Dec 24
This update discusses the current state of play regarding the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM (CF)States and the EU, referred to as CF EC EPA. It aims to address the following questions: What has been done thus far and how can both EU and CF representatives demonstrate a stronger commitment to providing public access to information concerning EPA-related developments? It shows that there is a serious public information deficit regarding the EPA and its implementation…
There seems to be some grey areas here. For example:
-How long can provisional application of the agreement last?
- Exactly how many CF States have notified completion of the procedures (ratification for short)?
- What is required for (final) entry into force so far as CF is concerned? Ratification by a certain number of States? By all States?
- If a sub-set of country ratifications can bring the Agreement into force what will be the status of those CF States that have not ratified? Will they continue to access EPA benefits and be subject to EPA disciplines under the provisional application arrangement?
- What is the situation on the EU side? Has it already completed its ratification procedure? If not, what exactly is required ? Is the EPA status now in the EU also one of provisional application? If so, when is it expected that the ratification process will be completed? Would the EU undertake full ratification not knowing what will happen in this respect on the CF side?
- in regard to Mutual Recognition (MR), once the private sector professional bodies have reached agreement so that a recommendation can be made to the EU, will MR then automatically apply across the board to all EU States, or will there be built-in “procedures” then to be followed in each EU State? ( And, for that matter, in each CF State as well?). H
[Note: see answers to these questions at http://www.normangirvan.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/naar-epa-ratification-qa.htm.