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Surveying progress: An African perspective on EPA negotiations
With the Caribbean having signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union in mid-October, all eyes are now fixed on swiftly concluding the EPA negotiations between the EU and the Pacific and African regions, respectively. As a major trading partner, Africa has a significant amount to gain from the outcome of the EPAs…
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Editorial: The year ahead
The year 2008 should have been dedicated to completing the unfinished business of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between the EU and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) states, with a view to sign, notify to the WTO, and start the ratification process of all (interim) agreements. In parallel, agreements on comprehensive EPAs coherent with…
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Sub-Saharan Africa and the global financial crisis
The current millennium began with a new sense of optimism regarding prospects for sustained growth and poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Better economic management, progress in governance, rising commodity prices, reduction in armed-conflicts, and increasing international support for SSA created hopes of a brighter future for the region. (2) There is no doubt that…
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Is SPS the silver lining? Economic Partnership Agreements
Sanitary or phytosanitary protection (SPS) is regarded by many as the number one non-tariff barrier in international trade today. The rise in the prominence of SPS issues has been driven by an increasing level of concern regarding food safety among European and other consumers about the presence of chemicals and various additives in their food.…
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Preferential Rules of Origin in Economic Partnership Agreements: Key features and changes
Preferential Rules of Origin (RoO) set administrative and local processing requirements that enable goods and materials to obtain preferential access to the market of a given trade partner. In the following article, a brief overview of changes to the RoO that have been negotiated in the context of EPAs is provided. The EU Rules of Origin…
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Investing in East Africa: the role of negotiations in the East African Community-EU EPA
Promotion of international and regional trade, as well as foreign and local investment is at the core of the very rationale of the East African Community. In response to limited market size, opportunities and clout faced by the individual partner states in a rapidly globalising and competitive world, East Africa is pursuing a strategy of…
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Turning mode 4 commitments into business: The CARIFORUM –European Community EPA
Following years of negotiations, the Caribbean Forum of ACP States (CARIFORUM) signed the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Community in Barbados on 15 October 2008, after concluding talks in December 2007. (2) The EPA services provisions and market access commitments have the potential to transform the current CARIFORUM-European Community relationship by expanding market opportunities,…
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Integrating into the global economy
Facilitating the smooth and gradual integration of the ACP countries into the global economy is one major objective of the EPA. But trade with the EU alone will not achieve this goal; coherent external trade strategies need to accompany the structural reforms initiated by the EPA to ensure that all development objectives are met. By…
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WTO roundup
Prospects for a late year mini-ministerial disintegrate The WTO’s struggling Doha Round of trade talks recently took another blow after a mini-ministerial meeting that Director General Pascal Lamy had tentatively planned for 13-15 December was called off. The decision to cancel came after major trading powers signalled uncertainty that a deal could be struck. Trade ministers…
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EPA negotiations update
EU Member States and Commissioner Ashton committed to flexibility Positive feedback has characterized the first meeting between African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Ambassadors and the recently appointed European Commissioner for Trade, Catherine Ashton, on 4 December 2008. The ACP representatives expressed appreciation for Ashton’s willingness and availability to listen to their views on the…
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Resources
The Aid for Trade Agenda and accompanying measures for EPAs – Current state of affairs Dan Lui, ECDPM Discussion Paper 86, November 2008, www.ecdpm.org EPA negotiations and Regional Integration in Africa: building or stumbling blocs, San Bilal and Corinna Braun-Munzinger, ECDPM Paper, prepared for Trade Policy Centre in Africa 3rd Annual Conference, November 2008, www.ecdpm.org Economic…