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EPAs

Southern African nations push for European trade-deal extension
1-Apr-2014 Bloomberg
Southern African trade ministers will lobby for an extension of a trade agreement with Europe before it expires in October, a senior Botswana official said.
Ghana: Don’t sign Economic Partnership Agreement - Coalition urges gov’t
28-Mar-2014 Ghana Web
A coalition of civil society organisations, farmer-based groups, religious organisations and labour unions have asked President John Mahama to show commitment to encouraging the productive capacity of Ghanaians by not signing the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Civil society groups intensify opposition to EPAs
24-Mar-2014 MyJoyOnline
Economic Justice Network, a body comprising the Christian Council, Trade Union Congress and other civil society groups will next week petition President John Mahama to not sign the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Uganda: EU sets EPA deadline signing for October
3-Mar-2014 New Vision
“The EAC states wont access European markets if we don’t sign EPA by October 1 but how prepared are we when some clauses are still not agreed upon?” Jane Nalunga, SEATINI Uganda country director, asks.
Senegal: Regional ministers endorse compromises for EPA negotiations
25-Feb-2014 African Manager
West Africa’s ministers of finance and trade have adopted the compromise proposals for concluding the decade-long negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union for a free trade area of the two regions.
Is EAC at gunpoint over EU trade agreement?
10-Feb-2014 The New Times
There’s a strong feeling among experts in East Africa that by insisting on the inclusion of the "most favoured nation", the EU is holding the region at gunpoint to accept a clause that would legally tie their hands regarding who to trade with besides Europe.
EJN cautions ECOWAS over EPA
7-Feb-2014 Spy Ghana
After over 10 years of objecting to demands by the European Union in the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations, ECOWAS, last week, suddenly reversed its position and made serious and incomprehensible concessions to the EU.
EU seals free trade deal with West Africa
6-Feb-2014 Euractiv
Negotiators from West Africa and the EU have put pen to paper on a €42 billion-a-year free trade deal after 10 years of haggling, but ongoing talks with East African states remain mired in fine print.
EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations held in Brussels
3-Feb-2014 EAC Secretariat
Ministers from East Africa Community Partner States and the European Commissioner for Trade met in Brussels on 30th January 2014 to conclude three days of negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement.
ECOWAS, EU to resume negotiations on economic partnership agreement
23-Jan-2014 Premium Times
The EU wants the West African region to open up 80 per cent of its market
EU-Africa trade partnership negotiations stalled
13-Dec-2013 Euractiv
The upcoming deadline imposed by the European Commission to revise the EU’s preferential trade agreements with former colonies in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region is raising concern among African countries.
Dominica wants Europe to lift Schengen visa requirement to stimulate trade
2-Dec-2013 CTA
Dominica is pursuing efforts to get the European Union (EU) to remove the visa requirements for Dominican nationals travelling to Europe, saying that it is important to stimulate trade under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed with Europe five years ago.
Cameroon to ratify economic partnership deal with EU amid doubts
19-Nov-2013 Xinhua
Cameroon will soon ratify the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that it signed in 2009 with the European Union, despite reservations among regional African countries over the bloc’s alleged attempt to keep its dominance on its African partners.
West African bloc approves single customs regime from 2015
28-Oct-2013 Reuters
Leaders of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed on Friday to implement a single customs tariff regime from 2015 in an effort to accelerate economic integration and kick-start stalled negotiations with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
Nigeria moves to resist, as EU tries to impose EPA
22-Oct-2013 This Day
The Nigerian government and other stakeholders of the economy are preparing a stiff resistance against the European Union’s renewed plan to foist a questionable Economic Partnership Agreement on Nigeria, THISDAY has learnt.
EPA is no more
17-Oct-2013 PANG
In a surprise move this week, the European Union has moved to suspend negotiations for a new economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the islands of the Pacific, ISLANDS BUSINESS has been told.
EU reported to have called off Pacific negotiations on EPA
17-Oct-2013 Radio New Zealand International
The Solomon Islands government says the European Union has suspended negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement between 14 Pacific Island Countries and the EU - 9 years after its EPA was launched in September, 2004.
Ghana stands to lose US$88m revenue annually under EPA with EU says consultant
30-Sep-2013 Bernama
Ghana will lose on average of about US$88.575 million annually if it signs onto the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, says consultant Osman Mensah.
Kenya exports to EU at risk over delayed pact
16-Sep-2013 The Star
If the Economic Partnership Agreement is not signed by October 2014, the Generalised System of Preference rule will apply to Kenya, which will entail a tariff hike for most Kenyan exports to the EU.
EAC for diplomatic engagement with EU
9-Sep-2013 Tanzania Daily News
The East African Community ministers responsible for EPA negotiations with the EU have agreed to use diplomacy to resolve the outstanding issues, as the clock ticks towards the 2016 deadline.