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The acp-eu-trade.org newsletter -- No. 26/February 2009
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In this issue:
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I. Trade Negotiations Insights Vol.8, No.1
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II. News: Highlights of the month
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III. Selection from the acp-eu-trade.org Library
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IV. Resources from Recent Events
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V. Resources on Upcoming Events
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Dear readers,
Welcome to the February issue of the acp-eu-trade.org newsletter!
Below you will find a link to the February issue of Trade Negotiations Insights as well as a collection of press articles published during the past month and a selection of recently added documents in the acp-eu-trade.org library. As usual, we also provide some resources on recent and upcoming events relevant to ACP-EU trade relations.
ACP-EU stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the various 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:
- Registering on-line as a trade and development expert to help mobilise the best expertise in ACP-EU trade and development matters and give interested parties easier access to information on relevant internationally recognized experts or consultants;
- Submitting relevant background and policy documents, news and links that will enrich the ACP-EU trade debate;
- Subscribing to our monthly newsletter as well as other partners' to be kept informed of latest developments in the ACP-EU trade realm;
- Sharing your views on the current ACP-EU Trade debate and providing feedback on the relevance and future focus areas of www.acp-eu-trade.org
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: Corinna Braun-Munzinger (cbm@ecdpm.org) and Stéphanie Colin (sco@ecdpm.org)
I. Trade Negotiations Insights Vol.8, No.1
The February 2009 issue of Trade Negotiations Insights (TNI), a joint monthly publication by ICTSD and ECDPM, is available online at: www.ictsd.org/tni/index.htm and www.acp-eu-trade.org/tni
Trade Negotiations Insights, Vol. 8, No. 1, February 2009
• Replace controversy with debate, says Ashton : A TNI exclusive interview with Baroness Catherine Ashton
• Editorial & News and publications In brief
• 2009: EPAs at the crossroads
• A unilateral perspective on an international concern : A look at the EU’s IUU regulation
• The cultural sector and the EPAs: 1) As EPA ink dries : What’s next for our creative sectors in the Caribbean? 2)Expanding trade flows of cultural goods and services
• Undercutting Africa : Why EPAs threaten the world’s forests and forest peoples
• A perfect storm : Ensuring trade promotes resiliency and adaption against climate change threats
• WTO Roundup
• EPA Negotiations update
• Calendar and resources
Eclairage sur les Négociations, Vol.8, No.1, février 2009
• Ashton demande aux négociateurs des APE de substituer un débat positif à la controverse : interview exclusive avec la Baronne Catherine Ashton
• Éditorial & Nouvelles et Publications En bref
• 2009: Un tournant pour les négociations
• Le Règlement de l’UE contre la pêche INN: Une préoccupation internationale appréciée de manière unilatérale
• Le secteur culturel et les APE: 1) Suite au tout récent APE:Que peuvent attendre nos secteurs créatifs caribéens? 2) L’extension des flux de biens et services culturels entre l’UE et les pays ACP
• L’Afrique bradée: Comment les APE menacent les forêts du monde et ses communautés
• Un cercle vertueux : Garantir que le commerce encourage la résistance et l’adaptation face aux menaces du changement climatique dans les pays en développement
• Aperçu sur l’OMC
• Le point sur les négociations APE
• Calendrier et publications
** All-ACP **
*Interim EPAs Put African Regional Integration in Jeopardy
George Esunge Fominyen, originally published in Flame of Africa, 22 February 2009
African civil society representatives have warned that the signing of Interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) between the European Union and some African countries will undermine the fledgling processes of regional integration on the continent. They held this position at a seminar organised under the banner of the African Trade network (ATN) during the 2009 Social Forum in Belem.
* Sierra Leone: Country's EU Envoy Assumes ACP Chair
Chernor Ojuku Sesay, Concord Times / allAfrica.com, 17 February 2009
Sierra Leone's ambassador to Brussels and the European Union has on Thursday 12 February assumed the chairmanship of the sub-committee on trade and commodity protocols of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Dr. Christian Kargbo takes over from the Mauritius ambassador, Sutiawan Gunessee who had been at the helm of affairs since February 2008. Dr. Kargbo's tenure as chairman ends in January 2010.
