better integrate into the world trade system and to use trade more
effectively and in a sustainable way in the eradication of poverty. The strategy enables the
EU to make a substantial input to the upcoming WTO global review on aid for trade in
Geneva on 20 and 21 November 2007.
See our Library section for the EU Aid for Trade Strategy document adopted

* EAC to conclude and sign Economic Partnership Agreement with European Union as a bloc
African Press Organization, 12 October 2007
[…]EAC Ministers of Trade met in Nairobi, Kenya on 11th October 2007 and endorsed recommendations of the EAC Expert Working Group that in order to comply with the Summit directive, the EAC Partner States will harmonize and adopt a common market access proposals that will be tabled in both Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)-EPA and Southern African Development Community (SADC)-EPA Configurations respectively.
This harmonized common market access proposals takes into account that EAC Customs Union provisions will be protected and promoted and that it will provide scope for the necessary negotiations space for EAC Partner States and the European Union. The EAC Partner States will also present this harmonized EAC-EPA text as the common text to be finally agreed upon with the EU.
-> see also: * East African states to shield domestic industries in EU trade pact
Angola Press, 13 October 2007
[…] the ministers stated categorically that the region`s common taxation regime of zero tax for all raw materials, 10% tax on semi-processed goods and 25% for finished products such as cars and machinery would be retained after the signing of the EPAs.

* Turning Trade With Europe to Good Regional Account
Mathabo Le Roux, Business Day, Johannesburg , 11 October 2007
HOW many Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one. But it will take at least six years to switch the light on - and even that's a pretty tight timeframe. That may sound like a bad take on an old joke, but it just about sums up the relationship between members of SADC, and their approach to bilateral trade negotiations with the European Union (EU). Other variations come in handy to describe the situation peculiar to SADC. Such as: "None. The EU hasn't funded the light bulb yet." Or, "First define who belongs to SADC". Or how about this one: "None. There is no socket to fit the light bulb in." Maybe a few followers of the trade scene have cracked a bit of a chuckle by now, but the rest of us will be pretty much in the dark. That's not because we're stupid. It points to another fatal flaw of SADC and its talks with the EU - the way that politicians have captured a process, crucial to exporters who do business with the region's most important trading partner, without really consulting on the private sector's needs.

* Ape: L'Union européenne lâche-t-elle l'Afrique centrale ?
La Nouvelle Expression, 9 October 2007
Elle se montre réticente à soutenir la création du Fonds régional pourtant indispensable à la mise à niveau des économies de la sous-région. Dans la perspective de l'entrée en vigueur, en janvier 2008, des accords de partenariat économique.

* Sugar protocol could end up in court
Miranda La Rose, Starbroek News, 9 October 2007
There is no guarantee that the six proposals by the Caribbean to the EU to assure market access for sugar would be accepted, President Bharrat Jagdeo says and he added that regional leaders are keen to test the legality of the scrapped Sugar Protocol in court.

* CARIFORUM Heads Committed to Concluding EPA Negotiations by Year End
Jamaica Information Service, 11 October 2007

* African industrialists oppose the Economic Partnership Agreements
African Industrial Association, 4 October 2007
Nearly a 100 industrialists signed the AIA petition against the conclusion of the EPA
-> EN FR

* Let Caricom call for ACP summit, says former Commonwealth SG
Rickey Singh, The Jamaica Observer, 4 October 2007
Caricom heads should take the initiative for a special summit of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) governments in the interest of collectively securing "the best possible" Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union.
The suggestion was made by Sir Shridath Ramphal, who once headed the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) and, along with former Jamaica Prime Minister PJ Patterson, had played key roles in the inauguration of the original ACP group of countries back in 1975.

* Aid for Trade could help producers
Sarah McGregor, Terraviva Europe, 3 October 2007    
Agricultural exporters in poor nations need funds and technical assistance to comply with food safety norms in order to boost their share of world trade, according to World Trade Organization (WTO) representatives. WTO Director General Pascal Lamy said giving higher priority to the safety standards of exports could prepare the poorest nations to benefit more from the Doha development round.

