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Contributions from
the Column
Facts and trends
BMZ proposal for reforming voting rights at the World Bank
How fast the world population
After Cancún: future of G21 uncertain
Building democracies from outside takes a long time
Development Policy Media Prizes 2003
EU Commission to integrate development fund in the EU budget
Negotiations between EU and ACP states
SPD Forum: 'One World starts at home
New framework for GTZ projects: “Impact and objectives are crucial”
11/2003
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[ Negotiations between EU and ACP states ]
October 2 saw the start of the crucial second phase of talks between the European Union and the ACP states (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Region) on so-called “Regional Economic Partnership Agreements” (REPAs). These are to supersede the former Lomé Convention and present Cotonou Agreement and, by 2008, establish reciprocal free trade relationships instead of the preferential treatment given to the ACP states at present. Timed to coincide with the commencement of the second phase of negotiations, the organisation World Economy, Ecology and Development (WEED) reiterated its fierce criticism of the EU plans, complaining that the Europeans seem to have learnt nothing from the failure of the world trade conference in Cancún. “Instead of taking time out to think, [the EU] is now trying to push through its ambitious liberalisation agenda at regional level”, said WEED's EU trade policy spokesman, Klaus Schilder. WEED also criticised the EU's rejection of the ACP countries' request to hold negotiations on some issues – such as financial and technical assistance for the switch to free trade agreements – at supraregional level. What is needed, WEED claims, is a framework agreement for all 79 ACP states setting out binding development-oriented principles for future trade agreements. (uke)
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