* South Centre Cautions African Countries when Approaching Economic Partnership Agreements
Press release, South Centre, 17 February 2009
The way EPA has been conceived, based on the requirement for reciprocal market opening with the European Union (EU), is likely to bring more losses than gains for Africa. The gains are not much, as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which make up 34 out of 47 African countries negotiating the EPAs, can avail of the Everything But Arms (EBA) preferential scheme of the EU. And the value of the preferences African countries will reap from an EPA will essentially become nil in about 5 to 10 years. It is of vital importance for developing and the least developed countries, that the options for industrialisation for future generations are not foreclosed.
* AU lays groundwork for fair trade deal with EU
Allan Odhiambo, Business Daily, 6 February 2009
The leadership of the African Union has urged for stronger participation of regional economic communities (RECs) in the ongoing negotiation for trade pacts with Europe to guard against warped deals that may harm their developing economies. “The Assembly has requested the AU Commission to ensure the effective involvement of the RECs and other stakeholders in the implementation and monitoring processes,” African Heads of State said in a resolution at the just ended 12th ordinary summit in Addis Ababa. And in a bid to enforce this decision the assembly further requested the commission to submit a special report to each session of the executive council on the progress made in the implementation of the partnership with the European Union.
-> see also Resources from Recent Events
* New urgency on EU-ACP trade deal
Steve Schifferes, BBC, 29 January 2009
It has been one year since many African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations balked at signing a new trade deal with the EU. Now, with world trade talks stalled and the world economy in crisis, there is a new push to complete the deal. On Tuesday the new EU trade commissioner, Baroness Ashton, held informal talks with representatives of the EU's former colonies under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat to try and make progress. […] Speaking to the BBC, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamelesh Sharma said that he hoped both sides would show renewed flexibility and offered help "to move key global issues in a positive direction". Mr Sharma said that he detected a new urgency as poor countries are concerned about the impact of the slowdown on their domestic economies.
* « Better Training for Safer Food in Africa », the new programme of the European Commission
Pesticides Initiative Programme (PIP), Newsletter of the PIP n°51, January 2009
The 2009-2010 programme « Better Training for Safer Food in Africa » is now being launched. The Health and Consumers Directorate General (EC), in cooperation with the African Union Commission, are jointly coordinating the implementation of six capacity building activities. The aim of this initiative, dedicated to Africa, is to strengthen the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) capacity of African countries.
An opening conference at Ministerial and Senior Official level is being organised in Addis Ababa on 3rd April 2009. The aim of this conference will be to present the overall programme work plan and to obtain further specialised inputs and wider support ahead of the implementation phase that is scheduled to run until 31 December 2010.
** Caribbean **
* EU partnership accord with the Caribbean: green light from MEPs, with conditions
Press release, European Parliament, 24 February 2009
The European Parliament should give its assent to the economic partnership agreement between the Cariforum states and the EU, provided that undertakings are given by the Commission and Council for a review clause and that extra aid for trade is included, says the EP International Trade Committee in a resolution to be tabled to Parliament's plenary, which was drafted by David Martin (PES, UK) and adopted on Tuesday.
-> see also: * EU/Cariforum - Economic partnership agreement
Press release, Council of the European Union, 10 February 2009 (see p. 21)
The Council decided to forward to the European Parliament for assent a draft decision on the
conclusion of an economic partnership agreement with the Cariforum states. Once the Parliament
has given the go-ahead, the Council will approve the conclusion of the agreement.
* CARICOM Secretariat sets up EPA Implementation Unit
Press release, CARICOM, 18 February 2009
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has moved to ensure urgent implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed with the European Community (EC).
In keeping with the directive of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, the Secretariat has established a Unit to coordinate the implementation of the Agreement which was signed in October last year by the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) and the EC. […] The Unit is headed by Mr. Branford Isaacs, Adviser to the Secretary-General on EPA Implementation, and Specialist on Trade in Goods, and began its work on Monday 16 February 2009.
