Economische partnerschappen moeten impact hebben ontwikkeling ACS-landen (en)

Whether countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific sign Economic Partnership Agreements with the EU or not, they should not be worse off than under the current system of preferences, says a report adopted by MEPs. Flanking measures in the form of aid for trade should be used to help the ACP countries, for example, to offset any loss of customs revenue, so says the adopted report put forward by the EPP-ED and UEN groups and replaces the original report from the Development Committee.

The report, drafted byJürgen Schröder i (EPP-ED, DE), urges the Council, the Commission and the governments of the EU Member States and ACP countries to "re-establish an atmosphere of confidence and constructive dialogue in so far as it has been damaged in the course of negotiations" and to "recognise the ACP states as equal partners in the negotiation and implementation process".

The Lomé Agreements between the European Community and the ACP countries included trade preferences for the ACP countries which were more favourable than those granted by the EU to other developing countries under the General System of Preferences (GSP).  The Lomé preferences, which have been challenged by non-ACP developing countries, were temporarily extended by a derogation from the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which expired on 31 December 2007.

MEPs remind the Council and the Commission that neither the conclusion nor the renunciation of an EPA should lead to a situation where an ACP country may find itself in a less favourable position than it was under the trade provisions of the Cotonou Agreement.

Aid for trade

Only strong accompanying measures will enable the ACP countries to benefit from the opportunities available under EPAs.  Such measures must offset any net loss in customs revenue and be invested in order to diversify export production and produce more higher added-value export goods, says the Development Committee’s report.

Review clause and regional integration

EPAs should incorporate a clause for a revision 5 years after their signature, to which national parliaments, the European Parliament and civil society must be formally associated, says the report. This 5-year period will enable a detailed evaluation of the impact of EPAs on the economies and regional integration of the ACP countries. Appropriate reorientations can also be carried out.

To avoid undermining regional integration through EPAs concluded with individual ACP countries, or with a group of countries (not including all countries within one region), the Commission is called on to recalibrate its approach and to ensure that concluding EPAs does not endanger regional integration.

Of the 15 countries of the Pacific region (including East Timor), where the 16th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly was held from 24 to 28 November 2008 (in Port Moresby, Papua-New Guinea), only Papua and Fiji have signed provisional agreements. The erosion of trade preferences - sugar for Fiji and tuna for Papua-New Guinea - prompted these countries to sign a provisional accord in November 2007.

Parliament's assent

The European Parliament will have to give its formal approval (known as its “assent”), probably in spring 2009, to enable these agreements to enter into force.  Since the agreements have a significant trade component, this procedure will be the responsibility of the EP’s International Trade Committee.

Negotiations with the ACP Group of States started in 2002, following the adoption of negotiating directives by the Council on 12 June 2002. The negotiations are being conducted with six EPA regions (the Caribbean, West Africa, Central Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, SADC minus, Pacific).