ISDS Case Map
EU
European Union
During the past several years, an increasing number of differences have arisen in the strategic partnership forged between China and the European Union. Among the many critical issues clouding the mutual agenda are differing policy approaches towards Africa.
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.
Expressing doubt over WTO talks making headway in the near future, Austria on Tuesday asked India to speed up free trade agreement with the European Union to enlarge markets for European and Indian business.
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.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia has told European Commissioner Peter Mandelson that the coercive approach adopted by the EU poisons the negotiating atmosphere and that the interim agreements are not consistent with development, poverty eradication and rights to food.
A recent study by Realizing Rights, an ‘‘ethical globalisation'' body set up by the former UN commissioner for human rights and former Irish president Mary Robinson, forecasts that an EPA could harm Ghana's development prospects by narrowing its scope to create more and better-paid jobs.
The complexity of the negotiations of an Accord of Economic Association with the European Union will mobilize the Heads of State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Friday, for the third time in the last two months.
