Commonwealth hosts meeting on ACP-EU negotiations

Ministers representing the six regional African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries’ blocks have commenced a two-day meeting at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters in London.

The discussions -- being held on 1 and 2 November 2006 -- are part of a new diplomatic offensive by the Commonwealth aimed at breathing life into trade negotiations between ACP countries and the European Union.

Prior to their arrival in London, the ACP Ministers visited Berlin for meetings with Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, the German Minister for Development Co-operation, and other officials. Germany will take over the EU Presidency in January 2007.

“The Minister is determined that the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) process should be given the highest priority -- and I am using her words -- during the presidency of Germany for the first six months of next year,” Dame Billie Miller, the Barbados Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said.

ACP Ministers have invited the UK’s Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, and Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, to join the meetings on the second day.

Also participating will be chief negotiators from the ACP regions and the Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

The meetings are part of a comprehensive effort aimed at helping to overcome obstacles in the current ‘European Partnership Agreement’ trade negotiations by facilitating dialogue and increasing understanding of what is required for them to succeed.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith said: “The Commonwealth has an exemplary track record in facilitating informal high level consultations between countries, regions and international organisations. We are helping to move ACP-EU negotiations forward so that ACP countries can achieve their full trade and development potential.”

The current trading arrangements under the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement, which gives trade preference to ACP countries (covered by a World Trade Organisation waiver) are set to expire at the end of 2007. New WTO compatible arrangements will have to be agreed by then. The EU and six ACP blocks are conducting negotiations towards reaching Economic Partnership Agreements. Thirty-nine Commonwealth members are ACP countries.

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