* Deglobalisation and the EPA
David Jessop, BBC Caribbean, 2 February 2009
Despite the EPA’s signing last October, the continuing level of dissension and inter-regional animosity persists between institutions, individuals and governments and reaches to the highest levels. Indeed so toxic has this become and so unlikely is it to go away soon that it has is one of a number of issues that are making it ever more difficult for Caricom to meet and more importantly implement policy, irrespective of the pressures of the global economic crisis. This and Governments’ growing desire to create national consensus-based solutions to respond to the recession is pushing the EPA and its implementation aside and ceding all responsibility to a regional system that seems ever less relevant to the world in which the Caribbean finds itself (which should not be taken as a criticism of the many hard working and thoughtful individuals who under difficult circumstances work hard for the region).
** West Africa **
* EU and West African EPA negotiators meet in Dakar
European Commission, EPA Flash News, 25 February 2009
The European Commission and West African negotiators met in Dakar (Senegal) on 16-20 February 2009 for an EPA negotiation round at technical and senior official level.
The negotiations took place in a very positive and constructive spirit. West Africa tabled for the first time a draft regional market access offer (to be considered in the broader framework of regional integration within ECOWAS), and also proposals on services, competition, cooperation for the implementation of the EPA, dispute settlement, general exceptions, institutional arrangements, EPA final provisions and other EPA-related issues.
The important EPA development plan (PAPED) was also discussed at Dakar and further refined.
The shared objective of the Parties is to reach a comprehensive regional Agreement by June 2009, as requested by West African Heads of States.
* Afrique de l'ouest - Taxer davantage les produits agricoles importés (Roppa)
Terre-Net, 11 février 2009
Le Réseau des organisations paysannes et de producteurs d'Afrique de l'ouest (Roppa) a réclamé lundi, lors d'une réunion à Ouagadougou, que les produits agricoles importés dans la région soient taxés à plus de 50%, et non pas à 35% comme l'ont prévu les chefs d'Etat. Le réseau de paysans ouest-africains va remettre aujourd'hui un mémorandum à ce sujet aux représentants de l'Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (Uémoa, 8 pays) et de la Cédéao (Communauté économique des Etats de l'Afrique de l'ouest (15 pays), réunis en session dans la capitale burkinabè.
-> à voir aussi: * Protection des produits agricoles: un impératif pour un développement harmonieux, Jonathan Yameogo, Rasmané Simbre, Sidwaya, 11 février 2009
* Nigeria’s Cocoa Processing Sector Faces Collapse
Crusoe Osagie, This Day / bilaterals.org, 9 February 2009
For failing to assent to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being proposed by the EU to the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, processed agricultural produce being exported from Nigeria to the EU attracts an extra cost of a minimum of 6 per cent of the total value of products being exported. Similar products being exported from countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and others who have endorsed the temporary EPA do not attract this extra cost, therefore putting Nigerian products at a major cost disadvantage in the export of processed products to the EU. […]
The Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN), represented by Managing Directors of six of the cocoa processing companies still in operation, disclosed that if the current threats facing the industry are not addressed as soon as possible, all the companies would shut down within the next five or six months.
* La contre-proposition aux APE doit être axée sur l’industrialisation, selon le sénateur Daouda Faye
The Dakar Times, 3 février 2009
La contre-proposition aux Accords de partenariat économique (APE) doit être axée sur l’industrialisation de nos pays, a soutenu le sénateur Daouda Faye selon qui aucune autre question ne devrait être examinée sans qu’une solution ne soit apportée à cette première exigence. "Notre contre-proposition doit être axée essentiellement sur l’industrialisation de nos pays avec comme priorité l’agro-industriel. Aucune autre question ne devrait être examinée sans qu’une solution acceptable ne soit apportée à cette question fondamentale et vitale". Selon lui, il est impératif de faire une contre-proposition à l’Europe, après une large concertation entre l’exécutif, le Parlement et les acteurs économiques. "Nous ne pouvons pas faire tomber les barrières douanières installées dans nos ports et aéroports pour laisser l’Europe ioder nos économies encore fragiles", estime le parlementaire sénégalais. […]
"Il nous faut descendre sur le terrain avec nos richesses principales que sont la matière grise de qualité de nos cadres, le dynamisme de nos populations et nos ressources agricoles et minières", argumente le vice-président du Sénat. Le vice-président délégué aux ACP reste ainsi persuadé que l’Europe comprendra la légitimité de nos préoccupations et acceptera la main tendue des pays ACP autour d’un dialogue sincère et objectif pour une solution durable.
