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The acp-eu-trade.org newsletter -- No. 35/December 2009-January 2010
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In this issue:
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I. Trade Negotiations Insights - Overview
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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 and on Upcoming Events
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Dear readers,
Welcome to December-January issue of the acp-eu-trade.org newsletter!
Below you will an overview of the latest issues of Trade Negotiation Insights, a collection of press articles published during the past two months 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 this 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: Melissa Dalleau (md@ecdpm.org) and Takesh Luckho
I. Trade Negotiations Insights Vol.8, No.10
The December-January 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.10, December 2009-January 2010
• Aid for trade and climate change financing mechanisms: Maximizing Benefits from Complementarities (V. D. Ancharaz)
• Editorial & News and publications In brief
• Trade,climate change and agriculture: Towards a low-carbon future (J. Keane)
• Trade, tourism and climate change: Responding to the ecological and regulatory challenges (K. Nurse)
• Trade, climate change and fisheries: Building resilience through trade-policy reform (P. Ghishu)
• Energy poverty, renewable energies and the Economic Partnership Agreements
(S Karekezi, J Kimani and O. Onguru)
• Standard as protectionist device: the EU Renewable Energy Directive (F. Erixon)
• The Treaty of Lisbon: Implications for EU Trade Policy (S. Woolcock)
• Free-trade agreements: the other side of liberalization - What is developing countries’ room to manoeuvre? (D. Lagandré, J.P. Rolland and A. Alpha)
• WTO Roundup
• EPA Negotiations Update
• Calendar and resources
Eclairage sur les négociations, Vol.8, No.10, Decembre 2009-Janvier 2010
• Aide au commerce et mécanismes de financement pour l’adaptation au changement climatique (V.D. Ancharaz)
• Éditorial et Nouvelles et publications En bref
• Commerce, changement climatique et agriculture (J. Keane)
• Commerce, tourisme et changement climatique (K. Nurse)
• Commerce, changement climatique et pêcheries (P.Ghisu)
• Pauvreté énergétique, énergies renouvelables et les Accords de partenariat économique (S.Karekezi, J. Kimani, et O. Onguru)
• Les standards comme dispositif protectionniste : la directive européenne sur les énergies renouvelables (F. Erixon)
• Le Traité de Lisbonne : conséquences pour la politique commerciale de l’Union Européenne (S. Woolcock)
• Les accords de libre échange : l’autre visage de la libéralisation (J.P.Rolland et A.Alpha)
• Aperçu sur l'OMC
• Point sur les négociations APE
• Calendrier et publications
** All-ACP **
* Ending the longest trade dispute in history: EU initials deal on bananas with Latin American countries
Europa Press Releases Rapid, Press release, IP/09/1938, 15 December 2009
Meeting at the WTO in Geneva, ambassadors from the EU and Latin American countries today agreed to end a 15-year dispute over EU banana imports. In the deal, seen as a boost for the Doha Round of world trade talks, the EU will gradually cut its import tariff on bananas from Latin America from €176 per tonne to €114. In response, the US has agreed to settle its related dispute with the EU. The EU has also offered to mobilise up to €200 million for the main African and Caribbean banana-exporting countries to help them adjust to stiffer competition from Latin America. […] In parallel, the EU, ACP and Latin American countries have agreed on an approach on the so-called 'tropical' and 'preference erosion' products, which they will jointly promote in the context of the on-going DDA negotiations. 'Tropical products' will be subject to deeper tariff cuts, while tariff cuts for 'preference erosion' products of interest to ACP countries will be conducted over a relatively longer period.
-> See also: Banana deal: Latin exports to grow, aid softens blow for others, Jonathan Hepburn, Modern Ghana, 15 December 2009
* European Commission approves € 230 million to cushion the impact of the economic crisis in 13 African and Caribbean countries.
Europa Press Release. 15 December 2009.
The European Commission approved the first financing decisions in favour of eleven African and two Caribbean countries for a total of € 230 million, including € 215 million under the so-called Vulnerability FLEX mechanism (V-FLEX). This is the first package of financing decisions in the framework of the € 500 million V-FLEX mechanism which was adopted in August 2009 as a response to the economic crisis for African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP).
-> For some background information on this initiative see also Containing the Fall-out of the Global Financial Crisis in Developing Countries, capacity4dev, 7 October 2009
-> For more information, see also below-detailed news about those individual countries which benefited from this allocation in 2009 (in our regional sections below)
* La France souhaite que l'Union européenne propose des solutions originales pour relancer la négociation sur les accords de partenariat économique (in french only)
Regards citoyens, 11 december 2009.
