ISDS Case Map
EPAs
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries (under the Cotonou Agreement)
Declaration of civil society organisations at the meeting of the Africa Trade Network, Cape Town, South Africa, 22 February 2008
Trade talks between the European Union and African countries have been a public relations "disaster" for the Brussels bureaucracy, a high-ranking official confessed Feb. 26.
The European Union has raised concerns about the speed at which African countries are moving towards negotiating for a comprehensive trade deal with Europe, which is expected to fast-track economic integration in the region ahead of the December deadline.
The economic partnership agreements (EPAs) currently being negotiated between Europe and its former colonies in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions are not about equal partnerships but about enabling "big giant Europe to gain better access to African markets".
African Liberal parties, meeting in a General Assembly, that closed in Maputo on Saturday, have demanded that partnership agreements with the European Union should bring real advantages to Africa.
The future of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) hangs in the balance, even as engagement takes place at the highest political level to save the world's oldest customs union from collapsing.
Central to many of the contentious planks that remain (especially 4-9) is the observation of Timothy Kondo (Alternatives to Neo-liberalism in Southern Africa) that the draft EPA, which formed the basis of negotiations for his region was prepared by the EU, (Third World Economics, October 1-15, 2007). This observation was reiterated more generally by Marc Maes: "The texts that the Commission has tabled have reflected the Commission's approach to global trade. They do not reflect the interests and needs of ACP countries." (ibid, p12)
Barbados' Prime Minister has expressed reservations about the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which CARICOM will sign with Europe in April, and he says he's given instructions for his government to review the deal.
Schisms have begun to show in the united front CARIFORUM leaders showed after signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe before the December 31 deadline last year.
The Caribbean Banana Exporters' Association (CBEA) is expressing grave concern that the European Union (EU) might bow to pressure from Latin American banana producing countries and reduce its 176 euros per tonne tariff for bananas from that region.