* Négociations-Introduction des services dans les Ape : Les acteurs expriment leurs inquiétudes
Le Quotidien, 23 Janvier 2009
Abdoulaye Ndiaye, consultant, qui a présenté une étude commanditée par l’Ue, sur 15 pays de la Cedeao, indique que les secteurs de la communication, du tourisme, des transports, de construction, ou les services culturels entre autres, sont parmi les plus porteurs dans la région.
Malgré tout, parmi les participants à l’atelier de Dakar (22-23 janvier), certains ne semblent pas favorables à l’introduction du commerce des services dans les Ape. Préoccupés par plusieurs contraintes, ces derniers ont émis des réserves sur ce projet. Compte tenu aux contraintes endogènes et exogènes, ces acteurs estiment que leurs priorités sont ailleurs.
** Central Africa **
* Désaccord entre l'UE et la Région Afrique centrale sur les APE
Afrique en ligne, 17 février 2009
Les pays de la Région Afrique centrale sont en désaccord avec l'Union européenne sur les négociations en vue de la conclusion d'un APE complet, indique un communiqué de la Commission européenne remis mardi à la presse à Bruxelles. […]
Selon le communiqué publié par les services de la Commission européenne, des divergences importantes persistent entre l'Union européenne et les pays de la région, notamment sur le niveau d'accès offert au marché par les pays d'Afrique centrale, ainsi que la coopération au développement. Les divergences existent, par ailleurs, sur les mesures d'accompagnement pour renforcer la compétitivité et les capacités des économies des pays d'Afrique centrale.
L'Union européenne entend mener les négociations en vue de conclure un APE complet avec les pays d'Afrique centrale avant la fin de l'année 2009.
* Signature des Ape : Nouvelle impasse autour des négociations
Mutations / Cameroon-Info, 9 février 2009
L'Afrique centrale fait des concessions devant des négociateurs européens toujours inflexibles.
Un énième round des négociations entre pays d'Afrique centrale et de l'Union européenne devant permettre d'aboutir à la signature d'un Accord de partenariat économique (Pae) global entre les deux communautés se joue à Libreville, au Gabon, depuis le 2 février dernier. C'est ce que révèle un communiqué presque alarmiste de la Plateforme des acteurs non étatiques d'Afrique centrale (Paneac), rendu public le 5 février dernier à Libreville, et dont Mutations a pu obtenir copie. Selon ledit communiqué, "après quatre jours de travaux, les négociations tendent à nouveau vers l'impasse pour deux raisons principales : le manque de flexibilité de l'Union européenne (Ue) sur toutes les questions en discussion, et le recul de la partie européenne sur plusieurs points concernant le volet développement des Ape".
-> A voir aussi : * APE: négociations avec l'UE mais l'Afrique centrale "pas prête" (ONG)
AFP / MONUC, 10 février 2009
** ESA **
* European Commission, Tanzanian and other EPA experts discuss services in EPAs
EPA Flash News, European Commission, 24 February 2009
European Commission officials, Tanzanian officials and other stakeholders from the Tanzanian private and public sectors, and EPA experts from other EAC (Eastern African Community) countries discussed the role of services in the WTO and EPA framework at an information seminar in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on 16-17 February 2009. The seminar was not part of official negotiations, but was aimed at sparking better understanding, communications and debate on EPA-related issues. It was nevertheless useful in clarifying a number of items in view of next EU-EAC negotiation session, to be held in Mombasa (Kenya) later in 2009.
