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The countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) are
to a large extend marginalised in world trade. 25 years of EU-ACP
co-operation under the framework of successive Lomé conventions
have not been able to significantly change this. The new Cotonou
Agreement, signed on 23. June 2000 in the capital of Benin, puts
increasing emphasis on the liberalisation of trade relations between
the EU and the group of countries (ACP).
The new EU-ACP agreement foresees the beginning of negotiations
for so called 'Economic Partnership Agreements' (EPAs) between the
European Union and the ACP countries in September 2002, to be concluded
by January 2008 at the latest. Before the negotiations start, ACP
countries are expected to finalise the regional configuration in
which they will begin negotiations on new trade agreements with
the EU. Discussions on the European negotiating directives are currently
in a final stage, the ACP group is expected to present its negotiating
mandate later this year.
Against this background terre des hommes Germany, World Economy,
Ecology & Development (Weed) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation
held an international conference entitled "The Cotonou Agreement
- New Perspective for European Trade Policy?" on the 7. and
8. March, 2002, in Berlin. It was the organ-isers objective to subject
the strategies and aims of European trade policy towards the ACP
countries in its totality to critical examination and investigate
its underlying political tendencies. The organisers intended to
contribute to a broad debate on the direction of future EU regional
trade policy and to formulate political expectations and recommendations
for political actors in Berlin and Brussels. Furthermore, it is
of utmost importance to include the general public in the broad
debate on the ecological and social impacts of trade agreements.
The present publication reflects the debate surrounding three main
areas:
I. Who profits from free trade - environmental and social impacts
of re-gional trade and investment agreements
II. European trade policy initiatives for a balanced and sustainable
partnership with southern countries - implica-tions for EU, ACP
and trade co-operation
III. Policy requirements for future trade and economic co-operation
agreements.
In order to encourage a lively and informed debate, a number of
non state actors from African countries and from the secretariat
of COMESA were invited. From the European side, the Director of
DG Trade, the Director of the Secretariat of the Development Committee
of the European Parliament and a representative from the ACP Secretariat,
all of whom are involved in the preparation of the upcoming negotiations,
participated in the conference. Several representatives of European
NGOs presented their views on future ACP-EU economic co-operation.
In addition, a representative from the Federal Ministry of Economic
Co-operation and Development joined the debate.
The organisers express their hope that this publication serves
as a timely contribution to the current discussions, clarification
of issues and development of strategies to ensure that the forthcoming
negotiations between the EU and ACP countries will serve the ultimate
aim of sustainable development in ACP countries.
Peter
Eisenblätter, terre des hommes
Klaus Schilder, World Economy, Ecology & Development
Volker Vinnai, Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation
Content:
I. WHO PROFITS FROM FREE TRADE? - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
OF REGIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS
- Impact and Consequences of Trade Liberalisation Policies. Klaus
Schilder
- Regional Integration and Liberalisation - Challenges to SADC
in Negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) Rev.
Malcolm Damon
- Regional Co-operation and Integration in the Caribbean. - The
Effects of New ACP-EU Trading Arrangements. Lingston Cumberbatch
- Which Role for the New Actors? - Civil Society Participation
in the Cotonou Process. Bibiane Mbaye Gahamanyi
II. EUROPEAN TRADE POLICY INITIATIVES FOR A BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHERN COUNTRIES
- European Trade Policy Following Doha Increasingly Regional?
Initiatives for a Balanced and Sustainable Partnership. Evita
Schmieg
- Cotonou in Its Regional and Multilateral Context. Christopher
Stevens
- To Sign or Not to Sign? EPAs and Alternative Options for EU-ACP
Negotiations.
Paul Goodison
- The MAI through the Back Door? Investment Liberalisation in
Regional Free Trade Agreements. Sabina Voogd
- Options for Participation of ACP and EU Civil Society. Simon
Stocker
III. ON THE EVE OF NEGOTIATIONS - POLICY REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE
TRADE AND ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AGREEMENTS
- Summary of Policy Dialogues onTrade Policy, Investment Policies
and Civil Society Participation
IV. SUMMARY / ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
V. AUTHORS
VI. SELECTED RESOURCES
VII. ANNEX - ACP and EU Negotiating Mandate
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