La négociation sur les accords de partenariat économique (APE) est aujourd'hui en grande partie bloquée. Les pays ACP se sentent abandonnés par l'Union européenne à laquelle ils reprochent de vouloir les obliger à signer des accords défavorables à leur développement. Les secrétaires d'Etat français au Commerce extérieur et à la Coopération ont écrit à la Présidence suédoise du Conseil de l'Union européenne, à la Commission européenne et aux Etats-membres pour leur proposer de reprendre l'initiative et rechercher des flexibilités sur le volet commercial tout en favorisant la conclusion de véritables accords régionaux.
** Caribbean **
*[Haiti] Strengthening Caribbean-EU trade and development: Haiti signs the CARIFORUM–EU Economic Partnership Agreement (Also available in french)
EU Press Release, 11 December 2009
Haiti signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and joins the fourteen Caribbean States that signed the EPA in October 2008. This will strengthen Haiti's ties both with the EU, and with other Caribbean countries. The Cariforum-EU EPA is North-South trade and development agreement of new generation. It aims to promote sustainable development, boost trade, investment and innovation, help build a regional market among Caribbean countries, and tackle poverty in the region.
-> See also on this subject (in french only): coalition nationale «Bare Ape»] Contre la ratification de l'APE, MAXImini, 22 December
* [Bahamas] The Bahamas initials EPA trade in services and investment commitments with the European Union
EU Press Release, 25 January 2010
The Bahamas has initialled on 25 January 2010 its trade in services and investment commitments with the EU as part of the Economic Partnership Agreement which links the EU and 15 Caribbean States. These commitments will enhance predictability and legal certainty in the Bahamas and hence encourage foreign direct investment for the benefit of the local economy. The Bahamas service providers and investors will also obtain better access to the EU market, as provided for in the Cariforum-EU EPA.
-> See also: Bahamas concludes EPA with European Commission, Lindsay Thompson, The Bahamas Weekly, 26 January 2010.
* [Grenada, Haiti] Grenada, Haiti get crisis package from Europe
Caribbean 360, 16 December 2009
Grenada and Haiti will receive a total of Euro 35.9 million (US$52.2 million) from the European Commission as part of global crisis package. Grenada will be the first Eastern Caribbean country to benefit from financial assistance under the mechanism. The funds which are non-reimbursable are to be used by Grenadian authorities at their discretion and convenience. The financing decision on Dominica's application will be presented in 2010.
* [Barbados] Barbados and the EU review EDF Portfolio
The Barbados Advocate, 2 January 2010
The Government of Barbados and officials of the Delegation of the European Commission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean undertook a Mid-Term Review in the latter part of this year, of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Country Strategy agreed in December 2008. The Review was conducted within the context of the present downturn in the global economy, which has left small open economies such as Barbados even more vulnerable to severe economic challenges.
** West Africa **
* ECOWAS Aid-For-Trade Review Meeting To Begin In Abuja
The Statesman, Ghana, 27 January 2010
A two-day ECOWAS Aid-for-Trade meeting will begin on Wednesday, 27th January 2010 in Abuja to review experiences as well as consider cases of good practice in the implementation of a number of Aid-for Trade related programmes and projects. The Aid-for-Trade initiative seeks to help developing countries to build the trade capacity and infrastructure they need to enable them benefit from trade openings. The meeting will also examine the outlook for donor funding of bankable projects and review mechanisms for monitoring and implementation of Aid-for-Trade.
* Blocage de la signature de l’APE - Le dessous des cartes (french only)
Marius Nouza, Abidjan.net, 14 december 2009
L’avancement des négociations sur l’accord de partenariat économique piétine. Une situation due à de nombreux points d’achoppements entre les pays de l’Afrique de l’Ouest et de l’Union Européenne. La création d’une 5ème bande tarifaire proposée par le Nigéria et la reclassification de certains produits retardent aujourd’hui l’adoption du tarif extérieur commun de la communauté des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (TEC-CEDEAO). […] [Des points positifs se dégagent, néanmoins.] Au sujet du TEC-CEDEAO, on note une flexibilité de la part de l’UE pour sa mise en place jusqu’en Décembre 2011. De même, un accord de principe a été trouvé pour un traitement approprié de la dimension du développement dans l’accord régional définitif. Enfin les négociations pour la mise en place d’un système d’origine unique pour l’ensemble de la région qui s’appliquerait également aux accords intermédiaires signés avec la Côte d’Ivoire et le Ghana, sont en cours.
