Europese Unie start onderhandelingen over handel met Oost- en Zuidelijk Afrika (en)
The EU and 16 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have decided to join forces and promote trade and development by negotiating a region-to-region Economic and Partnership Agreement (EPA). By opening up trade between both regions and setting up clear rules for trade, the EPA will contribute to the economic integration of the region. Tearing down barriers to trade among themselves is the necessary complement to the almost full access to the EU market already enjoyed by these countries On the eve of his departure to Mauritius to launch these talks.
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said: "The EPA negotiations with Eastern and Southern Africa will follow a hands-on approach: development is the objective, trade one of the tools. By initiating negotiations on a regional basis, our partners have already taken a big step towards deepening and accelerating their own economic integration. If at the end of these negotiations, Eastern and Southern Africa stands as a stronger region, able to define its common interest and improve jointly the environment for business and investors, we will all have won."
EU Development Commissioner Poul Nielson added: "I am encouraged by Eastern and Southern Africa's important decision to initiate EPA negotiations with the EU. Deepening regional integration, breaking down barriers to neighbours and creating larger markets are crucial steps if these countries are to stimulate the necessary investments and productivity improvements that will drive their development. This long term perspective of development is the prime objective of the EPA's. "
In Mauritius, both sides will agree on the structure and the roadmap for the negotiations. Furthermore, they will exchange views on regional priorities and how to integrate most effectively the development dimension in the EPA process.
Commissioner Lamy will call on the President of the Republic of Mauritius, H.E. Sir Jugnauth and will engage in working sessions with Prime Minister Bérenger and key ministers as well as with the private sector. High on the agenda in the discussions with Mauritius authorities, business and civil society will include the future of trade in textiles after the expiry of the WTO multifibre arrangement in January 2005, the on-going reform of the EU sugar market and the diversification of the Mauritius economy. Pascal Lamy will also participate at the launch of "e-marketplace", a project by the Mauritius Export Processing Zone to enable small- and medium sized enterprises to exploit new market opportunities through an internet-enabled platform.
The EU has already committed more than € 700 million from the European Development Fund for supporting trade related activities and regional integration in the Eastern and Southern African countries.
Background
Economic and Partnership Agreements are based on the Cotonou Agreement between 77 ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries and the EU. Negotiations were launched on 27th September 2002 in Brussels. The first phase of talks on the all-ACP EU level led on 2nd October 2003 to a preliminary understanding on horizontal issues in key areas such as market access, trade-related areas, services and the development dimension of EPAs. Since then, negotiations on the regional level have been launched with West Africa and Central Africa in October 2003.
The group of 16 countries in Eastern and Southern African to open negotiations on 7th February include: Burundi, Comores, Djibouti, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Totalling about 280 million inhabitants, many of these countries belong to the poorest in the world and have suffered some of the harshest conflicts and humanitarian crisis in Africa. Economic integration is expected to help preventing in future the risks of new conflicts.
They all form part of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which promotes regional economic integration through trade and investment and aims at creating a Customs Union from end of 2004. The remaining countries of Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Tanzania) have decided to approach the EPA negotiations as a separate grouping. South Africa, by far the largest economy of the region, has already concluded an FTA with the EU.
For more information on ACP-EU trade relations go to:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/acp/index_en.htm
See also MEMO/04/25 and statistics