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ECOWAS

Economic Community Of West African States

Gambia Social Forum condemns EU-EPA negotiations
1-Mar-2007 The Point
The executive members of the Gambia Social Forum have condemned the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that is being negotiated between the European Union and ECOWAS member states. They say that these proposed free trade agreements would exacerbate the current agricultural crisis that farmers already face, increase poverty, and violate human rights.
W. Africa accepts year-end EU trade deal deadline
7-Feb-2007 Reuters
West African countries said on Tuesday they had agreed to conclude a new trade deal with the European Union by the end of this year and drop demands for a two-year delay.
Deadlock of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) in Ouagadougou
3-Feb-2007 TWN Africa
EPA negotiators from West Africa and the European Union meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from the 23 -26 January, failed to reach agreement on key issues regarding the results of the mid-term review of the EPA negotiations and the way forward.
Afrique de l’Ouest: APE - Ce que les paysans attendent de la CEDEAO
20-Jan-2007 AllAfrica.com
Le Réseau des organisations paysannes et des producteurs de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA). Cette organisation est en campagne contre les APE dans leur formule actuelle, et propose de ne pas les signer. Basiaka Dao est le président de la Confédération paysanne du Faso, membre du ROPPA. Il dit en quoi ces accords ne sont pas bons pour les agriculteurs et les économies des pays de la CEDEAO.
West Africa to seek delay to European trade deal
20-Jan-2007 Reuters
West Africa plans to ask the European Union for a two-year delay to a planned economic partnership agreement (EPA), leaders said at a summit on Friday, but the EU’s executive Commission ruled out a postponement.
ECOWAS seeks extension of agreement with EU
3-Dec-2006 This Day
The regional ministerial committee monitoring the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union has requested a three year extension of the 2007 deadline for the conclusion of the negotiations for a free trade area of the two economic blocs.
ECOWAS Ministers endorse controversial EPA deal
11-Oct-2006 The Statesman
The Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the Economic Partnership Agreement, between West Africa and the European Community, have recommended to the sub-regional body to speed up the controversial partnership deal with the European Union.
Cape Verde wants to negotiate economic partnership with EU outside of ECOWAS
5-Sep-2006 MacauHub
The government of Cape Verde said Monday that it had abandoned the agreement established as part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and plans to negotiate directly with the European Union (EU) for an economic partnership agreement.
ECOWAS ministers, partners finalise talks on reforms
28-Aug-2006
ECOWAS trade, foreign affairs and cooperation ministers today began the final lap of talks toward restructuring the body into a Commission.
Ghana solicits Integration in ECOWAS
24-Aug-2006
Countries within the African region have been implored not to allow nations standards to continue to present technical barriers to the free flow of goods both within and beyond the borders of he Economic Community of West African States.
EU begins to soften its position on EPA negotiations
24-Aug-2006
In what could be described as a softening of its position on the Economic Partnership Agreements negotiations between EU and ECOWAS, the EU’s Ghana office says it is hopeful that the concerns of ECOWAS would be addressed “before” the implementation of the EPAs begin.
Bi-Monthly Analysis of Regional Integration (BIMANORI) #1
23-Aug-2006
Nature abhors a vacuum, and so when regional organisations go making ostensibly grandiose claims that they will create a single currency, seek economic convergence, or establish an army, it is easy to speculate that these are not articulated outside a context.
European Union, ECOWAS to regulate trade
10-Aug-2006
The European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have decided to negotiate an agreement to regulate their trade relations under the new World Trade Organization (WTO) Compatible Framework.
No EPA without investment rules and full reciprocity, Falkenberg insists!
6-Jul-2006
Karl Falkenberg, Deputy Director-General of Trade at the European Commission, says its is not worth having an Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and ECOWAS if the Agreement did not enshrine Free Trade Agreement-style full reciprocity between the parties and liberalised rules for Investment.
Economic Partnership Agreement would collapse Ghana’s feeble economy
6-Jun-2006 GNA
Nana Akomea, Chairman of Ghana’s Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, called for regional integration between ECOWAS countries as the way forward to economic development. An Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and ECOWAS, as provided for in the Cotonou Agreement, would only cripple Ghana’s feeble agricultural sector and other local industries.
EPA as impediment to Nigeria’s devt strategy
18-May-2006 AllAfrica.com
Below is an x-ray and analysis of how the EU-ACP EPA is capable of throwing to oblivion the development dimensions and objectives of Nigeria’s National Economic and Development Strategy.
EPAs are a slap in the faces of poor countries, CSOs warn
3-May-2006 Public Agenda
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), currently negotiated being between African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACPs) and the European Union are set to further reduce incomes of farmers and agric-related employees by 50-60%, anti-EPAs campaigners have said.
West Africa: Oxfam cautions on Economic Partnership Agreements
15-Apr-2006 This Day
Oxfam yesterday urged West African nations not to mortgage their future by signing on to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated with the European Union.
ECOWAS trade ministers agree on conditions for EPA
14-Apr-2006 Africast
ECOWAS Trade Ministers have rounded off a one-day appraisal meeting on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union with an agreement on pre-conditions to be fulfilled before the beginning of the second phase of the negotiations.
NLC, others want economic partnership date shifted
25-Jul-2005 This Day
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the civil society have called for a shift in the commencement date of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), from January 2008 to a more appropriate and realistic date. They said this became necessary in view of the apparent unpreparedness of Economic Community of the West African State (ECOWAS), little or lack of public awareness on EPA process and the little involvement of non-state actors.