Update on EU-West Africa EPA negotiations

On the basis of a draft EPA text tabled by the West African negotiators (ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions), the Parties agreed on a first joint text for the introductory part of the EPA (objectives) and for the part on trade in goods. This text still contains brackets on several key issues where the Parties have divergences (elimination of export taxes, MFN clause, reform of ECOWAS and UEMOA levies to make them WTO compatible, elimination of EC agricultural subsidies, duration of the transition period for establishing free movement of goods in West Africa, transit, and the definition of custom duties) but negotiation is on track and, as ECOWAS and UEMOA Trade Commissioners said: "We have now more points of agreement than points of disagreement and are working together towards a shared goal".

General discussions also took place on market access (West Africa plans to obtain political agreement with its Member States on the ECOWAS Common External Tarrif and the 5th band in July, and to table its regional market access offer in October), development cooperation (West Africa is progressing in the precise definition of the EPA development programme), and on rules of origin (West Africa will table in July its proposal for a Protocol).West Africa will hold several seminars with its Member States and an EPA Ministerial Monitoring Committee in July in order to progress on all the open fields.
The next negotiation round at expert level only will be end July in Brussels.