’EU, ACP have agreed on EPAs’
The Monitor, Kampala
’EU, ACP Have Agreed On EPAs’
By Joseph Olanyo, Kampala
23 March 2007
The European Union Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson has said African, Caribbean and Pacific are committed to a consensus on Economic Partnership Agreements before the end of the year.
Mr Mandelson and the EU Commissioner for Development Louis Michel met trade ministers from the EU Member States, African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries for an informal development minister’s meeting in Bonn, Germany recently.
The meeting, convened by the Office of the President of the European Union, included a dialogue on the controversial Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and ACP.
A joint press release issued after the informal dialogue quoted Samoan Trade Minister Hans-Joachim Keil as saying: "There is a consensus and common understanding among EU and ACP member states that EPAs are to be an instrument for fighting poverty."
Uganda was not represented at the dialogue but the Senior Commercial Officer in the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry in charge EPAs, Mr Emmanuel Mutahunga, said there was still a long way ahead of the December deadline.
"While negotiators are re-affirming their commitment, it is very unlikely that we will conclude all the issues under negotiations by December 31," Mr Mutahunga said.
Bilateral and multilateral preferential agreements under the WTO between the EU and nearly 80 ACP countries expire on December 31, 2007. The EU is fronting EPAs to replace WTO programme.
However, some trade analysts, and civil society organisations are sceptical saying poor countries would lose out and that there is need for more time before they agree to the EPAs.
However, the statement said the EU and ACP regions had agreed on the importance of reaching agreement on the text of new agreements by the beginning of 2008, when the WTO waiver protecting existing arrangements will expire.
EU member states they would dedicate a substantial part of the increase in aid for trade to EPAs.
"The EU Presidency shall take up and actively promote further elaboration of the ACP proposal for the creation of regional EPAs developement funds. The preferred delivery mechanism will be the existing regionally owned financing mechanisms," the statement said.