* Afrique de l'ouest : la société civile fait face aux négociateurs. " On se parle mais on ne s'entend pas."
Passerelles, ICTSD, Vol.6, N. 8, 30 septembre 2007
ll existe actuellement un véritable dialogue de sourd entre les autorités gouvernementales chargées des négociations APE et les institutions d'intégration régionales d'une côté et la société civile de l'autre. La formule proposée dans l'accord de Cotonou qui consiste à réunir les acteurs étatiques et non étatiques dans une même synergie pour participer aux négociations des APE n'a pas résisté aux soubresauts de ces pourparlers.

* Denunciation of the Sugar Protocol
On 28 September 2007, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision to unilaterally denounce the sugar protocol annexed to the Cotonou Agreement with effect from 1 October 2009 . See:
-> Council decision published in the Official Journal of the European Union, 29 September 2007
-> Council press release : Council Decision to denounce the ACP Sugar Protocol
-> ACP press release: ACP countries express deep concern at EU Decision to terminate ACP-EU Sugar Protocol

* Trade: World Bank asks for more time on EPAs
David Cronin, Terraviva Europe, 28 September 2007
Senior World Bank staff have asked the European Union to consider extending the end-of-year deadline it has set for a series of free trade agreements with Africa . […] Although economists at the 185-country World Bank say they favour moves to boost trade between Europe and Africa , they have suggested that more time is needed to thrash out the kind of comprehensive market liberalisation accord favoured by the European Commission.

* Unions call on EU to prolong EPA negotiations
ETUC, 27 September 2007
In a letter addressed to EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) have urged the European Commission to extend the negotiation period of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the 77 countries of Africa , the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) beyond the end of December 2007. 

* Les syndicats appellent l'Union européenne à prolonger les négociations des APE
CES, 27 septembre 2007
Dans une lettre adressée à Peter Mandelson, le Commissaire de l'UE en charge du commerce, la Confédération syndicale internationale (CSI) et la Confédération européenne des syndicats (CES) ont vivement incité la Commission européenne à prolonger la période de négociation des Accords de partenariat économique (APE) avec les 77 pays d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP) au-delà de la fin décembre 2007. 

* UK calls for new trade agreements that work for the poor, not against them
26 September 2007
Last weekend, Trade and Development Minister Gareth Thomas travelled to an EU Development Meeting in Madeira to make the case that new trade deals - 'Economic Partnership Agreements' - between the EU and the 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries can be achieved by the end of the year, if all the countries involved focus on what is necessary and leave other issues off the negotiating table until later. These new arrangements need to work for the poor and promote development by making trade with EU markets freer and less expensive.
See also Oxfam response to UK government statement on EPAs
28 September 2007
On the surface, this looks like a fairly development friendly position from the UK government but we are concerned that they may be moving closer to the position of the Commission, at the expense of the ACP. EPAs are Free Trade Agreements by any other name, and as such will oblige developing countries to liberalise almost all their goods in a "reasonable period of time" (usually believed to be about 10 years). This is in no way a good basis for a development agreement between trading blocs of such unequal weight.

See also acp-eu-trade.org's News section, updated every week!


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III. Selection from www.acp-eu-trade.org's Library
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* Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Economic Partnership Agreements
European Commission, 23 October 2007
[...] The primary objective of the Commission is, therefore, to secure full regional EPAs within the deadline set by the expiry of the current trade arrangements. This is achievable in some regions. For the other regions, this Communication sets out the approach to ensuring progress to full regional EPAs is maintained while avoiding, in so far as possible, any interruption to the trade regime for goods originating in the ACP countries.[...]

* From Legal Commitments to Practice: Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements
Sanoussi Bilal, Franziska Jerosch, Niels Keijzer, Christiane Loquai, ECDPM Discussion Paper 79, October 2007
As the contours and implications of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries gradually emerge, it is becoming clear that careful consideration needs to be given to the challenges of their implementation, which is in principle due to start in 2008.
Although people are growing more aware of the importance of monitoring the implementation and impact of EPAs, little thought has been given so far to the possible details of a monitoring mechanism. The ECDPM has engaged in and encouraged debate on this issue, with its partners and through a consultative process. In view of the imminent deadline for the conclusion of the EPAs, and the information needs of the negotiating parties and the many different actors involved, this paper seeks to share the key conclusions and recommendations emerging from this work.

