The wrong ointment: why the EU's proposals for free trade with Africa will not heal its scar of poverty

This paper argues that the UK Government's positive focus on poverty reduction in Africa is being seriously undermined by the inequitable bilateral free trade agreements currently being negotiated between the Europe Union and African countries.

The paper highlights that the European Union is asking African countries to liberalise 90% of their markets over 10 years whilst at the same time refusing to discuss its own "highly protectionist" Common Agricultural Policy.

The paper details the European Commission proposals that would lead to free trade areas in which the poorest African countries - including their farmers, producers and companies - would compete openly with the richest European countries. The authors point out that this will not be an equal contest, claiming the average EU farmer receives 100 times more in agricultural support than the average annual earnings of an African peasant farmer.

CAFOD describe the proposals, which they say could have heralded a new start for Europe's trade relationship with Africa, as instead looking like business as usual. They call on the UK Government to:

• lobby the EU to drop all offensive interests in these negotiations
• provide alternative non-reciprocal trade relationships that are not free trade areas.

[adapted from author]