German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul welcomed as far-reaching the proposal presented today by the EU Commission on improving the market access of countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific region (ACP countries) within the framework of the negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs): “The offer made by the Commission is a very important step towards the realisation of the EU’s commitment to make the Economic Partnership Agreements into an instrument for poverty reduction. As the holders of the EU Presidency, we in Germany will now go to work on reaching a common position among the EU Member States, so that, on the European side, nothing more stands in the way of successfully concluding the negotiations by the end of the year.” The Minister underlined that the dialogue with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific region would also be continued: “The joint meeting of EU and ACP countries at the Petersberg three weeks ago showed how important a dialogue between equal partners is. We will continue to forge ahead with the close dialogue between all participants, so that all the questions that are still open can be clarified quickly.”
The EU is currently in the midst of a decisive phase of the talks with the ACP countries about the economic partnerships. The negotiations should be concluded by the end of 2007, since that is when the World Trade Organisation (WTO) waiver for the unilateral trade preferences which the EU currently grants the ACP countries comes to an end. The aim of the Economic Partnership Agreements is to further improve ACP market access to the EU countries, strengthen regional integration and foster progress on institutional reforms and good governance in the ACP countries. Germany, as the holder of the EU Presidency, is lobbying for the agreements to be conducive to development. The implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreements will be accompanied by trade-related technical assistance (Aid for Trade), which should help the developing countries derive greater benefit from their opportunities for foreign trade.