* Overview of Article 37(4) Reviews of the EPA Negotiations
ECDPM Discussion Paper 81, October 2007
This paper aims to provide an overview and summary of the Article 37(4) reviews of the EPA negotiations which took place at the level of each EPA negotiating region. According to the Cotonou Agreement, the review exercise was to be conducted in 2006. While the process was formally initiated in July 2006, the results of the formal joint review were only adopted at the joint ACP-EU Council in May 2007. This paper should be seen as a reference document, informing on a process that took place in the context of the EPA negotiations a few months before 31 December 2007 , the deadline set for the conclusion of the negotiations.

* Le choix régional des produits sensibles à l 'APE soumis au jugement majoritaire des pays de l 'Afrique de l'Ouest
Unité Mixte de Recherche en Economie Publique INRA - AgroParisTech, octobre 2007
La préférence qui serait accordée par l'Afrique de l'Ouest aux produits européens importés, dans le cadre de l'Accord de Partenariat Economique, est une source d'inquiétude pour les pays de cette région.
Pour chacun des pays, l'évaluation des critères de la sensibilité nationale prend en compte les points de vue parfois contradictoires des diffèrent groupes : l'Etat et le critère fiscal, les producteurs domestiques et le critère d'impact productif, les consommateurs et le critère de pouvoir d'achat, les partenaires commerciaux et le critère d'intégration régionale. La méthode retenue de soumettre au jugement majoritaire les critères nationaux de vulnérabilité permet ainsi d'obtenir un classement des produits sensibles compatibles avec les objectifs économiques régionaux et recevant l'adhésion de la majorité des pays.

* Economic Partnership Agreements: concerns regarding Policy Coherence for Development
Trade Case 6.1, EU Coherence project, Evert Vermeer Foundation/Concord, 12 October 2007
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are meant to merge development policy and trade policy into a comprehensive framework within the Cotonou agreement. EPA negotiations between the EU and 6 regions of ACP countries are still ongoing and have now entered the final stage. EPAs are scheduled to take effect in January 2008. This case study draws attention to a number of concerns regarding the coherence of Development and Trade policies.

* Adoption of an EU Strategy on Aid for Trade: Enhancing EU support for trade-related needs in developing countries
Note from the Permanent Representatives Committee to the Council, Council of the European Union, 11 October 2007
The EU Strategy on Aid for Trade (AfT) will help Member States and the European Community (EC) to support all developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to better integrate into the rules-based world trading system and to more effectively use trade in promoting the overarching objective of eradication of poverty in the context of sustainable development.

* Demystifying Trade in Services: A Strategic Guide for ACP EPA Negotiators
South Centre, Fact Sheet No. 5, October 2007
This Fact Sheet focuses on what it is that ACP countries will have to contend with, in terms of rules, principles and concepts on international and regional trade in services, so as to better inform a negotiation in which they already engage. In so doing, it discusses key general concepts in the multilateral framework governing trade in services, provides an overview of the role of services in ACP economies, contextualises the EU-ACP relationship on services from Lomé to Cotonou times and discusses the rules and principles that constitute WTO compatibility of services economic integration agreements (EIAs).

* Is GSP+ an alternative to an Economic Partnership Agreement?
European Commission, 27 September 2007
[ Note: Some observers indicate countries need to sign, ratify and implement the 16 core conventions and only 7 of the other governance/environment/narcotics conventions. This totals 23 and not 27 as indicated by the EC in this paper.]

