Declaration on EPA Negotiations

(Press Release)--Declaration of the African Union conference of minister of trade during their fifth ordinary session on the Economic Partnership Agreements negotiations

We, the Ministers of Trade of the Member States of the African Union, meeting at 5th Ordinary Session of our Conference on 19-20 March 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

Considering the impact of the current global economic and financial crisis on the trade and development of our countries;

Taking Note of the Progress Reports on the ongoing negotiations on full and comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and the various African regional groupings/countries;

Recalling our previous Declarations and those of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the EPA Negotiations;

Emphasising the importance of regional integration as the central pillar of Africa’s development agenda;

Noting that the primary objectives of EPAs, as agreed by the EU and ACP countries in the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, are the eradication of poverty, the promotion of sustainable development, the strengthening of regional integration initiatives, and the gradual integration of ACP countries into the global economy;

Noting that the Interim EPAs were initialed by some African countries to avoid the disruption of their trade with EU in view the deadline of 31st December 2007;

Aware that a well structured, balanced, and development- oriented EPA, that offers improved market access into the EU market, that takes adequate account of the difference in the levels of development of the EU and African countries and provides the latter with necessary policy space, and which addresses the supply-side constraints of African economies; can offer significant development dividends to Africa;

Encouraged by the Conclusions of the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council Meeting held on 26-27 May 2008 that acknowledged the concerns of ACP Partners on the existence of some problematic issues in the EPA negotiations and the need for flexible approach while ensuring adequate progress, and called on the European Commission to use all WTO compatible flexibility and asymmetry in order to take account of the different needs and levels of development of ACP countries and regions;

Recalling the directive that was given to the AUC, by the Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Trade and Finance in Addis Ababa in April 2008 and endorsed by AU Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in July 2008, to develop in collaboration with the ECA and the RECs, an EPA Template that can guide African countries and regions in negotiations of full and comprehensive EPAs with the EU;

Having regard to the Draft of the Model EPA Template prepared by the AUC in collaboration with the UNECA and the RECs;

Hereby:

1. Reiterate our strong belief in the efficacy of trade as an engine for the promotion of sustainable economic growth and the eradication of poverty;

2. Reaffirm our previous Declarations and Decisions on the Economic Partnership Agreements and our commitment to the conclusion of development-oriented EPAs between African regions and the EU that are geared towards the attainment of the objectives of eradication of poverty, achievement of sustainable growth, deepening of Africa’s integration on the basis of the African Economic Community initiative, and attainment of gradual but effective integration of African economies into the global trading and economic systems;

3. Welcome the EU strategy on Aid for Trade and Urge that the initiative be adequately funded, and effectively and expeditiously implemented to assist African countries and regions to fully benefit from the implementation of EPAs;

4. Call upon the African group in the WTO, in collaboration with other members to intensify efforts towards appropriately amending Article XXIV of GATT 1994 with a view to allowing for necessary Special and Differential Treatment, less than full reciprocity principle and explicit flexibilities that are consistent with the asymmetry required to make the EPA’s development oriented;

5. Underscore the importance of benchmarking development and provision of adequate resources for technical assistance and capacity building;

6. Emphasise that greater policy space is required by African countries to respond to the challenges of the global financial, economic, social development crisis;

7. Call on the EC to take account of the conclusions on EPA negotiations of the 2870th Meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and show greater flexibility in its position during the negotiations of full and comprehensive EPAs;

8. Underscore the need for coherence between EPAs and Africa’s development and regional integration agenda;

9. Reiterate the need for the contentious issues in the EPAs that were identified by the Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Trade and Finance in April 2008 to be adequately addressed in the context of the negotiations of full and comprehensive EPAs.

10. Commend the AUC, the UNECA, the RECs and the partners that contributed to the development of the EPA Template;

11. Regard the EPA Template as work in progress and call on the AUC, UNECA and the RECs to continue to consult in order to further strengthen the document and ensure coherence;

12. Encourage African countries and Regions to make use of the Template where necessary particularly with respect to the contentious issues and other issues in areas of common interest in the negotiations with the European Union;

13. Direct the AUC and RECs to coordinate EPA configurations in Africa with a view to harmonising the key issues of common interest to Africa in the EPA negotiations in order to enable Africa to speak with one voice;


Done in Addis Ababa, 20 March 2009.

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