* [Nigeria] Nigeria to sign economic partnership pact soon
Ngozi Sams, NEXT, January 6
Minister of Commerce and Industry, Achike Udenwa, has said that federal government is considering the possibility of appending signature to the Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA, before the end of 2010. Mr. Udenwa told journalists in Abuja that Nigeria has not been able to seal the agreement because there are still some areas that need to be addressed. However, he revealed that some experts and initiators have been engaged to critically analyze these issues and advise the government appropriately. […] Ben Ukoha, President of The National Association of Nigerian Traders, speaking on the agreements noted that if care is not taken, signing the agreement will destroy West African productive sector.
-> See also, for an earlier perspective: Nigeria Will Not Sign EPA Until Development Issues Agreed says Udenwa ,Dailytrust, 21 December 2009
* [Mali] Les Accords de Partenariat Economique : Le Mali va-t-il signer ? (french only)
Salimata Fofana, le Quotidien de Bamako, 5 January 2010
L’impact des Accords de Partenariat Economique sur l’économie malienne : une analyse en équilibre calculable », était le thème d’une conférence publique, organisée par le Centre d’études et de renforcement des capacités d’analyse et de Plaidoyer (CERCAP), le mercredi 23 décembre 2009, au grand hôtel. L’objectif de la conférence est de construire un modèle de micro simulation de base modulable, avec autant de secteurs d’activités que les données le permettent de simuler des politiques économiques. Spécifiquement, il s’agissait d’estimer les élasticités du commerce extérieur correspondant aux produits, et d’analyser les différents scénarii d’une ouverture commerciale dans le cadre des APE.
* [Côte d’Ivoire] Banana Producers Turn To Regional Market
Salif D. Cheickna, Inter Press Service News Agency, 25 January 2010
Twelve thousand people working on Côte d'Ivoire's banana plantations face uncertainty as the European Union begins implementing a new agreement governing tariffs on bananas.[…] Mathias N'Goan Aka, president of the country's association of banana producers, expects banana exports - presently 230,000 tonnes a year - to fall by 14 percent.
EU Press Release, 25 January 2010
Today (25 January) the EU has normalised its relationships and fully resumed development cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
** ESA **
* EAC exports to be taxed by EU due to delay in EPA
Jose Roy, TOBOC, 7 December 2009
The European Union has informed the East African Community (EAC) that the failure or delay in signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would lead to taxes on the exports of the EAC-member states. In a recent release by the EU Delegation in Nairobi said that failure to finalise the EPA process could lead to putting non-Least Developed Countries such as Kenya on the Generalised System of Preferences list. […] According to the statement, some of the key export products particularly from Kenya would attract re-introduction or increase in tariffs. The EPA was supposed to be concluded by July 31, 2009 - but missed the deadline due to lack of consensus on rules of origin - most favoured a clause on agriculture, trade in services and sustainable development.
-> See also on the same subject: Kenya exports to EU face taxes, Kaburu Mugambi, Allafrica.com (Daily Nation), 5 December 2009 ; and Anxiety Over Trade Talks With EU As Kenya Falters, Catherine Riungu, The East African, 17 January 2010
* EPA deal: Impasse on services persists
Julius Barigaba, The East African, 17 January
Although the region has concluded a deal on market access to the European Union, there remain fundamental disagreements on trade in services. […] Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Julius Onen told The EastAfrican that Kampala will sign the agreement for market access and development aid this year, but not a comprehensive agreement that includes trade in services, as well as other sticky issues like investment rules and government procurement, until the Europeans "accept the EPA is part of an older agreement (Cotonou) which recognised that the developing world is not equal to the EU," he said. However, there are also concerns over development assistance that the East African countries are pressing for from their EU partners before the region can sign the controversial trade pact. Between now and March this year, a series of technical negotiation meetings have been scheduled, first in Bujumbura, then in Kigali and Arusha, which will culminate in a decision on the development chapter. "We hope to reach an agreement by March," Mr Onen said.
* European Union experts and EAC private sector representatives discuss EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreement
EPA Flash News, 11 December 2009
Yesterday and today [10-11/09] in Nairobi, the experts of the European Commission, Pro€Invest (an EU/ACP Organization), and the representatives of private sector from the East African Community discussed the state of play and way forward on the Economic Partnership Agreement for the region. Executives of business organizations from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda tackled practical implications of the trade and development agreement initialed at the end of 2007, and analyzed prospects for the broader agreement now being negotiated. This comes in the run up to next EU-EAC negotiation round taking place next week in Nairobi.