* ACP Tariff Policy Space in EPAs: The possibilities for ACP countries to exempt products from liberalisation commitments under asymmetric EPAs
Jane Kennan and Christopher Stevens, Overseas Development Institute, July 2007
This report asks one very specific question in relation to Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that fulfil the stated European Union (EU) interpretation of the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) requirements for free trade areas (under Article XXIV). It is whether
African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states could retain policy space in relation to imports on which they currently levy high tariffs. In other words, is it inherent in EPAs that they require all high tariffs to be removed, or is this an area open to negotiation?

* Draft EU - Eastern and Southern Africa EPA
Draft joint texts, July 2007, published by bilaterals.org

* Draft EU - SADC EPA
Draft European Commission proposal, submitted to SADC for preparation of the 21-24 June negotiations, published by bilaterals.org

* Draft EU - ECOWAS EPA
European Commission working document, draft of 4 April 2007, published by bilaterals.org
EN FR


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IV. Resources from Recent Events
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* Evénement: Conférence de presse: Négociations des Accords de partenariat économique: où en est l'Afrique centrale?
International Press Center – IPC, Résidence Palace, Salle Maelbeek, rue de la Loi 155, 1040 Bruxelles
Date: 26 octobre 2007 de 10h30 à 12h30
Organisé par APRODEV et SOS Faim. A quelques jours de la réunion ministérielle du 29 octobre qui doit statuer sur un projet d'accord, des représentants des 3 groupes de négociateurs de l'Afrique Centrale - à savoir les Etats, le patronat et la société civile - s'exprimeront sur les orientations prises dans ces négociations.
Resources:
-> CEMAC APE : Divergences trop profondes
-> Rapport des travaux du groupe de travail conjoint sur l'accès aux marchés et les autres questions douanières (GTAD)
-> Préoccupations de la société civile

* Event: Is the trade tide turning? - African delegation on tour in Europe on EPAs
Date: 11 October – 21 October 2007
An African delegation of representatives from African farmers, trade unions, private sector organisations and members of Parliament will be touring Europe to urge national parliamentarians and ministers to send a political message to the European Commission to change direction in the EPA negotiations.
Resources:
-> ActionAid webpage

* Event: 12th ECOWAS-EU Ministerial Troika Meeting, Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso
Date: 11 October 2007
Resources:
-> Final communiqué

* Event: Meeting of the ACP Legal Experts on EPA Negotiations, Brussels
Date: 9 – 11 October 2007
The meeting considered the following main issues:
•  Status of EPA texts in each region;
•  Dispute settlement mechanism;
•  Relationship between the Cotonou Agreement and EPAs in the areas of the Non- Execution Clause and procedures for delivery of support for EPAs;
•  Definition of parties;
•  Entry into force - transition measures and ratification process;
•  Final provisions – duration; withdrawal; review clause; and exceptions;
•  Institutional issues; and
•  Notification to WTO.
Resources:
-> Final report EN FR

* Evénement: Réunion Extraordinaire des Ministres des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, membres du Comité Ministériel de Suivi des Négociations de l'APE, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Date: 5 octobre 2007
Ressources:
-> Déclaration
-> Relève des conclusions et recommandations

* Event: Special Meeting of CARIFORUM Head of Governments and EC Commissioners for Trade and for Development, Montego Bay , Jamaica
Date: 4-5 October 2007
Resources:
-> Communiqué
-> Summary of the meeting in RNM UPDATE 0713, 11 October 2007
-> Remarks by Louis Michel, EU Commissioner at Conclusion of CARIFORUM/EU Talks on EPA
-> Progress report on CARIFORUM negotiations towards an EPA with the EC by Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica, delivered at the House of Representatives, 9 October 2007

* Event: “Count down to the conclusion of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) negotiations: Case for SADC and ESA”, Harare, Zimbabwe
Date: 3-4 October 2007
Hosted by Trade and Development Studies (TRADES) Centre
Resources:
-> Communiqué of the Regional Conference

