EU Delegation, Geneva EU- - ACP ECONOMI C ACP ECONOMI C EU PARTNERSHI P PARTNERSHI P AGREEMENTS ( EPA) AGREEMENTS ( EPA) Michaela Dodini, 24 March 2010
EU Delegation, Geneva BACKGROUND BACKGROUND • Need for W TO com patible trade regim e • Previous preferential trade regim e did not produce trade integration by ACP • EC developm ent policy prom oting integration of DC in w orld econom y
EU Delegation, Geneva PURPOSE of EPAs EPAs PURPOSE of • Overall objective: Sustainable developm ent • Specific objective: I ntegration of partners into w orld econom y; regional integration; core governance standards • Result: developm ent-friendly trade regim e • Necessary condition: W TO com patibility ( reciprocal, covering substantially all trade but asym m etrical and gradual: no offensive EU interest) ; ow nership
EU Delegation, Geneva W hat is the developm ent dim ension of EPAs EPAs ? ? W hat is the developm ent dim ension of • Market access for goods: I ntegration into w orld econom y= + Exports • Cheaper im ports of production factors= • ...and services: m odern production relies on services= + Competitiveness • Rules: Creation of larger regional m arkets w ith stable, predictable and unique rules= + FDI
EU Delegation, Geneva W hat is the developm ent dim ension of EPAs EPAs ? ? W hat is the developm ent dim ension of • Asym m etry and gradualism • Developm ent co-operation ( Aid for Trade) • New co-operation areas, e.g. innovation and research • Full respect of core labour, social and environm ental standards, good governance • Countries m aintain flexibilities
EU Delegation, Geneva COVERAGE of EPAs EPAs COVERAGE of • TRADE I N GOODS • RULES OF ORI GI N Features of most EPA • SAFEGUARDS • CUSTOMS AND TRADE FACI LI TATI ON • TECHNI CAL BARRI ERS TO TRADE • SANI TARY AND PHYTOSANI TARY MEASURES • DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATI ON
EU Delegation, Geneva COVERAGE of EPAs EPAs COVERAGE of • SERVI CES including E-COMMERCE Depending on region’s expressed interest • I NVESTMENT • TRADE RELATED I SSUES ( “Rules”) � I nnovation � I ntellectual property confirm international agreem ents � Com petition transparency requirem ents � Public procurem ent support regional integration � Environm ent inform ation/ adm inistrative coop. requirem ents � Social aspects co-operation priorities � Personal data protection • Regional preference
EU Delegation, Geneva REGI ONAL I NTEGRATI ON REGI ONAL I NTEGRATI ON • EPAs are the trade pillar of a broader strategy to support regional integration • Common aim is to conclude com prehensive, regional EPAs • But can only support regional integration, not create it
EU Delegation, Geneva Regional Aid for Trade Packages • Indicative programming from the European Development Fund: m ore than € 7 bn in Aid for Trade for 2 0 0 8 -1 3 (of which €1.4bn at regional level). Additional funds from EU MS Regional ACP Aid for Trade package • -> regional level needs assessment including national needs -> m apping out of activities, define implementing agencies, costs -> prioritisation , planning in time -> bring in EU MS and other donors to fill financing gaps • Regional organisations to take lead/ ow nership • I nvolve national authorities & private sector adequately
EU Delegation, Geneva EPA EBA GSP Antigua & Barbuda Caribbean Baham as ( signed & provisionally Barbados applied, ratified by EP) Belize Dom inica Dom inican Republic Grenada Guyana Jam aica St Kitts & Nevis St Lucia St Vinc. & Gren. Surinam Trinidad &Tob. Haiti Papua New Guinea Cook I slands East Timor Pacific ( signed) Kiribati Tonga Fiji Samoa Marshall I slands ( signed) Salomon Islands Niue Micronesia Tuvalu Vanuatu Palau Nauru
EU Delegation, Geneva EPA EBA GSP Côte d’I voire ( signed & Benin Nigeria W est Africa provisionally applied, Burkina Faso ratified by EP) Cape Verde Ghana ( signature Gambia pending ) Guinea Guinea Bissau Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Botsw ana ( signed) Angola SADC Lesotho ( signed) Nam ibia ( not signed) Mozambique ( signed) { see footnote on South Sw aziland ( signed) Africa}
EU Delegation, Geneva EPA EBA GSP Cam eroon ( signed) Gabon Central African Rep. Central DR Congo (Kinshasa) Rep. Congo Africa ( Brazzaville) Chad Equatorial Guinea São Tome EAC ESA Djibouti Eastern / Burundi Comoros Eritrea Southern Kenya Madagascar ( signed) Ethiopia Rwanda Mauritius ( signed) Malawi Africa Tanzania Seychelles ( signed) Somalia Uganda Zim babw e ( signed) Sudan Zambia Non-LDC’s are shown in bold and South Africa is not included as its TDCA trade regime is unaffected by the expiry of the Cotonou agreement
EU Delegation, Geneva Monitoring and review • All EPAs will include provisions for m onitoring and review (precise shape to be decided by joint institutions- eg Cariforum opted for civil society and Parliamentary involvement) • EPAs need to remain flexible , while preserving legal certainty and predictability (discussion, no automatic triggers)
EU Delegation, Geneva Alternatives to EPAs? • I ssue w as closely exam ined jointly with ACP partners • No W TO com patible alternatives granting equivalent access and development benefits • LDCs have access to DFQF under EBA (but may lose out from improved RoO, better rules for business, cheaper imports..) = > some LDC have signed EPAs
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