bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

EU

Protest against EPA
8-Mar-2008 Bahama Journal
"We feel that the EPA only asks that we re-colonize the Bahamas," said Fayne Thompson of Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (BARF).
Caricom, EU to sign EPA in June
8-Mar-2008 Trinidad & Tobago Express
Caribbean Community (Caricom) Governments and the European Union will not be signing the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in April, as scheduled. They will instead sign the EPA two months later.
EU trade deals harm Africa unity - S.Africa’s Mbeki
6-Mar-2008
South Africa will continue engaging with the European Union to ensure new trade agreements with African countries do not harm regional integration, President Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday.
SA Trade Negotiators Play Hardball With EU
6-Mar-2008
EU trade chief Peter Mandelson dangled a carrot in front of SA’s negotiators at the weekend, hinting at greater access to European markets in exchange for SA returning to the negotiating table to resolve a standoff over a stalled regional trade deal with the EU.
’EPAS a threat to services, investment’
6-Mar-2008
The European Union (EU) continues to come under fire for employing ’under-handed’ tactics to get African countries, including Swaziland, to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (EPA) with it.
Stop ’re-colonising’ Africa, civil society tells EU
6-Mar-2008 AllAfrica.com
Nine civil society organisations in southern Africa have called on the European Union and its Trade Commission to align its economic partnership proposals with Africa’s economic integration plans.
EPA harmful’ - Academics lobby for renegotiation of trade deal
5-Mar-2008
A group of academics, while stopping short of labelling the trade pact an outright failure, are proposing that Cariforum renegotiate the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), saying it gives up too much to the Europeans in exchange for too little.
Caricom eyes Brazil’s alert
5-Mar-2008
When Ministers of Caricom’s Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) meet in The Bahamas tomorrow, they are expected to consider the implications for this region of reservations expressed by Brazil at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated with the European Commission (EC).
Mandelson in eggdance to placate SA, Namibia
5-Mar-2008
EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson spoke of a "significant development" at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministerial meeting held in Botswana yesterday.
Jean Charest disturbed by U.S. talk of reopening free-trade deal
4-Mar-2008
Premier Jean Charest is using talk of reopening the North American free-trade deal to help his efforts to get a free-trade accord between Canada and the European Union.
ESA Region Keen to Conclude EPA Mission - Minister
4-Mar-2008
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, has reiterated Eastern and Southern African (ESA) countries’ commitment to conclude a comprehensive, inclusive and development friendly Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).
EU won’t push India on FTA
4-Mar-2008
Brussels, March 3. The European Commission will not rush the talks with Delhi for a free-trade agreement even though India’s proposed FTA with Japan could happen sooner and affect the European Union member-countries’ presence in the Indian market.
Pakistan-EU talks to resume after over a decade
4-Mar-2008 Dawn
The Pakistan-European Union Joint Commission is expected to meet within three months, after remaining suspended for over a decade, and a possible free trade agreement is on the agenda.
EU-India FTA hits roadblock
4-Mar-2008 The Hindu
The prospects of free trade agreement between the European Union and India being wrapped up by the 2008-end deadline look very bleak with sharp differences having arisen over various issues — intellectual property rights, competition, agriculture, public procurement, market access and transparency.
Europe headed for new security deal with Israel
4-Mar-2008 The Arab American News
The European Union is considering new steps to deepen its cooperation on scientific research with Israel, despite admitting that previous funds earmarked for that purpose have gone to firms operating illegally in the Palestinian territories.
Crunch week for world’s oldest customs union
3-Mar-2008 Business Day
Sacu trade ministers meet in Gaborone with European Commission trade head Peter Mandelson tomorrow in a bid to break a stalemate over the economic partnership agreement the region is negotiating with the European Union. Mooted as an opportunity to harmonise the region’s trade arrangements with its biggest trading partner and deepen regional integration, the EPA has achieved the opposite. It has divided the region and is threatening to split it permanently.
’We’ve messed up’ on EPAs - trade experts
28-Feb-2008 Swazi Observer
Even though Swaziland initialled an interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union, trade experts acknowledge that the country ’messed up’ by doing so.
Brussels proposes first ever framework for EU-Libya ties
28-Feb-2008 AFP
The European Commission said it would begin negotiating an agreement covering political, social, economic, commercial and cultural relations with Libya once it has received the green light from the bloc’s 27 member nations.
Caricom ’carry go bring come’
28-Feb-2008
Tomorrow, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states will assemble in Kingston to spend two days in a retreat on the conduct of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations. This is hard to believe.
AU ambassadors endorse AU stance on EPAs
28-Feb-2008
African group of ambassadors who on Friday met in Brussels expressed satisfaction at declaration of the AU assembly of heads of state and government on EPA negotiations.