An overview

1
ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN WEST
AFRICA AND EUROPEAN UNION

• An overview
• May 2008

2
STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION

• Reminder
• 2. State of the negotiations
• 3. Next steps

3
1. THE WTO RULES

• Rule of the most-favoured-nation (MFN clause),
  article 1 of the GATT
• But 2 exceptions
• Free Trade Agreements (GATT Article XXIV)
• Possibility of non reciprocal preferences from
  Developed countries towards Developing countries
  as long as this is not discriminatory (Enabling
  clause)
• Cotonou transitory trade regime not WTO
  compatible (because geographical discrimination
  in favour of ACPs against other DCs) gt Decision
  to negotiatte EPAs which are compatible with GATT
  Article XXIV

4
1. EU TRADE REGIMES
5
2. STATE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS

• 9 LDCs and 26 non-LDCs countries have entered
  into EPAs and interim EPAs
• 1 comprehensive EPA agreed with the Caribbean
  region
• 6 interim agreements based on WTO compatible
  goods trade arrangements
• 32 LDCs beneficiating from the EBA initiative
• 10 non-LCDs under the GSP

6
2. FOCUS WEST AFRICA

• 2 interim EPAs with Ghana and Ivory Cost
• The concept of interim EPA
• (Communication of the Commission, December 2007)

7
3. NEXT STEPS

• Completion of the negotiations of a full regional
  EPA
• Timing end 2008 / mid 2009 at the latest
• Signature / Ratification process
• WTO Notification