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UAE still keen on Gulf-EU free trade agreement
9-Nov-2007 Gulf News
The delay in signing the EU-GCC FTA has resulted in a chain reaction as the European Union will now apply new standards in negotiating trade agreements, according to Sweden’s minister of "free" trade
The EU is trying to trick developing countries into poor trade deals
9-Nov-2007 The Guardian
The dirtiest trick is the spurious insistence on a December deadline. On top of this, the commission’s latest approach — that individual countries should sign up to EPAs without their weaker neighbours — reveals how shallow their commitment to ACP regional integration is.
Chaos on eve of EPA deadline
9-Nov-2007 AllAfrica.com
On the eve of the deadline of the finalisation of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations, chaos reigns.
EU boss to Kituyi: Take our deal or hit the road
9-Nov-2007 Business Daily Africa
The European Union reacted sharply to Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi’s Tuesday revelation that Kenya will no longer pursue an interim trade pact with Europe but a comprehensive agreement ahead of the expiry of the one on December 31.
Biotech to figure in new EU-India S&T cooperation
8-Nov-2007 Financial Express
Biotechnology in agriculture, bio-fuel, climate change and energy security are top on the agenda of the European Union’s new offer for science and technology cooperation with India.
ASEAN health warning: Myanmar stunts your growth
6-Nov-2007 Inquirer
Brussels and Washington have taken steps toward free-trade agreements with ASEAN, but they could be stopped in their tracks if the destination was a deal that had to include Myanmar.
“Love is blind”?
6-Nov-2007 ACP-EU Trade
A two-stage agreement between EU and ACP countries risks being an ‘EPA tight’ rather than an ‘EPA light’
‘Ghana may lose $150m to EPA’
6-Nov-2007 Modern Ghana
Nigeria could also lose $680 million annually if the agreements were implemented, according to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
Africa: Church leaders’ statement on Economic Partnership Agreements
5-Nov-2007 AllAfrica.com
Full text of a statement issued recently by Church leaders concerned about new trade agreements being negotiated between Europe and developing countries
Economic growth without social justice: EU-India trade negotiations and their implications for social development and gender justice
5-Nov-2007
This paper attempts to place the EU-India FTA negotiations in their historical and topical context, and questions the coherence between the development aid agenda on the one hand, and the trade and investment agenda on the other.
Europe charms ‘poor’ Africa in exchange for oil
4-Nov-2007 Daily Nation
It feels great to watch those who once colonised Africa shift and fidget uneasily as they build up a case for “partnership” — if only the rules of the game were clear and genuine. But there is also the nagging thought: Will Africa play it right this time round?
EU gives Pacific breathing space
3-Nov-2007 Islands Business
Pacific Islands countries have been given a breathing space after the European Commission decided to extend the deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the two parties to December next year. However, negotiations will be held this month on an interim agreement on the trading of goods and possibly services.
Last chance for better agreement between Caribbean and Europe
2-Nov-2007 Huntington News
Having read the draft EPA, I can now confirm that in much of the document, the development dimension is referenced more in shadow than substance. A huge double standard is at play here and what is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander, writes a former Caribbean diplomat.
European treaty may revive debate over power to conclude investment agreements
2-Nov-2007 ITN
The debate over who in the European Union holds the legal authority to conclude international investment agreements with non-European countries — the European Community or individual Member States — is set to intensify as the EU Reform Treaty throws dust into an already hazy situation.
Central Africa steps back from signing EPA, asks EU for preference extension
1-Nov-2007 ICTSD
Prospects for an Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and eight Central African countries became even more uncertain on 29 October, when Central African ministers pulled back from signing a deal, saying too much work still needed to be done in terms of negotiating specific trade concessions and related development aid.
Malaysia: Keep Myanmar politics out of ASEAN-EU free trade talks
31-Oct-2007 IHT
Myanmar’s political crisis should not be used an excuse to hold up a proposed free trade pact between Europe and Southeast Asian nations, Malaysia’s trade minister has said.
Commerce ministry backs Asean-EU trade talks
31-Oct-2007 Bangkok Post
Thailand will be able to export more boiled chicken to EU, Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, permanent secretary for Commerce, said.
Farmers deserve a fair hearing
30-Oct-2007 East African
We should not be surprised at the Kenyan state’s almost complete lack of understanding of the concerns raised in a suit filed last week by the Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum, with the support of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, to block any trade agreement between Kenya and the EU.
East Africa: Ministers move to protect industries from threats of EPAs
30-Oct-2007 AllAfrica.com
East African trade ministers have thrown a new spanner in the works as the countdown to the December 31, 2007 deadline for signing a new trade partnership deal with the industrialized EU states narrows to less than 60 days. The ministers held a secret meeting in Nairobi away from the full glare of anti-globolisation activists and agreed to sign the contentious Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) only if an amendment ensuring that the region’s taxation regime remained intact.
EPAs will destroy African economies — German NGOs
29-Oct-2007
The economic partnership agreements (EPAs), proposed by the European Union (EU) to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, constitute a "neo-colonial instrument" which will destroy the economic and social basis in African states, according to some German non-governmental organisations.