* [Tanzania] EC says East African Business Council Should Join EPA Trade Talks.
Finnigan Wa Simbeye,Tanzania Daily News , 7 December 2009
The private sector in East Africa should join trade negotiations between the European Commission and East African Community through the regional secretariat. European Union Delegation to Tanzania Head of Economics, Governance and Regional Integration, Stefan Schleuning told 'Daily News' in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the private sector through East African Business Council (EABC) should be participating in economic partnership agreement negotiations. "The EABC shares the same premises with East African Community and should be able to participate in EPA negotiations," said Mr Schleuning. The EABC which is an apex body grouping private sector national associations from all five member states, has an ad hoc status at the EAC secretariat. The EABC Executive Director, Mr Charles Mbogori, said earlier last week that there has been little progress in EPA negotiations between the EC and EAC because the private sector has been sidelined.
* [Zambia] EU doubles budget support by €30 million,
Africa News, 26 January 2010
In the wake of the global economic and financial crisis, the European Union last August introduced a new mechanism designed to cushion the fiscal effects of the economic and financial crisis on developing countries such as Zambia. [...]The Zambian Government applied to the European Commission for an additional €30 million(ZMK 200 billion) and the application was received in late October 2009 and agreed upon in late November the same year, after the conclusion of the Poverty Reduction Budget Support dialogue with Zambian authorities.
* [Zimbabwe] Zim left out of EU bail-out package
The Zimbabwean, 18 December 2009
Zimbabwe’s protracted political dispute has cost the country the opportunity to benefit from a €230 million (about US$335 million) facility unveiled by the European Union last week to enable African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations ride out the current global economic crisis.
The EU left out Zimbabwe from the list of 13 ACP countries that would receive between US$6 and US$51million each to cushion them from a recession that has seen most economies performing below expectations. […]Based on the criteria for assistance Zimbabwe would qualify for aid under the facility, given that the southern African country is currently facing problems financing its economic reconstruction programme. The 2010 national budget unveiled by Finance Minister Tendai Biti early this month exposed a huge funding gap that the new Harare regime is supposed to plug through elusive foreign budgetary support.
** SADC **
* Progress in SA-EU negotiations auspicious for SACU
Benza, Brian, Mmegi Online, 14 December 2009
The deadlock in trade negotiations between South Africa and the European Union (EU) that threatened to break up the world’s oldest customs union, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), is set to ease off thanks to progress being made in ironing out differences between the two parties.
Speaking to Mmegi Business Week in Gaborone this week, the Head of Delegation of the EU in Botswana, Paul Malin said he was confident SACU would stay intact after the EU softened its stance and agreed to apply a common tariff to its exports to the region. This was the contentious issue that led to a breakdown in negotiations when South Africa insisted on a Common External Tariff (CET) for the southern African region inspite of its separate trade agreement with the EU - the Trade, Development Cooperation Agreement (TDCA).
Botswana's chief trade negotiator James Masisi has echoed Malin's confidence in the progress being made, though not with as much enthusiasm. "I wouldn't say if the Common External Tariff issue is solved, all our problems are solved because there are still other issues on the South African side such as Rules of Origin and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. "But if we manage to align the tariffs so that the region's trade is not segmented, we should be very close to a full EPA. Our next meeting will be in February and we are hopeful it will be fruitful."
The Namibian, Windhoek, 12 January 2010
The world’s oldest customs union may suffer damage after the European Union (EU) put pressure on three Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) members to sign the controversial interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), South African Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has said in an interview. […] Davies told SADOCC that "at least there is some understanding that we (Sacu) need to sort out the tariff and the rules of origin issues and to try to have a common basis on that". "But potentially the damage is that we will have inconsistencies in terms of the commitments," he said.
-> See also: [Namibia], Country Should Focus on Services Sector - EU Ambassador, Brigitte Weidlich, The Namibian, 9 December 2009
-> See also, [Namibia] EU aims to settle trade dispute, The Namibian, 18 January 2010
* SACU request revenue share increase
Botswana Press Agency,(via tralac), 17 December 2009
Members of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) have submitted a proposal to South Africa to increase annual revenue shares for each member state. Speaking in an interview, Botswana’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning Mr Kenneth Matambo said that although member states have accepted the formula used to divide the tax revenue, their individual shares are insufficient to support their 2010/11 national budgets. Matambo revealed that increased government expenditure and huge national budget deficits are the reason why member states are calling for an increase in their revenue shares.