-> see also Resources from Recent Events
* EAC may seek deadline extension on EPA with EU
Allan Odhiambo, Business Daily / tralac, 13 February 2009
Kenya and other partner states in the East African Community (EAC) may push for an extension of the deadline of signing new trade deals with the European Union (EU) to allow for comprehensive agreements. Trade Permanent Secretary Cyrus Njiru said that although discussions for the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the EAC and the EU are progressing well, they require sufficient time to review all forms of engagement to guard against sloppiness. “There is a lot of good will from both sides and things are progressing well. But should we fail to iron out all issues on time we could ask [for] an extension”, Njiru said on the sidelines of a trade conference in Nairobi yesterday.
* L'île Maurice veut obtenir des règles d'origine plus favorables auprès de ses partenaires commerciaux
Xinhua, 5 February 2009
L'île Maurice veut obtenir des règles d'origine plus favorables auprès de ses partenaires commerciaux en vue de faciliter l'accès de ses produits à ces marchés, a déclaré le secrétaire aux Affaires étrangères, Anand Neewoor, lors d'un atelier de travail national de trois jours sur les règles d'origine organisé avec le soutien de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC), ouvert mardi. Anand Neewoor a indiqué que sous l'accord de partenariat économique intérimaire entre Maurice et l'Union européenne, accord paraphé en décembre 2007, Maurice avait pu obtenir l'inclusion d'une provision style Third Country Fabric pour les exportations textiles locales vers le marché européen sur une base permanente.
Pour l'avenir, et ce dans le cadre des négociations menant à un Full Economic Partnership Agreement, Maurice tentera d'obtenir des règles d'origine améliorées pour d'autres produits pouvant être exportés vers l'Union européenne, a-t-il dit.
** SADC **
* EU Trade Commissioner Pushes for Economic Integration with African Nations
ICTSD, Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest, Volume 13, Number 6, 18 February 2009
EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton visited several nations in Southern Africa last week, where she held talks with key governmental leaders. Although the general purpose of the trip was to promote bilateral and regional trade relations, Ashton also hoped to make progress on a potential Economic Partnership Agreement, or EPA, between members of the South African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union.
-> see also: * Namibia Revives EPA Discussions, Desie Heita, New Era, 12 February 2009
-> see also: * Catherine Ashton in Southern Africa, 9-12 February, press release, European Commission, 7 February 2009
* EU Dairy Subsidies Spark Fears Among Local Farmers
Wezi Tjaronda, New Era, 12 February 2009
Although the dairy industry is enjoying better times than it has over the past few years, there are fears that local milk will become uncompetitive again once the European Union re-introduces subsidies for its dairy farmers. […]
The DPA management met on February 4 to discuss the current stable situation in the milk industry as well as the good news that the fodder price will possibly go down next month by 10 percent. However, the announcement that the American and European governments will re-instate subsidies for their milk producers is of concern to farmers because it might affect Namibian dairy producers negatively if they have to compete against the export of cheaper products.
* Trade: South Africa in Growing Conflict With EU
David Cronin, IPS, 7 February 2009
Brussels officials have rejected calls from three southern African governments for a reassessment of a new trade accord with the European Union. In January, South Africa, Namibia and Angola made a joint appeal to the EU, urging that it delay the formal signature of a trade liberalisation deal, known as an economic partnership agreement (EPA), with several of their neighbouring countries. Describing the accord as "seriously flawed", the three governments argued that it would set back efforts to boost economic cooperation in southern Africa for "many years".
Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique and Lesotho all gave their initial approval to an EPA with the Union in late 2007. But when the agreement was analysed, some of these governments voiced profound unease about how it could drive a wedge between them and the region's largest economy South Africa, which had decided against joining an EPA.
Later this month, the EU's 27 governments are to discuss if they should give the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, a mandate to proceed with signing and ratifying the EPAs it has negotiated with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) bloc. South Africa, Namibia and Angola have called for the brakes to be applied to this procedure temporarily.
-> en français: *Commerce: L’Afrique du Sud en conflit croissant avec l’Union européenne, David Cronin, IPS, 11 février 2009
*Competition Commission high on ministry agenda
Nangula Shejavali, The Namibian, 30 January 2009
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has placed the establishment of a Competition Commission high on its list of priorities for the year. [...] Lindeque noted that while there had been some progress in trade agreements signed last year, particularly with the non-EU European states and with South America, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) was still not within reach. “We may run to a conclusion soon, but there are big issues still to be solved. We need to improve our trade security without forfeiting too much economic governance, and this needs to be looked into before the EPA is considered,” he said, further emphasising the need for the Competition Commission.
