Headlines:
| Anti-poverty activists demand a halt to EPA negotiations |
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| Thursday, 27 September 2007 | |
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The case for and against Economic Partnership Agreements
that the European Union is negotiating with the Africa, Caribbean
and Pacific group took centre stage Thursday. Anti-poverty activists demonstrated outside the EU headquarters in Brussels, to demand a halt to the free trade negotaions between the EU and ACP states. A coalition of aid groups and anti-poverty advocates including Oxfam and Action Aid say the proposed EPAs will undermine development in poor countries and offer little to no benefit to those developing states. But EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandel and one of his colleagues in an open letter to the activists urged them to support their agreements with the ACP regions that the EU says must be concluded by year end in keeping with commitments made to the World Trade Organisation. They argue that the deadline cannot be missed and Europe and the ACP are to ensure that African, Caribbean and Pacific countries retain the best possible access to the EU market without fear of legal challenge from non-ACP developing countries. Mr. Mandel is calling for an end to EPA negotiations when there is no credible alternative is playing poker with the livelihoods of those it is trying to help Meanwhile the Windward Islands Farmers Association (WINFA), says rushing into the EPA could harm Caribbean interest. WINFA's coordinator, Renrick Rose, says banana farmers will continue to press regional governments to lobby the EU to press their concerns. "The problem is that in our view, the European Commission itself, five years ago, seven years ago refused to listen to any other alternative and proceeded with its deadline. So they have boxed us in a corner and are now threatening doom and gloom next year and I think that is the pity about it," said Mr. Rose. "We understand the problems with the WTO but there was never enough political will to try to although in the Cotonou Agreement they talk about if countries want to pursue an alternative that was never the course chosen and that is what has gotten us into this predicament," he added. |