** Central Africa **
* [Cameroon] Cameroun : des risques pour un report de l’APE avec l’UE (french only)
AFRISCOOP, 12 January 2010
Onze jours après le délai du 1er janvier fixé par le calendrier, aucun indicateur n’est donné sur l’entrée en vigueur de l’accord de partenariat économique (APE) intérimaire conclu le 17 décembre 2007 entre le Cameroun et l’Union européenne (UE), le gouvernement camerounais ayant demandé un report mais une source européenne à Yaoundé évoque des risques de ce report. « Si le report est décidé, l’un des risques pour le Cameroun est que l’Union européenne soit obligée de rétablir automatiquement le système de préférences généralisées (SPG), c’est-à-dire les produits camerounais vont recommencer à être soumis aux taxes et tarifs douaniers pour l’accès au marché européen », a expliqué sous couvert d’anonymat à Xinhua lundi une source de l’UE dans la capitale camerounaise proche du dossier.
Onze jours après le délai du 1er janvier fixé par le calendrier, aucun indicateur n’est donné sur l’entrée en vigueur de l’accord de partenariat économique (APE) intérimaire conclu le 17 décembre 2007 entre le Cameroun et l’Union européenne (UE), le gouvernement camerounais ayant demandé un report mais une source européenne à Yaoundé évoque des risques de ce report. « Si le report est décidé, l’un des risques pour le Cameroun est que l’Union européenne soit obligée de rétablir automatiquement le système de préférences généralisées (SPG), c’est-à-dire les produits camerounais vont recommencer à être soumis aux taxes et tarifs douaniers pour l’accès au marché européen », a expliqué sous couvert d’anonymat à Xinhua lundi une source de l’UE dans la capitale camerounaise proche du dossier.
* [OFF THE TRACK] Congo-Brazzaville President, Denis Sassou Nguesso, takes over the rotating presidency of CEMAC (in french only)
Afrique Avenir, 27 janvier 2010
** Pacific **
**[Fiji] Fiji signs trade and development agreement with the European Union
Europa Press Release, 11 December 2009
Fiji has signed today an interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. The agreement focuses on trade in goods and provides duty free – quota free access for all products from Fiji to the EU market. It also aims to deepen cooperation in areas such as animal and plant health as well as technical standards. The interim Economic Partnership Agreement was initialled in November 2007 by Fiji and Papua New Guinea which represent the vast majority of the region's exports to the EU. The agreement has been provisionally implemented by the EU since 1 January 2008. Papua New Guinea signed it in July 2009. Under the agreement all imports from Fiji and Papua New Guinea have duty free quota free access to the European market. Fiji will remove customs duties on 87% of their imports from the EU over the next 15 years and Papua New Guinea liberalises 88 % in the first year.
* Letter from Suva - CONTROVERSIAL FUNDING BID TURNED DOWN
Laisa Taga, Islands Business, 6 January 2010
The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has been forced to relook at its projects submitted to the European Union for funding under EDF (European Development Fund) 10. This follows the decision by the Europeans not to fund two of the projects. One is the controversial Office of the Chief Trade Adviser for PACER Plus Related Activities (OCTA). The rejection is seen as a triumph for Fiji—especially—and Papua New Guinea and an embarrassing rebuff to strong Australian and New Zealand influence at the Forum Secretariat.
-> See also: Fiji and PNG oppose the use of EDF10 to fund OCTA under PACER Plus. PACNEWS. 2 December 2009
-> See also: Concerns raised about the delay in appointment of Forum Chief Trade Adviser, Pacnews, 20 January 2010,
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III. Selection from the acp-eu-trade.org Library
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* Linking EU Trade and Development Policies: Lessons from the ACP-EU trade negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements
Davina Makhan, DIE, Bonn, 2009
This study is part of a research project focusing on how to strengthen the European Union’s (EU) policy for global development. Part of a broader understanding of policy for global development is trade policy. This study looks into the trade-development nexus and takes as an example the case of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) that the EU is currently negotiating with the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. In line with the research dimensions of the overall project, the aim of this study is two-fold. First, it analyses the development relevance of the EU’s trade policy towards the ACP countries as formulated in the EPA, with a view to drawing conclusions on how to strengthen the trade-development nexus. Second, it assesses the way in which the EU as a multi-level system has operated in the EPA negotiations, with a view to drawing conclusions on how to strengthen the capacity of the EU multi-level system to design and carry out policies for global development.
* EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreement - Empirical Evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa
Vollmer S., Background Paper, World Development Report 2009
Since early 2008 interim trade agreements between the EU and six regions of ACP countries (respectively sub-groups within the region) are in force. These agreements could be stepping stones towards full Economic Partnership Agrements between the EU and all ACP countries. [This report] estimates the welfare effects of the interim agreements for nine African countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Our analysis is based on highly disaggregated data for trade and tariffs (HS six digit level) and follows a simple analytical model by Milner et al. (2006) to quantify the welfare effects of trade liberalization. We extend the literature in two principal ways: First, we estimate elasticities of import demand for the nine African countries importing from the EU and Sub-Saharan Africa respectively. Second, we apply the actual tariff reduction rates recently negotiated between the EU and the African countries to estimate the agreement's welfare effects trade liberalization for the African countries.
* Joint Communiqué EU-Cape Verde Political Dialogue Meeting at Ministerial level
Council of the European Union, Brussels, 26 January 2010
“With regard to ECOWAS, the parties welcomed the continuation of negotiations with the EU concerning the Economic and Partnership Agreement (EPA) for the West Africa region, as well as the progress made on the West-African market access offer and the EPA Programme for Development (PAPED). They stressed the need to overcome the last few steps in the negotiations as soon as possible. They also welcomed the Road Map for the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Indicative Programme for West Africa in which CV can find room to support its West Africa regional integration purpose. The parties agreed on the need to examine, jointly with ECOWAS, the preservation of Cape Verde's special circumstances and specificities in this context”.
* Commission Regulation establishing the standard import values for determining the entry price of certain fruit and vegetables
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1289/2009, 23 December 2009
* Report on the second revision of the Partnership Agreement ACP-EC
Session Document, Committee on Development, European Parliament, 17 December 2009
This report includes:
- the motion for a European Parliament Resolution on the second revision of the Partnership Agreement ACP-EC ((2009/2165(INI))
- Explanatory Statement
- The opinion of the Committee on International Trade
- Result of Final Vote in Committee
-> See also European Parliament resolution of 20 January 2010 on the second revision of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement (the "Cotonou Agreement"), 20 January 2010, Strasbourg
* Decisions and resolutions adopted at the 90th session of the ACP Council of Ministers (collection of documents)
COVER NOTE from the Secretariat of the ACP States to the General Secretariat of the European Council, ACP - CE , 22 January 2010
This document comprises the following decisions and resolutions adopted at the 90th session of the ACP Council of Ministers on 16 - 19 November 2009:
Decision on the Appointment of Secretary General of the ACP Groups ; Decision on the Seventh Session of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference ; Decision regarding the ACP Ministerial Fisheries Mechanism; Resolution of the 90th session of the ACP Council of Ministers held in Brussels from 16 to 19 November 2009 on EPAs and other trade matters ; Chair’s report of the meeting of ACP Ministers of Trade, (12-13 November 2009); Report of the Meeting of ACP Senior Trade Officials (11-12 November 2009), as adopted by the ACP Ministers of Trade and the final ACP Declaration on the Seventh Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference
* Rapport d'information deposé par la Commission des Affaires Européennes sur les APEs entre l'UE et les ACP (in french only)
Commission des Affaires Européennes, Assemblée Nationale, 2 Décembre 2009
Le Parlement français sera amené à se prononcer sur les accords APE au moment de leur ratification. Aussi la Commission des Affaires européennes a suivi de près chaque étape des négociations. […] Les rapporteurs ont tenu à procéder aux auditions les plus larges de représentants de la société civile africaine, d'experts, de la Commission européenne et des administrations françaises ; auditions complétées par un déplacement en Afrique de l'Ouest - zone de négociation où le processus d'intégration est le plus avancé : au Sénégal, pays emblématique de la lutte contre les APE et au Ghana qui a paraphé, sans le signer à ce jour, un accord intérimaire. De ces différents travaux, les rapporteurs ont vu se dégager des lignes de force. Il est possible que les APE ne soient ni un simple accord de libre échange ni une variable d'ajustement aux règles de l'OMC ; ils offrent l'occasion d'un véritable partenariat, c'est-à-dire le support d’échanges et de respect mutuel. Il est possible d'aménager un cadre économique et commercial innovant et favorable au développement durable des économies ACP et de prévenir la brutalité des conséquences du libre échange.
* Environmental Issues in Ecomomic Partnership Agreements - Implications for Developing Countries
Beatrice Chantey, Issue Paper, ICTSD, September 2009
The paper exhaustively reviews all rules related to trade and environment in several of the already signed EPAs. The aim of the paper is to enable ACP countries to understand how trade policy related to the environment has been introduced in EPAs, and how those policies might impact sustainable development in ACP countries. The paper starts by presenting the current European approach on trade and environment in those agreements. More specically, it addresses the current state of negotiations, analyses precise proposals made, and explores some of the implications of introducing environmental issues in the EPAs.
