WAY FORWARD IN CONSOLIDATING THE DRAFT EPA TEMPLATE

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WAY FORWARD IN CONSOLIDATING THE DRAFT EPA
TEMPLATE
E c o n o m i c C o m m i s s i o n f o r A f
r i c a
Stephen Karingi Chief, Trade and International
Negotiations Section, ECA
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Whats next?

• What are some of the key messages from the
  general discussions on the template?
• How do we intend to use those messages towards
  the EPA template and the next steps.

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Key messages

• There are still challenges yet to be surmounted
  in the EPAs negotiations.
• The idea of the template is still very welcome
  and will be useful in ensuring harmony in the
  various EPAs.
• Fashioning the African template on the Cariforum
  EPA, even with adjustments is not a good idea.
• Use generic language rather than reference to
  specific existing EPAs texts (focus on principles
  and approaches).

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Specific key messages

• Clear provisions to commit EU to an EPA
  development programme
• Tie commitments to the trade-related issues
  focus on review of liberalisation schedules
  better have development indicators (avoid
  insisting on conditional liberalisation). The
  final recommendation here from plenary is that
  development benchmarks linked to the review
  process are the red line that the African
  countries will not negotiate. The template must
  therefore reflect this.
• Re-organise the template in the area of services
  with clear text on the three dimensions (market
  access capacity building and rules).
• Use WTO GATS architecture in services (will help
  resist pressure to collapse the modes make
  flexibilities visible and also margins of
  preferences).

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Specific key messages

• Have clear language on red lines (non-negotiable)
• MFN clause (both in goods and services).
• Levies for financing integration programmes.
• Infant industry protection provisions should
  not suggest its phasing out. But disciplines are
  welcome.
• Export taxes.
• Development benchmarks linked to the EPAs review.
• Instead of having EPAs review w.r.t. landmarks,
  have provision for a review as and when necessary
  (mention issues that might warrant review).

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Specific key messages

• Monitoring
• Have provisions that strengthen current framework
  of institutions instead of creating new
  institutions.

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Next steps

• Will revise the EPA template in a generic way
  with these specific recommendations in mind.
• Should take us to end of October. Will then
  forward to you the revised draft together with
  completed report of the meeting.
• Will at the same time forward the revised
  template to the African Union Commission together
  with the report of the meeting as contribution
  towards the final template requested by the
  Ministers.

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Next steps

• The African Union will use the draft together
  with the recommendations of this meeting and its
  own internal efforts to complete the template to
  put before Chief Negotiators (this is supposed to
  be in November/December 2008).
• The Chief Negotiators will validate it before it
  is put before the Ministers sometimes in February
  2009.