EPAs
Trade: African Ministers and CSOs in scathing attack on EPAs
Accra, 22 Apr (Riaz K. Tayob) - Economic Partnership Agreements came under heavy attack from two African ministers who criticised the EPAs while many African NGOs called for their governments to reject and pull out of these free trade agreements with the European Union.
This took place at a NGO side event at UNCTAD XII convened on Tuesday by the Africa Trade Network with the objective of presenting its views and engaging with officials.
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May 08/7)
12 May 2008
Third World Network
www.twnside.org.sg
The EU- Cariforum Epa on services investments and E commerce implications for other ACP countries
At the close of 2007, the EU completed a comprehensive EconomicPartnership Agreement (EPA) with the Cariforum countries. The EPAwith the Cariforum is comprehensive in the sense that it extends to tradein goods, services and all the new generation issues including governmentprocurement, competition law, and others. This analytical note providesan overview of key provisions related to trade in services in the CariforumEPA text and comments on the possible implications for other ACPcountries in Africa and the Pacific, which may soon initiate negotiationsfor the reciprocal liberalisation of trade in services with Europe.
South Centre Analytical Note
2008May_EPA_Fact_Sheet_No10.pdf 229.65 kB
Midterm Review of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
The networks of farmers’ organizations of five ACP sub-regions (Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa and the Caribbean) have carried out their own mid-term assessment of the state of progress in the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in order to contribute to the formal review foreseen in article 37,4 of the Cotonou Agreement.
Independent contribution of the regional networks of farmers’ organizations
Synthesis of the regional assessments Working document
10 December 2006
Les Accords de partenariat economique entre l'Unione Europeenne et le Pays ACP
Rapport sur les Accords de Partenariat Economique
Auteur : Christiane TAUBIRA, Députée de Guyane16 juin 2008
Taubira’s report was commissioned by France in April in preparation for its six-month stint chairing meetings of the EU’s governments, which began on July 1. It follows concerns raised in private by French diplomats to the European Commission over recent months.
Rapport%20C_TAUBIRA_APE_2.pdf 1.46 MB
The latest statement from UK government
September 2007: Statement from Trade and Development Minister Gareth Thomas on Economic Partnership Agreements December 2007 statement: Response on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
EPAs: what happened?
An update on EU-ACP negotiations.
Roberto Meregalli, (Beati i costruttori di pace – Rete di Lilliput - Tradewatch)
In the last few months of 2007 we have been following the great pressure exerted by the European Commission on ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) to urge them to accept the economic partnership agreements known as EPAs. Only 31 countries accepted the European proposal, the remaining 41 said “no”. Europe did not back down and on January 1st 2008 it put an end to the Lomè/Cotonou tariff agreement, a decision that translated into an increase in tariffs levied on imports from ACP countries.
Summary
Free trade and development: a “cheat”
An analysis by Roberto Sensi, member of the Campaign for the World Bank Reform, of the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries. The duties on processed products, the peak tariffs and the principle of reciprocity applied to services and investments make these agreements (the so-called EPAs) a “cheat”.
Economic Partnership Agreements: What happens in 2008?
The EU–ACP trade negotiations are running out of time and all the available options are unpalatable or difficult.
ODI Overseas Development Institute
Briefing Paper 23 June 2007
ODI_EPAs2008.pdf 169.16 kB
The new EPAs: comparative analysis of their content and the challenges for 2008
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the trade regimes for Africa that on 1 January 2008 replaced the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA), the negotiations that remain to be completed and the challenges facing Africa in implementation, some of which require support from Europe.
Christopher Stevens, Mareike Meyn and Jane Kennan, ODI
Sanoussi Bilal, Corinna Braun-Munzinger, Franziska Jerosch, Davina Makhan and Francesco Rampa, ECDPM
Source: http://www.odi.org.uk/iedg/Projects/0708010_The_new_EPAs.html
www.ecdpm.org/pmr14
ODI_New_EPAs_summary.pdf 72.04 kB
Destroying African Agriculture
Biofuel production is certainly one of the culprits in the current global food crisis. But while the diversion of corn from food to biofuel feedstock has been a factor in food prices shooting up, the more primordial problem has been the conversion of economies that are largely food-self-sufficient into chronic food importers. Here the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) figure as much more important villains.
Source: Foreign Policy In Focus - www.fpif.org
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