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West Africa remains committed to regional integration

06 February 2008

The ECDPM cites press reports concerning a joint meeting of representatives of Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, ECOWAS and UEMOA on January 10th-11th to try to harmonise the region’s approach following the signing of bilateral EPAs. The ECOWAS ‘summit’ on January 18th 2008 ‘reaffirmed their commitment to negotiate as a bloc and asked the ECOWAS Commission to convene a meeting of member states to address EPA negotiations and the introduction of a common external tariff’.

Since the west African region did not conclude a regional EPA by the end of 2007, members now trade with the EU under three different trade regimes: the duty-free, quota-free access provisions of the bilateral interim-EPAs, the EBA, and standard GSP (although Nigeria has applied for GSP+ treatment). As in other regions a commitment to concluding a regional EPA is reiterated in the bilateral agreements, as is the continued commitment to building regional integration.

Press reports suggest that Nigeria expressed its concerns over the conclusion of bilateral EPAs, which it felt could end up ‘dismembering the unity of the region’, and that the bilateral agreements could be used as a conduit for duty-free EU exports to the far larger Nigerian market to the detriment of prospects for infant industries. Against this background the question has been raised: are the actions of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire ‘in consonance with the provisions of the ECOWAS treaty and protocols or do they in any way contravene the resolution of the heads of state of ECOWAS which delegated the negotiation of the EPA to the ECOWAS commission?

Editorial comment

The regional meetings taking place are indicative of the concerns arising as to the implications of the bilateral EPAs for the future progress of negotiations. The precedent of the South Africa-EU TDCA, which became the template for the SADC-EU EPA, is no doubt at the back of the mind of many west African trade negotiators.

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