-> See also Beatrice Chantey’s related forthcoming Trade Negotiations Insights article
* Legal and Systematic Issues in the Interim EPAs - Which way now?
Carlos Milton Obote Ochieng, ICTSD, September 2009
The study examined the legal and developmental implications of five fundamental provisions of the EPAs: interpretation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XXIV, particularly the understanding of ‘substantially all trade’ (SAT) and ‘reasonable period of time’ (RPT); clauses on ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) treatment; ‘standstill’; ‘dispute settlement’; and ‘non-execution’.
* German Aid for Trade - Past Experience, Lessons LEarnt and the way forward
Petra Voionmaa, Michael Bruntrup, DIE, Bonn 2009
Aid for Trade (AfT) has received considerable attention since it was launched within the WTO in 2005. As part of this process, EU donors promised to increase their collective expenditures for “Trade-Related Assistance” (TRA) to € 2 billion per year by 2010, with € 1 billion provided by the European Commission (EC) and € 1 billion by EU member states. Jointly with other EU donors, Germany is now confronted with the task of fulfilling this financial pledge as well as other, more qualitative commitments. Against this background, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned the German Development Institute (DIE) to analyse the current state of German trade-related development assistance and to make recommendations for incorporating the new “Aid for Trade” concept into it. This study presents the major findings of that work. Its aim is to provide input for an informed discussion on how Germany can best contribute to the international AfT initiative by optimising both the quantity and quality of its AfT.
* International Trade in Agriculture and the Right to Food
De Schutter, Friedrich Herbert Stiftung, November 2009
The present paper seeks to explore the relationship between the Agreements
concluded under the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), particularly the Agreement on Agriculture, and the obligation of the Members of the WTO to respect the human right to adequate food to which they have committed themselves by ratifying the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights.
* Trade Agreements ad their Relations to Labour Standards - The Current Situation
Pablo Lazo Grandi, ICTSD, November 2009
In recent years, the basic model for bilateral trade agreements has evolved considerably, particularly for those involving the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). One of these changes is their inclusion of labour questions and commitments with respect to control mechanisms and the fulfilment of agreements. The specific aim of this article is to describe, on the basis of an initial historical overview, the institutional and legal models that are now being developed, and to analyse possible future trends. [...]This paper then deals with the manner in which labour matters have been treated in the context of bilateral agreements, whether these are Association Agreements (AAs), free trade agreements (FTAs) or integration processes, containing material on trade.
* Updated Agriculture Executive briefs in ACP-EU trade
Agritrade, CTA, Executive Brief, October 2009
-> Coffee sector
-> Cocoa sector
* The Treaty of Lisbon and the European Union as an actor in international trade
ECIPE Working Paper, No. 01/2010, January 2010
The Treaty of Lisbon will introduce a number of changes to European Union(EU) external trade policy decision making. These involve the scope of exclusive competence of the EU, the role of the European Parliament and the inclusion of trade in the common external action of the EU. This article discusses these changes but also provides an initial assessment of how the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL) might affect the role of the EU as an actor in international trade. After an introduction to the attributes of ‘an actor’ in international trade the article then summarises the main changes the ToL will bring about before discussing their likely ramifications. It argues that the ToL can be expected to strengthen the EU as a trade actor in a number of respects and that these should, to some degree, compensate for the relative decline in EU market power due to systemic changes in the international trading system.
* Green Protectionism in the European Union: How Europe’s Biofuels Policy and the Renewable Energy Directive Violate WTO Commitments
ECIPE Occasional Paper, December 2009
What happened to the professed environmental goal to substitute fossil fuels wit biofuels, asks Fredrik Erixon in a new study of EU biofuels policy. Biofules policy has become an industrial policy using various measures to shelter domestic producers from foreign competition. Protectionism increases the cost of moving away from fossil fuels – but the EU is about to usher its policy farther in that direction with its Renewable Energy Directive. If it is implemented in the way that has proposed, the EU is likely to run afoul of its obligations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
* China and the EU's Engagement in Africa: Setting the Stage for Cooperation, Competition or Conflict
Research Paper, DIE, November 2009
New donors” such as India, Brazil or the Arab states have recently increased their aid to developing countries. These countries provide their aid outside the framework of established international structures. The consequences of their engagement for developing countries and for the international aid system – that is undergoing important reforms – is being widely discussed in the development community. At the core of this debate lies China’s engagement in Africa, its consequences for development in Africa and how it relates to European development policy. China’s engagement in Africa is highly debated in Europe and has caused different initiatives throughout the European Union to foster cooperation with China and with African nations.