** Pacific **
* Fiji and PNG agree to global sourcing rules of origin in Interim Economic Partnership Agreement
Liam Campling, FFA Fisheries Trade News, Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2009
Negotiations to finalise the Interim EPA were ongoing since the Agreement was initialled in November 2007. The pressure of maintaining duty free market access for processed fish products was one of the main negative incentives for initialling the Agreement, while ‘global sourcing’ rules of origin (RoO) for canned tuna and tuna loins was a major positive incentive. (Global sourcing allows fish processors to access EU trade preferences using a wider range of potential supply of fish.) However, both sides continued to negotiate these RoO in technical discussions in 2008: the EU attempted to water the rules down through the suggestion of legal caveats and other limitations, while Fiji and PNG were pushing to maintain and finesse what was agreed in November 2007.
The final terms of the global sourcing RoO for fish products can be summarised as follows: […]
-> The same newsletter contains an Update on PACP Comprehensive EPA negotiations
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III. Selection from the acp-eu-trade.org Library
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* Reply from the Office of EC President Barroso to Trade Justice Movement
European Commission, 23 February 2009
-> Letter sent by Trade Justice Movement to EC President Barroso, 4 December 2008
* EC proposal on the Rules of Procedure of the Joint CARIFORUM-EC Council, the Trade and Development Committee and the Special Committees under the CARIFORUM-EC EPA
Proposal for a Council Decision on a Community Position, European Commission, 17 February 2009
EN FR
* Economic Partnership Agreement with Côte d'Ivoire
Press release, Council of the European Union, 16 February 2009 (see p. 10)
The Council decided to forward a draft decision on the conclusion of a stepping stone Economic
Partnership Agreement with Côte d'Ivoire to the European Parliament for assent.
* Réflexions sur les mesures de sauvegarde adoptables par la CEDEAO
Jacques Berthelot, Solidarité, 7 février 2009
L'objectif essentiel de la CEDEAO est la construction de son marché régional et l'on en est au stade où la création d'une 5è bande tarifaire à 35% a été adoptée pour le TEC, et où la sélection des "produits sensibles" (PS-APE) qui ne seraient pas à libéraliser vis-à-vis de l'UE dans l'APE régional est presque achevée. Par contre rien n'est encore décidé formellement pour les mesures de sauvegarde (MS) qui viendraient renforcer le TEC, notamment dans le cadre de l'APE mais aussi plus largement pour les importations venant des autres pays. [..] La présente réflexion est centrée sur les mesures de sauvegarde nécessaires au développement du secteur agricole en Afrique de l'ouest sachant que l’agriculture contribue à 2/3 des emplois et 1/3 du PIB de la CEDEAO.
* Joint Angola, Namibia and South Africa Demarche to the European Union Member States
7 January 2009
"[...] We call on EU Member States, the European Parliament and the European Commission to acknowledge the legitimate and genuine concerns of Angola, Namibia and South Africa on the process, substance and timetable of the IEPA, and to create opportunities for open and frank discussions on all these issues.
As the IEPA is seriously flawed and will set back regional integration and development in Southern Africa for many years, EU Member States should avoid taking a premature decision to authorize the signature of the IEPA.
We call for a delay in the signing of the IEPA to allow us all to address the concerns decisively and comprehensively and to create the conditions for all Members of the SADC EPA group to participate in a final EPA outcome and establish a single regional trade arrangement with the EU.
This approach also seeks to avoid having to sign and ratify two agreements (IEPA and full EPA) by drawing them into a single process".
* EPAs and Benchmarking Development
Analytical Note, South Center, January 2009
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated between the EU and ACP countries are widely acknowledged to pose a major challenge for the ACP / African countries since they are essentially free trade agreements based on reciprocal market liberalization. As such, the issue of development benchmarks has been discussed often as many actors from different quarters realize the need to stringently monitor the implementation of EPAs, where these are signed, and to put in place brakes on the liberalization process if the desired development goals are not being attained.
