European-African Trade

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Europe and Africa- Give & Take relationship
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European-African Trade

EU agrees free trade access for 15 poor nations

The European Union foreign ministers' meeting in BRUSSELS on 10th December 2007 is reported to have agreed on the following trade matters, among others:

"EU foreign ministers on Monday adopted rules allowing practically free access to the European market for products from 15 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations who have agreed an interim trade deal with the bloc.

A further 27 ACP nations, including 14 in the Caribbean, risk having higher customs tariffs if they fail to initial new trade deals by the end of the year.

Monday's decision affects seven African nations -- Botswana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Swaziland and Zimbabwe -- plus Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the Pacific.

All their export products, except rice and sugar, will be allowed into the EU without duty charges or quota restrictions. In exchange they will progressively open their markets to European goods -- to between 80 percent and 97 percent depending on the country involved -- over the next 25 years........"

- Ghana sees interim EU trade deal in days -minister

According to Kwasi Kpodo, ACCRA (Reuters 11th December 2007):

" Ghana expects to sign an interim trade deal with the European Union within days to avoid disruption to its exports after preferential trade terms expire at the end of the year, the country's trade minister said.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deems favourable trade terms granted by the European Union to nearly 80 former colonies around the world illegal, and a waiver expires on Dec. 31.......".

Kwasi Kpodo adds:

"..Neighbouring Ivory Coast signed an interim deal with the European Union on Friday, becoming the first country to break ranks with the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States, which has been negotiating an EPA along with neighbouring Mauritania but has asked Brussels for more time.

The deal will dismantle tariffs on virtually all of Ivory Coast's exports to Europe immediately and on 80 percent of imports from Europe over 15 years.

Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's top two cocoa exporters, would be the worst affected countries in West Africa were EU trade preferences to be cancelled, as they do not qualify for Europe's "everything but arms" initiative for very poor nations.

Nigeria, Africa's top oil exporter and most populous nation, and the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde -- which thanks to a fast-growing tourism sector will graduate from the group of the world's poorest nations on Jan. 1 -- will be affected to a lesser relative extent due to the nature of their economies....".

Source: Google Internet search.

Comments:

- The relationship between Europe and Africa is a historic one, dating from the Atlantic Slave Trade, and subsequent colonialism. For full information, please click our original website www.euro-africsystemsenterprises.org.uk.

- The slave trade itself has now been condemned by the world, because it was illegal, inhuman and exploitative. African became a victim, due to ignorance etc.

- There is now a new relationship between the two continent. Some people refer to it as a new deal; a relationship of give-and-take based on mutual respect and co-operation.

Ian Traynor, Europe editor (The Guardian, Friday 7th December, 2007) said:

"EU jamboree seeks fresh start - but Africa's leaders are looking east".

He refers to the EU-African relationship as:
" Mistrust over trade terms and colonial hangover hard to shift as China moves in.....

Kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, eurocrats and countless diplomats from 80 countries will mingle this evening at a sprawling exhibition centre in the east of Lisbon, at the biggest gathering of European and African leaders ever staged.

For the leaders of some of the world's richest and poorest countries, the first EU-Africa summit in seven years is about the future, with talk of fresh starts and new partnerships. But amid the banqueting and the bands, the past will cast a long shadow...".