scholarly journals Consequences of Economic Partnership Agreements between East and Southern African Countries and the EU for Inter- and Intra-regional Integration

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Borrmann ◽  
Matthias Busse ◽  
Manuel De La Rocha
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
The Eu

Will EPAs Foster the Integration of Africa Into World Trade?

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniekan Iboro Ukpe
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Market Access ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Trade Relationship ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
The Eu

AbstractNew Economic Partnership Agreements were intended to replace the non-reciprocal EU-African, Caribbean and Pacific trade relationship by 1 January 2008, in a bid to further the development of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries under a WTO-compatible framework. African countries and regions failed to conclude any EPAs by that date due to scepticism about the deeper trade implications of EPAs. However, in a move that has seen the disintegration of Africa's EPA negotiating groups and compromised regional integration across the continent, many African countries broke ranks to initial bilateral goods-only Interim Agreements with the EU as a first step towards concluding full EPAs. Exploring an alternative approach to concluding EPAs, this article underscores the point that the Interim Agreements, although seemingly preserving market access preferences for some African countries, are already having devastating effects on regional integration, the very basis of Africa's development strategy.

Doing It Different

2014 ◽  
pp. 56-72
Author(s):  
Owais Hassan Shaikh ◽  
Yifat Nahmias
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Interregional Trade ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
The Eu

This chapter highlights the current developments in the area of intellectual property having direct consequence for the prospects of Africa's knowledge society. Even though African countries, especially the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have not yet faced pressure from the EU, US, and EFTA for higher intellectual property standards, the situation may change soon with the imminent deadline for conclusion of Economic Partnership Agreements in 2014, the lapse of Africa Growth and Opportunities Act in 2015, and the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020. African countries will be well advised to decouple trade and intellectual property issues by promoting interregional trade or trade with other developing countries that do not demand TRIPS-Plus protection. They must also negotiate intellectual property within the ambit of the WTO.

The EU, Africa and Economic Partnership Agreements: unintended consequences of policy leverage

2006 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Trade Regimes ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
External Powers ◽  
The Eu

Sub-Saharan African (SSA) is negotiating a new trade regime with the European Union (EU), under the threat of increased barriers against its exports if agreement is not reached before 2008. This article examines the potential impact on regional integration of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated. Both sides pay lip service to greater regional integration, which is a stated objective of EPAs. But the article provides research evidence suggesting that EPAs will weaken regionalism, and in so doing adds to the literature on what happens when external powers attempt to use leverage to press trade policy change. Based on an analysis of SSA's trade with the EU, the article shows that countries may be encouraged to reinforce rather than eliminate barriers to the free circulation of goods between them, because of the choices they make in the details of their trade regimes with Europe. It also establishes a methodology that can be applied to new data as the negotiations progress.

scholarly journals Reflecting on Namibia’s Position in the European Union (EU)-Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) Negotiations and the Lessons for Africa

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Charity Manyeruke ◽  
Lawrence Mhandara
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Political Activity ◽  
Import Duty ◽  
The European Union ◽  
African Countries ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Southern Africa Development Community ◽  
The Eu

Negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between European Union (EU) and the African Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) have been on the spotlight since 2002. The negotiations seek to replace the Lome Conventions which provided for a one way non-reciprocal trading regime between the EU and the ACP countries. The paper examines the position of Namibia in relation to EPAs and the lessons that Africa can derive from Namibia’s stance. Namibia which is negotiating under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has declined to sign the Interim Partnership Agreements, besides initialing them in 2007, arguing that EPAs are not consistent with the objective of advancing African economies into competitive outfits in the global economy. Some of the sticking issues that need to be addressed concern EU’s demand for trade liberalization and a near elimination of import duty on all EU products to ACP zone. The paper argues that the major lessons for Africa are that EPA negotiations are much a political activity in as much as they involve the advancement of collective national interest by the EU. The paper therefore implores African countries to safeguard both political and economic interest in the process in the same manner as their EU counterparts are doing. Again, the paper exhorts Africa to negotiate from a position of strength and refuse to give in to unfair trade terms given the evident competition that is looming between the West and the East to partner Africa in development matters.

Doing It Different

2016 ◽  
pp. 418-434
Author(s):  
Owais Hassan Shaikh ◽  
Yifat Nahmias
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Interregional Trade ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
The Eu

This chapter highlights the current developments in the area of intellectual property having direct consequence for the prospects of Africa's knowledge society. Even though African countries, especially the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have not yet faced pressure from the EU, US, and EFTA for higher intellectual property standards, the situation may change soon with the imminent deadline for conclusion of Economic Partnership Agreements in 2014, the lapse of Africa Growth and Opportunities Act in 2015, and the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020. African countries will be well advised to decouple trade and intellectual property issues by promoting interregional trade or trade with other developing countries that do not demand TRIPS-Plus protection. They must also negotiate intellectual property within the ambit of the WTO.

East African unity will prove elusive

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
African Union ◽  
East African ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Partnership Agreement ◽  
The Eu

Significance Earlier in February, Tanzanian President John Magufuli met with his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, on the sidelines of an African Union (AU) summit to discuss reviving the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EAC, a contentious trade agreement dividing EAC members. Failure to agree on the trade deal is indicative of a broader trend, which has recently seen various initiatives aimed at deepening regional integration stall. Impacts Absent the EPA, Kenya will look to strike a bilateral trade deal with the EU. A collapse of the East Africa EPA increases the likelihood that the EU’s other major EPA in West Africa could succeed. Weak regional unity will complicate efforts to develop common responses to shared security threats.

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