Talking development and walking trade - the health consequenses of policy conflict in the "Economic Partnership Agreements
EPA texts do not align with the 2006 adopted European Consensus on Development (2006/C 46/01) or the 2005 adopted EU measures to accelerate the progress towards attaining the MDGs.[more] |
UNCTAD warns that north-south bilateral and regional trade agreements may be more costly than expested.
As African countries gear to sign an Economic Partnership Agreements with EU UNCTAD´s Trade and Development Report 2007 has warned that North-South bilateral and regional trade agreements could weaken the multilateral trading system, and reduce the scope for national policies that support development and structural change in developing countries. These deals often present tough choices for the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and may be more costly than expected. [more] |
East African parliamentarians express fear that EPAs will undermine the economic and political integration process of the region.
At a workshop held at Entebbe from 15-16 October 2007, members of East African Legislative Assembly, and national parliaments in East African countries reiterated that EPAs processes and outcomes should serve to foster sustainable human development, regional integration in the East African sub-region. They expressed their dismay that our governments are under pressure to conclude negotiations by 31st December 2007. In spite of significant divergences on substantive issues. [ more] |
TRADE-EAST AFRICA: Chaos On Eve of EPA Deadline
Ministers of the East and Southern African (ESA) grouping are gathering in Brussels, Belgium, next week for negotiations with the European Union (EU). It remains to be seen whether talks will stall and be carried over to next year, or if an ‘‘EPA-lite’’ will be accepted. [more] |
Eastern and Southern Africa regional conference worried on the trade and economic impacts of ESA-EU and SADC-EU economic partnership agreements (EPA)
At the Regional Conference on Trade and Economic Impacts and Implications of ESA-EU and SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreements held in Lake Naivasha on 6th-9th September 2007, representatives of Civil Society, private sector, trade unions, academia and governments from ESA and SADC strongly expressed great concerns regarding the pressure ESA and SADC governments are facing to sign an incomplete agreement simply for the fear of losing already existing market for products in the EU but not because of the agreement to be signed by is generally good for their countries. [more] |
WTO NEGOTIATIONS AND ROCESSES: What is their relevance to rural livelihoods?
The WTO negotiations concern trade distortions and related regulatory issues and are supposed to be development oriented. It is, however, disheartening for the Doha Round of negotiations to be on suspension since July 2006 as a result of inability of key players to reach agreement on issues related to agriculture and industrial goods – the former being crucial to the livelihoods of the rural community.[more] |
ACP countries being pushed into a tight corner to sign far reaching Interim EPA Agreements
As it has become apparent that a comprehensive deal is unlikely to be concluded by 31st December deadline, the EU expressed willingness to enter into interim market access agreements that would satisfy the WTO compatibility requirement and which could then be used as a stepping stone for a comprehensive EPA to be concluded later. To this end, the EU has been pushing all the panic buttons to get ACP governments to sign the interim agreements by 31st December.[more] |
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| EPAs state of play |
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ESA trade ministers meet Mandelson(3 March 2008).pdf.
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Of the 37 Developing countries in the ACP states, 9 have so far signed the interim EPA and 28 have not yet .Out of 39 LDCs only 9 have signed so far and 30 have not. Some are expected to sign in the due course[more]
EPAS update (SADC and ESA ) |
Many SADC and ESA states sign the interim EPA. South Africa and Nambia say NO, as Angola, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan are yet to reveal their side.[more]
| Namibia signs the Interim EPA in the understanding that its concerns will be addressed. |
On 12 December 2007, Namibia initialed the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement on the understanding that its concerns would be addressed through the negotiations towards a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.[more]
Update: Interim EPAs as published by the EC. [pdf]
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