Central Africa EPA negotiations continue to stagnate

In a recent national press interview, the Chair of Cameroon’s National Committee for Coordination and Follow-up of its EPA, Chantal Elombat, acknowledged the difficulties being encountered by the CEMAC zone as a region in negotiating an EPA with the EU. Following a call from heads of state and government in October 2009 for concerted action on the EPA negotiations, central African governments hope to organise a series of regional meetings to iron out the remaining differences and ensure regional integration among themselves before continuing the negotiations with the EU.

Mme Elombat also pointed out a number of concerns which have hindered progress in the negotiations: apart from being too short, the two-year period for the completion of the EPA included in the agreement initialled by Cameroon contains many rendezvous clauses which the EU has not met. Issues on rules of origin and a legally binding EPA financial programme of support have still not been settled. Central African negotiators view the financial assistance currently available as insufficient (and largely inaccessible) for dealing with the likely adjustment costs and restructuring challenges related to competitiveness. It is also reported that Cameroon’s Minister for the Economy and Planning has requested the EC to extend the deadline for dismantling of tariffs due to commence in Cameroon on 1 January 2010, given the delay in various aspects of the regional interim EPAs.