ISDS Case Map
EPAs
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries (under the Cotonou Agreement)
"Pour l'instant, je dois dire qu'après analyse au niveau de la sous-région, nous avons trouvé que les conditions n'étaient pas réunies pour la signature des APE", a affirmé le chef de l'Etat saotoméen, appuyant les positions des présidents sénégalais, Abdoulaye Wade, et sud-africain, Thabo Mbeki, qui rejettent les termes proposés par l'UE.
The recent summit between African heads of states and the EU has shown that Europe has failed to move beyond their colonial-era past-times of economic and political bullying.
East Africa's signing of an interim trade pact with Europe has come under heavy criticism for dividing Africa as well as undermining the continent's integration efforts. Interview with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Secretary-General Erastus Mwencha.
Europe's EPA agenda poses a grave danger to the people and economy of South Africa.
Ghana signed an interim trade deal with the European Union on Thursday, joining a rush among poor countries to safeguard exports to the world's biggest trading bloc after preferential terms expire at the end of the year.
South Africa said on Wednesday that "serious issues" needed to be addressed in African nations' trade talks with the European Union, but it did not rule out the possibility of reaching a comprehensive deal.
The EU foreign ministers today adopted a ruling which will allow virtually free access to their markets with effect from Jan 1, 2008 to products from 15 African, Caribbean and Pacific member countries which reached an interim trade agreement with the EU. However, twenty-seven ACP member nations, including 14 in the Caribbean, risk having an increase imposed on their customs tariffs from Jan 1.
Abdoulaye Wade, Senegal's president, said at the closing of the Africa-Europe Summit: "It was said several times during the plenary session and it was said again this morning: African states reject the EPAs."
Ivory Coast inked an interim trade accord with the European Union on Friday as the bloc pushes for deals with as many former European colonies as possible before preferential trade terms expire on December 31. The top cocoa producer is the first West African country to sign a bilateral deal, breaking ranks with the region's ECOWAS economic community.
Government's refusal to sign the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has thrown a challenge to the private sector, which had put too much trust on the Cotonou Agreement by regarding European markets as the only export destination.
