ISDS Case Map
EPAs
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries (under the Cotonou Agreement)
According to the latest information received, the ACP countries should be under pressure again this year to sign and provisionally implement EPAs before notification to the WTO could take place in order to avoid a challenge by other developing countries -- this despite a legal opinion by a renowned WTO legal expert, Dr Lorand Bartels, that initialled interim EPAs could be notified to the WTO.
So concerned is Brazil about the Caribbean EPA that it sent, on February 5, a communication to the World Trade Organisation requesting a debate. Its concern is that the arrangement agreed with the European Commission may cause nations like India, China and others to cease to negotiate with nations like the Caribbean.
The East African Community (EAC) in November 2007 signed interim agreements with the European Union (EU) after the December 31 expiry of the Cotonou arrangement that gave preferential treatment to Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries accessing the EU market. Peter Kaujju, spoke to Chungu Mwila, the director for investment promotion and private sector development at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
This South Centre Analytical Note overviews some of the main challenges that
ACP governments face now in the EPA negotiations and provides suggestions
regarding strategic options for the way forward.
Association des Producteurs de Bananes du Cameroun (ASSOBACAM), sources reveal, pushed the Cameroonian government to jump into a bilateral agreement with the EU Commission. Many observers interpret the move to mean that government sacrificed the young industrial sector of the country to protect the interest of banana producers, most of which are owned by Western countries.
"We feel that the EPA only asks that we re-colonize the Bahamas," said Fayne Thompson of Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (BARF).
Caribbean Community (Caricom) Governments and the European Union will not be signing the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in April, as scheduled. They will instead sign the EPA two months later.
South Africa will continue engaging with the European Union to ensure new trade agreements with African countries do not harm regional integration, President Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday.
EU trade chief Peter Mandelson dangled a carrot in front of SA's negotiators at the weekend, hinting at greater access to European markets in exchange for SA returning to the negotiating table to resolve a standoff over a stalled regional trade deal with the EU.
The European Union (EU) continues to come under fire for employing 'under-handed' tactics to get African countries, including Swaziland, to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (EPA) with it.
