Sections
Poll: Ministry of Niger Delta
Do you support the recently-established ministry of Niger Delta?
Nigeria, others to pay higher tariff on European imports
Font size:
Rising from its meeting, last month, the council by qualified majority adopted the Economic Partnership Agreement Regulation, which formalises the market access offer of 100 percent duty free quota market access to the European Union with improved rules of origin for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries that have signed World Trade Organisation (WTO) compatible agreements.
The commission, in a communiqué, issued after the meeting stated, “We regret that a number of other developing country ACP partners who are still involved in negotiations on EPAs have not been included in the regulation and therefore, face the risk of higher tariffs from January 2008.
We continue to urge the Commission to show flexibility in reaching agreements on goods market access by the end of 2007, and to avoid ACP countries being made worse off from January 1, 2008 .”
According to them, those that sign agreements before the end of 2007 will also benefit from this improved access to the European Union from January 1, 2008 .
The United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands , Denmark and Ireland , made a declaration expressing continued concern for non-least developed countries, who have not yet initialed an agreement.
They were however pleased that to date 17 ACP partners have secured significantly improved market access and opened up strong prospects for regional integration through the EPA framework.
Consequently, they noted that all least developed ACP countries will continue to receive duty free and quota free market access through their inclusion in everything but arms initiative.
EPA’s are due to come into force this year and will progressively remove barriers to trade between the EU and the ACP countries concerned. EPA’s will be fully World Trade Organisation (WTO) compatible and will therefore put EU trade relations with the ACP countries on a secure and sustainable footing, as well as contributing to regional integration of the ACP itself.
The ACP countries are divided into 6 regions which are each negotiating their own EPA. The regions are: the Caribbean , the Pacific, East and Southern Africa (ESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), West Africa (ECOWAS) and Central Africa (CEMAC).
The commission, in a communiqué, issued after the meeting stated, “We regret that a number of other developing country ACP partners who are still involved in negotiations on EPAs have not been included in the regulation and therefore, face the risk of higher tariffs from January 2008.
We continue to urge the Commission to show flexibility in reaching agreements on goods market access by the end of 2007, and to avoid ACP countries being made worse off from January 1, 2008 .”
According to them, those that sign agreements before the end of 2007 will also benefit from this improved access to the European Union from January 1, 2008 .
The United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands , Denmark and Ireland , made a declaration expressing continued concern for non-least developed countries, who have not yet initialed an agreement.
They were however pleased that to date 17 ACP partners have secured significantly improved market access and opened up strong prospects for regional integration through the EPA framework.
Consequently, they noted that all least developed ACP countries will continue to receive duty free and quota free market access through their inclusion in everything but arms initiative.
EPA’s are due to come into force this year and will progressively remove barriers to trade between the EU and the ACP countries concerned. EPA’s will be fully World Trade Organisation (WTO) compatible and will therefore put EU trade relations with the ACP countries on a secure and sustainable footing, as well as contributing to regional integration of the ACP itself.
The ACP countries are divided into 6 regions which are each negotiating their own EPA. The regions are: the Caribbean , the Pacific, East and Southern Africa (ESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), West Africa (ECOWAS) and Central Africa (CEMAC).
Add to:
del.icio.us |
Digg
del.icio.us |
Digg
Email to a friend
Print version
Plain text
Comments ( posted):
Post your comment