• Lome and Cotonou

Lome and Cotonou

This paper gives an overview anad background information to the current EPA negotiations. It considers in detail the areas of market access, agriculture, fisheries, trade in services and trade related areas.

With regards to sustainable development, the paper points out that the EPA negotiations should positively address the following issues:

• prioritising export products from currently rural areas – especially high value added non-traditional exports in line with diversification programmes
• addressing supply side and demand side constraints to facilitate market access for those products, including through the provision of skills and the required resources and the immediate elimination of trade barriers in the EU
• encouraging maximum linkages into the economy, including the possibility of reasonable performance requirements particularly in the areas of services and intellectual property exports
• allowing adequate periods of adjustment for ACP States in cases of trade arrangements (such as free trade areas or the equivalents) that ease EU imports into ACP States
• provide adequate resources for all adjustment programmes.

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