ISDS Case Map
EPAs
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries (under the Cotonou Agreement)
The much disparaged European Union’s Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) got a fresh beating Tuesday in Lagos, as the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) told a gathering of Industry stakeholders, including EU’s Ambassador to Nigeria, David Macrae, that the EPA Road Map should be put on hold and that the entire negotiation process be subjected to a complete review.
A series of meetings involving senior officials and experts from Southern Africa and the European Union are scheduled before the end of the year as the parties attempt to finalise a full Economic Partnership Agreement.
Bahamas' Minister of Financial Services is this week aiming to encourage three of the largest Swiss private banks to domicile “new business units” in the Bahamas, under the auspices of a new deal under the EU EPA.
The European Union has rebuffed claims that the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement with the West African region and Nigeria within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is out to undermine the region's nascent manufacturing sector.
Trade and Industry Minister, Ms Hannah Tetteh has called all stakeholders in the West African sub-region to show extra commitment to the integration agenda and the implementation of various ECOWAS protocols.
Mr Tetteh Hormeku, Head of Programmes, Third World Network - Ghana, has urged African governments to be wary of the European Union’s agenda to perpetuate and deepen liberalization through the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
The St. Kitts-Nevis government remains concerned that it could come out worse off if it starts to implement duty free access for European goods coming into the federation and it is seeking an extension in implementing certain measures under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that it and other Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries signed with Europe in 2008.
Namibia, and other ACP countries, are celebrating a victory in trade negotiations after the European Parliament voted to extend the deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union from January 2014 to January 2016.
Legislators, trade experts and analysts have described the delayed signing of the Economic Partnerships Agreement (EPAs) as a detriment to development of trade among developing nations.
Botswana has escaped the imposition of an amendment which would have charged higher duties on the country's exports to the European Union after 2014 thereby dealing a deathblow to local sectors such as agriculture, minerals and manufacturing.
