scholarly journals Economic Partnership Agreements between the European Union and African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries: What is at Stake for Senegal?

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valdete Berisha-Krasniqi ◽  
Antoine Bouët ◽  
Simon Mevel
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Economic Partnership

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.

Whither Lomé? The Mid-Term Review and the Decline of Partnership

1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Crawford
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Mutual Respect ◽  
European Development Fund ◽  
Development Fund ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
European Development ◽  
Centre Piece ◽  
Council Of Ministers ◽  
Ongoing Dialogue

The signing in Mauritius on 4 November 1995 of the amended fourth Lomé Convention, the aid and trade co-operation agreement between the European Union (EU) and the ACP Group of 70 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries, brought the Mid-Term Review to its formal completion after protracted negotiations. Established in 1975, Lomé has long been the centre-piece of EU development assistance. In quantitative terms, the European Development Fund, the financial instrument of Lomé, has comprised the largest single portion of EU aid, averaging almost 45 per cent of all disbursements in recent years.1 Qualitatively, Lomé has been regarded as a model of North—South cooperation, mainly due to three special features: it was founded on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and interdependence; it is a legally binding contract negotiated between two sets of countries; and it involves ongoing dialogue through three joint institutions, the ACP—EU Council of Ministers, the Committee of Ambassadors, and the ‘parliamentary’ Joint Assembly.

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