Development indicators should therefore be reached in order to kick in various tranches of liberalization. We borrow liberally from the indicators the EU has used in the recent past and still uses today in its various GSP arrangements vis-à-vis developing countries, in graduating countries from exporting certain products to the EU market.
* SADC, COMESA and the EAC: conflicting regional and trade agendas
Wolfe Braude, Institute for Global Dialogue, Occasional Paper No. 57, October 2008
The EAC (East African Community), comprising Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and
Burundi, is one of the most dynamic and evolving regional economic communities in
Africa. The rationale for this paper comes from the fact that the regional and EPA trade formations
are unfortunately often not complementary in the case of eastern and southern
Africa. The paper seeks to outline and contextualise the challenges that faced the EAC5 and the
RECs that overlap it, namely SADC and COMESA (and SACU where relevant) in terms of
the interaction between these regional and international trade fronts.
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IV. Resources from Recent Events
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* Caribbean Regional Meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
25-27 February 2009, Georgetown
-> Meeting documents on the JPA website EN FR
* Information seminar on services organised by the European Commission
16-17 February 2009, Dar es Salaam
-> Agenda and presentations on the European Commission website
* Meeting of the Standing Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
11-12 February 2009, Brussels
-> Meeting documents EN FR
* EAC inter-institutional retreat
9-10 February 2009, Kigali
-> Press release, EAC, 14 February 2009
-> Remarks by His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
* ESA Trade Ministers Meeting
9 February 2009, Lusaka
-> article in e-COMESA newsletter #191, 13 February 2009 (see p. 2)
* European Parliament Plenary meeting
5 February 2009, Strasbourg
A resolution on the development impact of EPAs was adopted.
-> European Parliament resolution of 5 February 2009 on the development impact of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
EN FR
-> Press releases on the position of the Socialist Group (Socialists, greens and leftists who had tabled an alternative proposal voted against the resolution.): Right wing votes to make poorest countries compete with EU, press release, PSE, 5 February 2009
* One-day Expert Group Meeting on the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
5 February 2009, Port-of-Spain
Organised by ECLAC, in collaboration with UNIFEM and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Barbados
-> Press release, ECLAC, 5 February 2009
-> Presentations
* The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica Chairman’s Club Forum,
3 February 2009, Kingston
-> Presentation by The Rt. Hon. Owen S. Arthur, CRNM, 9 February 2009
* Conference on Trade Liberalisation, Czech Presidency
2-3 February 2009, Prague
-> Presentation by David O'Sullivan"EU Trade policy and growth: the Global Europe Agenda"
* 13th Meeting of the Caribbean Council of Finance and Planning (COFAP)
27-29 January 2009, Bridgetown
-> CRNM update, 31 January 2009
* 12th African Union Summit
26 January – 3 February 2009
-> Webpage of the Summit EN FR
*EU-West Africa EPA Services and Investment Seminar
22-23 January 2009, Dakar
-> Summary of Documents, European Commission
* Meeting of the Committee on International Trade of the European Parliament,
19-20 January 2009, Brussels
-> Note on a Hearing on Mode 4 and the Pacific-EC Interim agreement, 27 January 2009
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V. Resources on Upcoming Events
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* EAC-EC meeting on trade in services
2-3 March 2009, Brussels
* SADC-EC EPA technical and senior officials negotiations
9-13 March 2009
* EAC-EC EPA technical negotiations
10-12 March, Mombasa
* 5th Ordinary Session of the African Union Ministers of Trade
16-20 March 2009, Addis Ababa
-> Draft Agenda, Meeting of Ministers EN FR
-> Draft Annotated Agenda, Meeting of Senior Officials EN FR
* CEMAC-EC meeting at technical and senior officials level
23-27 March 2009
* European Parliament Plenary session
23-26 March 2009
Expected to vote on entry into force of CARIFORUM-EC EPA and Ivory Coast-EC IEPA agreements
* Joint West Africa-EC EPA technical negotiations
30 March -3 April, Brussels