EPA ‘A basket to carry water’, Anthony Gomes, Jamaica Observer, November 23, 2007

A basket to carry water

Anthony Gomes
Friday, November 23, 2007

THE grey clouds of attrition are gathering over concluding negotiations with the European Union, which has suddenly adopted a determined mercantilist attitude at this late date. The negotiations with Cariforum (CF) are now foundering in a sea of uncertainty, reminiscent of the opening stanza of the famous [...]

Legal Opinion on ACP Legal Options to Maintain Market Access, by Dr Lorand Bartels, Trade Lawyer, Cambridge University (Summary)

The legal analysis attached outlines § [A] Three clear routes for maintaining market access into the EU after the December deadline without requiring ACP countries to sign a goods-only FTA. (See detailed advice attached on [1] notifying a basic agreement; [2] viability of the GSP plus [...]

Full Text of Dr. Bartels Legal Advice (Zip file)

The full text of the Legal Advice Prepared by Dr. Lorand Bartels, Trade Lawyer, Cambridge University (Zip file)
Open Zip file

Why Nigeria is a ‘Sitting Elephant’ on the EPA

The EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, was recently quoted as refering to Nigeria as ‘an elephant sitting in the middle of the road’ as far as EPA is concerned. This is a response from the National association of Nigerian Traders to Peter Mandelson.
Read
 __._,_.___

ACP-EU EPAS Final Report by Mareike Meyn & Christopher Stevens (23 November 2007)

Prepared for the Commonwealth Secretariat, this reports analyses what were believed to be the latest versions of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) texts in each of the six negotiating regions at the time the reports was written1. It provides a factual snapshot that negotiators can use to help plan their strategy.
Posted by kind permission of the [...]

European Commission Proposal to EU Council on Arrangements Governing pre-EPA Agreements by ACP Countries (November 13 2007)

Access EC proposal  to EU Council

Observations on the State of Play in the EU-CARIFORUM EPA Negotiations, by Havelock Brewster and Norman Girvan (20 November 2007)

The Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has circularised stakeholders on the ‘state of play’ in the CARICORUM/EC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Negotiations (Ref. No. 55/200/42dated 14th November 2007). This is a welcome initiative in increasing transparency and assisting public understanding of the implications of the EPA.  These observations are offered as a [...]

Council Conclusions on EPAs (November 20, 2007)

Conclusions on EPAs adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) of the EU on November 20th, 2007; reaffirming its previous commitment that EPAs are to be development instruments supporting regional integration and compatible with WTO rules and endorsing the two-step approach presented by the EC. The first step is to conclude before [...]

Comment on the Brewster-Girvan Observations by a CRNM Associate (23 November 2007)

A CRNM Associate responds point by point to the ‘Observations’ by Havelock Brewster and Norman Girvan. Reference is made to the points as numbered in the Observations. The views expressed are not the official views of the CRNM.
Read Comment

Open Letter on the CARIFORUM-EC EPA by Havelock Brewster, Norman Girvan, James Moss-Solomon, and Judith Wedderburn (14/11/07)

Read Open Letter