Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)

The ACP countries are negotiating reciprocal trade arrangements with the European Union under the ACP-EU partnership agreement. The negotiations began with the 1st phase from September 2001 to September 2003. Substantive negotiations at the regional level began in September 2004 and are expected to be concluded on 31st December 2007 with the EPAs coming into effect on 1st January 2008. However, these negotiations are complex without clear outcomes.

Uganda is negotiating the EPAs under the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Group, which is comprised of sixteen countries. In order to effectively negotiate with the EU, the ESA Group agreed to put in place national and regional structures to guide the process. These structures include the National Development Trade Policy Forums (NDTPFs) to come up with national negotiating positions and the Regional Negotiating Forum (RNF) to harmonize the national positions into a regional position.

In order to avoid duplication, Uganda transformed the existing Inter Institutional Trade Committee (IITC) sub-committee on Cotonou into the NDTPF. The forum aims at providing space for all stakeholders to participate in the negotiations but it is facing financial, technical and human resource constraints.

Participation of stakeholders in the negotiations to-date is still very low due to lack of appreciation of the implications of the EPA negotiations on Uganda’s development and livelihood, the complexity of the negotiations, and limited public awareness about the process. Stakeholder participation has also been further constrained by lack of financial resources.

The Cotonou agreement clearly provides for the participation of civil society and members of parliament in the EPA negotiations as key stakeholders. The members of parliament have a role to ratify the final agreement and put in place enabling legislations. Besides, through EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), the members of parliament have a responsibility of monitoring the implementation of the Cotonou agreement which include the EPA negotiations.

Negotiations have reached a critical phase whereby the parties are putting forward legal texts reflecting their respective positions as a prelude to concluding the Agreement.  This phase requires a close monitoring and analysis of the proposals and their implications on the economy and peoples’ livelihoods. 

Although negotiations are ending by December 2007, it is not clear how Uganda as a whole is position itself to take advantage of the benefits accruing from the EPAs and mitigate the negative effects. The stated objective of the EPAs is poverty eradication which is expected to be achieved through the enhancement of the competitiveness of the economy. This will necessitate identification of specific challenges within key sectors of the economy which have to be addressed.

After the conclusions of the EPA negotiations, there is a need to analyze the implications of the outcome and also to monitor the implementations of the commitments by the parties.

There is therefore a need to:

1. Closely monitor the EPA negotiations in their end stretch and critically analyze the draft texts as they are being proposed and their implications on Uganda’s economy, people’s livelihoods and development interests.
2. Actively  participate in the EPA negotiation processes including inter alia, JPA, National Development Trade Policy Forum (NDTPF), Regional Negotiating Forum (RNF), by providing back-stopping technical support to the negotiators
3. Sensitize and mobilize key stakeholders’ effective participation in the EPA negotiations processes especially members of parliament, CSO and the media. 
4. Share information on the on-going EPA negotiations and their outcomes with key stakeholders.
5. Foster a regional approach to the EPA negotiations process by bringing stakeholders in the region together to develop consensus.
6. Critically analyze the final outcome from EPA negotiations on Uganda’s economy and livelihoods.
7. Monitor the implementation of the commitments by the parties and their implications on Uganda’s economy and people’s livelihoods.
8. Analyze the implications of the final EPAs outcomes on the specific sectors.

Specific Objectives:

1. To ensure that the final EPA agreement contributes to Uganda’s economic growth and to poverty eradication as envisaged in the Cotonou agreement
2. To enhance the technical capacity and ability of the negotiators in defending Uganda’s development interests in EPA negotiations
3. To enhance the effective participation of members of parliament, CSO and the media in EPA negotiations.
4. To ensure that the EPA contribute to the consolidation of existing regional integration efforts within the context of the East African Community.
5. To ensure that the implementation of the outcomes and commitments of the final EPA agreement support development and poverty eradication efforts.

Activities:

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Research and Documentation

SEATINI undertakes or commissions research on trade related matters. The research findings are published in full length manuscripts and smaller Briefing Papers on specific issues for the purposes of providing education to a broad readership, initiating debate and generally giving information...

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Organization & Administration

SEATINI is run by an Chief Executive Director, a deputy director and coordinator of Southern Africa, and a coordinator of Eastern Africa. These principle officers are assisted by a minimal supporting staff and a team of researchers, consultants, and international experts with practical experience in the area of trade negotiations. SEATINI also draws heavily from international organizations such as the UNCTAD, UNDP and the WTO.