ACP countries and specially Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is the main producer of sugar in Africa have called on the European Union to honour its commitments under the Cotonou Accord and EPAs, arguing that abolishing sugar quotas before 2020 could cripple their developing economies. A recent report confirmed the results that this would make imports less attractive. The EU would move to self-sufficiency and may even become a net exporter from time to time. ACP sugar exports will drop to a negligible fraction of what they are today, or be wiped out altogether of the EU market. 

Read more … Trade News - May-June 2013

West Africa Community and EU are in a new phase in their EPA negotiations. The civil Society Platform in West Africa (POSCAO) decided on 15^th February 2013, to draw the attention of negotiators
once again on the risks related to market opening for more than 70% to the EU and are warning West African negotiators against any violation of the mandate given them by the region.

Read more … Trade News - February 2013

On  December 11th the EU’s Council eventually adopted its favorable position on Market Access Regulation 1528. This proposal withdraw valuable market access from those countries which haven’t ratified or taken steps towards Economical Partnership Agreement (EPA) implementation by January 2014. This is particularly relevant for Botswana, Cameroon, Fiji, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia and Swaziland which are not Least Developed Countries.

Read more … Trade News - January 2013

The European Parliament has begun discussing the ratification of the interim EPA with Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. Ugandan parliamentarians and civil society organisations met for a two-day forum on trade liberalisation. They concluded that Uganda would best benefit if it does not sign an EPA. The European Union has recently been busy rebuffing claims that the proposed EPA with the West African region and Nigeria will undermine the region’s nascent manufacturing sector.

Read more … Trade News - October 2012

The European Parliament has voted for the postponement of the EPA negotiations deadline from 1st January 2014 to 1st January 2016, while the Council has already informally agreed to support the Commission's proposal for a January 2014 deadline.

The implementation of Madagascar's EPA is due to begin in January 2013. However, due to the crisis Madagascar believes that more time is needed and asks for a moratorium of five years.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was resoundingly rejected by the European Parliament in its July plenary by 478 votes to 39, with 165 abstentions.

Read more … Trade News - September 2012

The trade committee of the European Parliament voted to recommend to the EP Plenary Session the postponement of the EPA deadline to January 2016, not January 2014 as proposed by the European Commission. The trade committee of the European Parliament also voted to recommend to the EP Plenary Session to reject the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The European Parliament and the Council approved the final version of the reform of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) which will come into force in January 2014.

Read more … Trade News - June/July 2012

The trade committee of the European Parliament discussed the draft report on the Commission proposal to set a January 2014 deadline for the EPA negotiations. The rapporteur of the European Parliament suggested moving the deadline from 2014 to 2016. The European Peoples Party and the European Commission are opposed to this proposal.

On the 14th May, the interim EPA between the EU and four ESA countries - Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles and Zimbabwe - became the first EPA with an African region to be applied.

Read more … EPA News Update - May 2012

The Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement - commonly referred to by its acronym ACTA - has arrived at the European Parliament and was discussed in the trade committee on the 25th April. If ACTA becomes a reality it will have far-reaching consequences for Africa. The greatest risk ACTA poses to Africa is regarding access to generic medicines.

Read more … Trade News - April 2012

Zimbabwe has now completed the ratification of the interim EPA it signed in August 2009. With Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar already having completed the ratification process, this becomes the first interim EPA that will be implemented in Africa.

In the meanwhile ACP Ministers strongly opposed the EU's January 2014 deadline, declaring that “the delay in concluding the negotiations is due to the non-resolution of contentious issues owing to entrenched positions of the EC side as well as additional issues being added to the negotiating agenda in which the EC cannot be absolved from blame”.

Read more … EPA News Update - March 2012

The WTO Ministerial in December ended without any signifcant result: no progress was achieved in the Doha Round negotiations. In the meanwhile the European Parliament started discussing the January 2014 deadline for the EPA negotiations.

Read more … Trade News - February 2012

Read more … EPA News Update - December 2011

Read more … EPA News Update - October 2011

Read more … Trade News - September 2011

Read more … Trade State of Play and Future Perspectives - May 2011

Read more … Trade News - February 2011

Read more … EPA News Update - January 2011

Read more … EPA State of Play - October 2010

Read more … EPA News Update - September 2010