Trade experts seek information sharing within ACP countries

Trade experts from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have called for greater information sharing among the member states to ensure that there is better understanding of the lessons learned in negotiating new trade arrangements with the European Union, known as Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

They spoke in a statement on 8 April 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa, at the end of a meeting organised by the Commonwealth and ACP Secretariats to examine the full implications of EPAs and the realistic options open to ACP countries as well as any changes that could be desired.

The meeting was chaired by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, and also attended by trade ministers from Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the ACP Secretary-General.

The EPAs will replace the previous Cotonou trade arrangement between the EU and ACP countries that expired in December last year. Unlike the Cotonou trade regime, the EPAs require, among other things, ACP countries to provide reciprocal opening up of their markets to the EU on an equal basis. For example, in the old arrangement, an ACP country exporting bananas to the EU market had preferential treatment, and was not required or conditioned to reciprocate by opening its market to EU goods.

While some ACP countries have signed on to the interim EPAs, others have expressed concerns, saying that the deal doesn’t provide fully for the development objectives of the countries.

The statement issued at the end of the meeting said that: “… the deadline of 31 December 2007 was frantic for most ACP states due to time pressure with the result that 35 out of 77 ACP states initialled interim and full EPAs.”

The statement added that most other states were unable to sign due to the presence of clauses they considered contentious.

“As a result, there now exists a multiplicity of different trading regimes between ACP and EU, a phenomenon which is detrimental to the regional integration processes of the regions concerned, and contrary to the Cotonou objective that EPAs should prioritise regional integration.”

The experts also stressed the importance of forging common positions within and across the ACP.

The Commonwealth Secretariat provides technical assistance to member countries through provision of experts, conducting studies and research to inform policy – with a view to ensuring that member states are fully informed of the options available to them. The outcome of the meeting will be circulated to the rest of the ACP group.

For full text of the outcomes document, click here.

Secretariat Links:

• Economics and Trade

Related Websites:

• ACP Secretariat