* Event: Pacific-EC EPA Ministerial Meeting, Brussels
Date: 2 October 2007
“The Meeting agreed that, in view of the short time available until the deadline of 31 December 2007 , it was necessary to conclude a WTO-compatible interim agreement as a stepping stone to a comprehensive EPA. This agreement would include agreed goods schedules, rules of origin, safeguards and other necessary elements as identified in the meeting and, depending on the progress in negotiations, also fisheries, competition, development cooperation provisions and any other text that could already be agreed at this stage. It was agreed that the interim agreement would enter into force on 1 January 2008 and would remain in force until succeeded by a comprehensive EPA. It was also agreed that those PACP States not becoming party to the interim agreement at its inception could join at any future date on comparable terms and conditions.”
Resources:
-> Joint Declaration

* Event: STOP EPAs Day
Date: 27 September 2007
Global day of action organized by a coalition of civil society organisations on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the start of negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreements.
Resources:
-> Website of the epa2007 coalition
-> Joint statement
-> An open letter to anti-poverty campaigners from EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel , published on 27 September 2007
-> Oxfam response to Open Letter on EPAs from Commissioners Mandelson and Michel, Press release, Oxfam GB, 27 September 2007

* Event: 4th ESA-EC EPA Text based Negotiations, Kigali , Rwanda
Date: 22 September 2007
Resources:
-> Draft Joint Conclusions of the meeting, annexed to a summary of the meeting by Trade Network Africa

* Event: Crossing development red lines?: Toward a technical analysis of implications of EC proposals for EPA provisions, Brussels
Date: 13 September 2007
Resources:
-> Summary report of a roundtable discussion
There is potential for EPAs to bring real benefits to the development prospects of the ACP, but much work remains to be done and a more open-minded approach is needed. This was the main conclusion of a roundtable between development academics and professionals and ACP and EU member state officials to discuss draft EPA texts as proposed by the EC. The first part of this brief draws on experts' technical analysis to give guidance on the necessary shifts in approach to the negotiating process. The second part highlights some of the key issues in each area of the talks that need attention to achieve the best outcome for poor producers and traders in ACP countries. 

* Evénement: Synergies APE-OMC pour la promotion du commerce en Afrique centrale: Atelier régional sur la cohérence entre les négociations APE et OMC, Yaoundé, Cameroun
Date: 10-12 Septembre 2007
Organisé par «Juristes et Economistes Internationaux contre la Pauvreté»
(JEICP), en collaboration avec la CEMAC, l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
(OIF), le Secrétariat du Commonwealth, et ECDPM. Ledit atelier a réuni une trentaine
d'Experts, membres et représentants des organismes et Pays suivants : l'OIF, la CEMAC,
l'ECDPM, le Cameroun, la RCA et la RDC.
Ressources:
-> Rapport par JEICP

* Event: Commodities, Rules of Origin, development and Legal dimensions of the European Union/ Africa Economic Partnership Debates
Date: 7-8 September 2007
Organised by Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala , Sweden
Resources:
-> Conference documentation, including presentations given


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VI. Upcoming Events
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* Event: Joint EU-AU Ministerial Troika Meeting, Accra , Ghana
Date: 31 October 2007  

* Event: Meetings of ACP Trade Ministers responsible for EPAs, Brussels
Date: 5-9 November 2007

* Event: EU Development Days, Lisbon, Portugal
Date: 7-9 November
"Climate Change and Development Cooperation"   is the subject of the second edition of the European Development Days.
Resources:
-> Dedicated European Commission webpage

* Evénement: Assemblée générale, Union des conseils économiques et sociaux de l'Afrique (UCESA)
Date: 13 November 2007
Thème: les accords de partenariat économique
Ressources :
-> Article dans Le Maghreb, 17 juin 2007

* Event: ACP EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Kigali, Rwanda
Date: 17-22 November 2007
Resources:
-> Agenda
-> Website of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly EN FR

* Event: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council with development and defence ministers
Date: 19-20 November 2007

* Event: Meeting between members of Pan African Parliament and European Parliament, Lisbon
Date: 30 November 2007
The meeting should result in a joint declaration that will be presented by the two Presidents to the Heads of State at the Lisbon Summit (tbc).

 

Check our website for more events and resources!  http://www.acp-eu-trade.org

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