* Africa’s Counter-Cyclical Policy to the Crisis
Kasekende L. et alii, African Development Bank, in Journal of Globalization and Development, Volume 1, issue 1, 2010
While the severe global recession seems to be bottoming out and the global economic outlook is turning cautiously optimistic, the negative impact of the crisis on many African countries continues to deepen. [...] This paper is organized as follows. Section 2 summarizes the impact of the crisis on Africa and the African Development Bank’s economic outlook on Africa. Section 3 reviews the actual country responses as well as the Bank’s actions. Section 4 discusses the case for stimulus packages in Africa and the need for a global partnership. Section 5 suggests options for gradual modifications to fiscal frameworks that would facilitate effective counter-cyclical fiscal policies in the future. It also discusses conditions under which an inflation targeting regime can help counter-cycles in Africa. Section 6 concludes.
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IV. Resources from Recent and on Upcoming Events
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* LDC Ministerial Conference 2009
3-4 December, Vienna, Austria
-> For more information
* AERC Conference on Rethinking African Economic Policy in Light of the Global Economic and Financial Crisis
6-8 December, Nairobi, Kenya
-> Publications and papers
* Tax & Development - To fight against poverty
9 December 2009, Brussels
-> Official Website
-> Karel de Gucht’s speech at the conference
* 3rd ACP Civil Society Forum
10-11 December 2009, Brussels, Belgium
-> ACP Secretary General’s Welcome Speech
-> See more information byJoyce van Genderen-Naar (Afro European Sisters Network)
* 20th (extraordinary) session of the CEMAC Council of Ministers
11 December 2009, Bangui, Central African Republic
-> Final Communiqué (french only)
* African Economic Outlook 2010 Expert Meeting on public resource mobilization and aid in Africa
14 December 2009, Paris, France
-> Full Programme
-> Background reading and presentations
* COMESA-Commonwealth Secretariats regional workshop on trade policy capacity (COMESA Hub & Spokes project)
14-15 December 2009, Lusaka, Zambia
-> Press Release
* Civil Society Meeting on Trade in Services
14 January, Brussels, Belgium
-> Related Trade Factsheet
-> Minutes
* 10th ordinary session of CEMAC Heads of State and Government Conference
15-17 January, Bangui, Central African Republic
-> Final communiqué (French only)
* DFID, EADI, DSA, IDS, UNDP Conference on the 2010 UN MDG Review and Beyond
25 January, New York
-> Programme
* COMESA Business Council (CBC) Board Meeting and Regional Private Sector Meeting
25th – 27th January, Nairobi, Kenya
-> Press Release
* 14th African Union Summit on “ICT in Africa : Challenges and Prospects for Development”
25 January - 02 February, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
-> For more information
* Meeting of the Bureau of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly and standing committees
26-28 January, Brussels
-> Draft Agenda
-> Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade – Meeting Documents
* Council of the European Union - ACP Working Party meeting
26 January, Brussels
-> provisional agenda
* ECOWAS Aid-For-Trade Review Meeting
27 January, Abuja, Nigeria
-> Press Release
* DG Trade Civil Society Ad Hoc Meeting on the Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on trade policy
27 January, Brussels
-> Minutes
* Hochschule Bremen Conference on “The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Economic Reform Processes in Africa“
28-29 January, Bremen, Germany
-> Programme
-> Papers
* International Tax Compact, Joining Forces to Mobilize Domestic Revenues for Development
25-27 January, Brussels, Belgium
-> Programme (Intergovernmental Workshop)
-> Programme (Workshop with Civil Society)
* COMESA Post Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
1-3 February, Lusaka, Zambia
* 29th meeting of CARICOM’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED)
9 February, Guyana
* ICTSD-KMFRI dialogue on “Fisheries in ACP-EU Negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements”
9-10 February, Mombasa, Kenya
-> Draft agenda
* Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government
16 February, Abuja, Nigeria
-> Press Release
* EC Civil Society Trade Seminar 2010
24 March, Prague, Czech Republic
-> For more information and to register, click here
* African Development Bank Seminar on “China’s increasing engagement in Africa in the aftermath of the financial crisis”
25-26 March, Tunis, Tunisia
-> For more information
* EU-ACP Parliamentary Assembly
30 March, Southern Tenerife