The current episode between some African countries and European Union over the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) proves to a great extent what Franz Fanon talks about when he says: “The new day which is already at hand must find us firm, prudent and resolute.”
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Calle Schlettwein, yesterday told the National Assembly that he would organise a national consultation on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union for the end of this month.
Namnibia has just over 18 months to conclude controversial trade negotiations with the European Union or lose its duty- and quota-free access for beef, fish and grapes to EU markets.
As the European Union economic partnership agreement negotiations gain momentum in southern Africa, countries which want to continue to benefit from EU market access will have to sign and fulfill obligations in line with the EPAs. If Namibia does not finalise a new EPA by 2016, it would fall under one of the schemes of the new Generalised System of Preference that affords it fewer trade concessions.
Ambassador to Belgium, Hanno Rumpf, has expressed concern over the lack of support from developmental partners in Europe when it comes to economic partnership agreement (EPA) at the European Union (EU) Council in Brussels.
Namibia, and other ACP countries, are celebrating a victory in trade negotiations after the European Parliament voted to extend the deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union from January 2014 to January 2016.
It cannot be Uhuru yet for Namibia and its partners, or should one say fellow downtrodden countries united in the economic bloc of the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) countries.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) integration is compounded by the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreements’ (EPAs) trade negotiations between the European Union (EU), a SADC official said on Wednesday.
The European Union (EU) head of delegation to Namibia said he is hopefull that the drawn out Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) discussions will be finalised during the course of the year.
The country’s draft policy on industrialisation is finally ready for public discussion after years of private sector grousing over its absence and the consequent devastating effects on Namibia’s overall market competitiveness.
European Union Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht took a “conciliatory but firm stance” on economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations when he recently met with Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) countries.
Namibia will have to pay more than half a billion dollars in duties if the country has not signed the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) by January 2014.
The Namibian government is furious after a hush-hush decision by the European Union (EU) to close its duty- and quota-free markets to Namibian beef, fish and grapes by 2014 unless the country signs a controversial trade pact.
Le Commissaire européen au commerce Karel De Gucht s’est rendu lundi en Namibie, puis en Afrique du Sud, pour un accord commercial global entre les deux régions.
The European Unions’ trade commissioner, Karel De Gucht, will meet with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, key ministers, as well as the business and civil community in Windhoek today to try and inject new life into the drawn-out negotiations for an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the two parties.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations are ongoing while efforts are at an advanced stage to consolidate and harmonise market access arrangements for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), reported Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Tjekero Tweya in Parliament last Thursday.
The position taken by Namibia with regard to the signing of the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is commendable and should be a guiding principle for further negotiating trade agreements between Africa and the rest of the world.
Namibia has called on the European Union to “take a step backwards from the current excessive demands in the economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations to allow Africa the policy space which it requires to advance its development”.
The envisaged grand Free Trade Area (FTA), a grouping of COMESA, EAC and SADC will hold a decisive tripartite summit in January 2011 in South Africa as a major push for coalescence amongst the 26 countries gathers traction.