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Replace controversy with debate, says Ashton
In early October 2008, just days before the historic signing of a comprehensive EPA between the EU and the Caribbean, Baroness Catherine Ashton was named the European Trade Commissioner, swiftly replacing her predecessor, Peter Mandelson. For those involved in the EPA negotiations, all eyes immediately turned on Ashton. Since then, the expectations, controversies, debates, complexities,…
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Editorial
While much has been accomplished in the last twelve months, enormous challenges still remain for 2009: no interim EPA led to a full Agreement by the end of 2008, many African and Pacific states remain sceptical of the negotiations process, and the global economic crisis threatens to impede economic growth and development aims achieved thus…
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News and publications
EU decision on GSP+ applications Duty-free access to the EU market for around 6400 tariff lines was granted to sixteen developing countries by the European Commission on 9 December 2008. The decision came under the GSP+ special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance. Two ACP countries that had applied, Nigeria and Gabon, were not…
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2009: EPAs at the crossroads
I suppose things could be worse for the EPA negotiations. After all, this time last year the ACP were contemplating the implications of their initialing of interim EPAs, which were ultimately agreed in haste, proved apparently inflexible, and represented a limited outcome, as far as the Commission was concerned. The policy of concluding separate deals with…
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A unilateral perspective on an international concern
In September 2008, the European Commission passed Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 intended to establish a system to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU). The objective is to ensure greater sustainability of fish stocks, while lessening competition challenges that illegal fishing poses for EU fishermen. The regulation is also a key…
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As EPA ink dries
It’s now three months since the controversial CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was signed in Bridgetown, Barbados, even as debate raged across the region about the broader implications of the EPA and our state of readiness for benefiting from potential opportunities. But, whatever the merits and demerits of the EPA, the dye is now cast.…
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Expanding trade flows of cultural goods and services
According to UNCTAD, world trade in creative goods and services are among the most dynamic sectors of the multilateral trading system. From 2000 to 2005, the sector experienced an impressive annual growth rate of 8.7%, reaching USD 424.4 billion (1). Yet, despite their abundance of creative talents and rich cultural assets, developing countries – including…
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Undercutting Africa
The year 2009 will be one of change for the European Union, which will have a new Parliament and new Commissioners in place by November. Perhaps then, it will also be a year in which the EU abandons its aggressive Global Europe and Raw Materials policies, stops using Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations to further…
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A perfect storm
In the coming years, least developed countries (LDCs), small and vulnerable economies (SVEs), and small islands developing states (SIDS) are expected to face increasing levels of climate-related threats such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes. Given their economic and trade specialization in sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and tourism – major impact-takers under climate change – these…
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WTO Roundup
Another do-or-die moment for Doha Whether reaching a successful conclusion to the Doha Round will ever be possible has dominated discussions in trade circles following the disintegration of plans for a WTO ministerial meeting in late December 2008 in Geneva. The planned meetings were called off after Members failed to reach a consensus on negotiating…
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EPA Negotiations Update
ACP Council The Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers adopted a resolution reiterating their commitment to conclude inclusive (involving all members of regional integration groupings) Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that contribute to their countries’ economic growth, sustainable development, and regional integration on 18 December 2008. They also called for contentious…
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Resources
State of EPA Negotiations in January 2009, Briefing note, ECDPM, 9 January 2009, www.acp-eu-trade.org For better, for worse: challenges for ACP-EU relations for 2009, James Mackie, Eleonora Koeb, Veronika Tywuschik, ECDPM InBrief No. 22, December 2008, www.ecdpm.org Interim Partnership Agreement between Cameroon and the European Community European Commission, 15 January 2009, www.ec.europa.eu/trade…