ISDS Case Map
EPAs
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries (under the Cotonou Agreement)
The European Union Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, said the EU would not engage in an alternative strategy concerning African, Caribbean and Pacific trade relations with Europe at the World Trade Organisation, stressing that there is definitely "no Plan B" for EU trade relations with the ACP. New Era spoke to trade analyst, Wallie Roux, wherein he responds in his personal capacity to Mandelson's assertions.
Concern is growing in both Europe and developing countries about whether a series of free trade agreements slated for signature later this year will contain overly stringent rules on intellectual property.
Kenya faces tariff increases of between two and 24 percent on its exports to the European Union if it fails to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU by the end of the year.
The Ghanian government will lose 1.8 trillion cedis annually from import duties as result of withdrawal of tariffs after joining the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) of European Union next year.
Some commercial farmers in The Gambia have raised objection to the Economic Partnership Agreements presently being negotiated between the European Union and the African Caribbean and Pacific countries.
L'Europe pourrait accorder des quotas régionaux pour l'exportation de sucre. Ce qui placerait le Maurice et d'autres pays d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique en situation de concurrence face aux gros producteurs dont le Cuba et le Brésil.
The fate of the Meatco researcher, who got suspended for expressing a sceptical opinion on the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations in May, is yet to be decided.
Amidst controversy, trade liberalisation is fast gaining prominence in Sub-Saharan Africa as the December deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement draws near. This is attributed partly to the wave of globalisation, regional and bilateral agreements and mainly, pressure from the World Trade Organisation and the European Union.
The Delegation of the European Commission in Ghana has voiced out that its relationship with Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa based on preferences and commodity trade has largely failed to deliver development and it was time to take the bold step to try something new, the Economic Partnership Agreements.
