AFRICA: European Parliament Softens Position on EPA Trade Deals

The European Union’s only directly elected body is demanding that a new trade deal between the bloc and Cameroon should not be applied to other countries in central Africa.

CARIBBEAN: Trade Pact Signed Amid Uncertain Future

The Caribbean region officially launched a new trade regime with Europe Wednesday with the signing of a controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that one supporter said "marks, in a sense, the economic adulthood of the Caribbean".

TRADE-CARIBBEAN: Guyana Stands Alone Against Europe

In the end, Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo was the stubborn holdout.

TRADE-AFRICA: The Struggle Continues Over EPAs

The economic partnership agreements (EPAs) are being given a bad name for nothing, according to Ghanaian parliamentarian JB Danquah.

TRADE-CARIBBEAN: EU Pact Hit by Last-Minute Revolt

Eight months after congratulating themselves for having become the first region within the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping to conclude negotiations with the European Union on a new trade and economic pact, Caribbean leaders are getting cold feet as the time draws near to affix their signatures to the document.

TRADE: EU ''Rushing'' EPAs Lest African States Change Their Minds

Brussels is tempted to skip the translation of the interim economic partnership agreements (EPAs) into the 23 official European languages because of concerns that some African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries may change their minds about signing the final agreements.

TRADE: EU Still Targeting Poorest States for Inclusion in EPAs

The European Commission is still targeting those least developed countries that have resisted economic partnership agreements (EPAs) by opting for the Everything But Arms trade preference scheme.

CARIBBEAN: Guyana Holds Out on Trade Deal with Europe

Caribbean leaders appear to be no closer to a consensus position on the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that was initialed last December following negotiations between the European Union and the Caribbean Forum countries.

TRADE: French Report Condemns EPAs as Anti-Development

The approach taken by the European Union (EU) in trade talks with Africa has been strongly criticised in an official report commissioned by France, the new holder of the EU’s rotating presidency.

CARIBBEAN: Regional Unity Losing Steam, Critics Say

Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders are gearing up for their annual summit in Antigua early next month amid worrying signs that after 35 years, the regional integration movement has not progressed beyond a "community of sovereign states".

TRADE-AFRICA: Some Interim EPAs May Not Be Concluded

Some of the 35 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states that have initialled interim economic partnership agreements (EPAs) may still withdraw from the process – apart from the 44 states that have so far refused to sign EPAs with the European Union, according to researchers studying the fraught trade negotiating process.

Q&A: South Africa To Reconsider Its Trade Agreement With EU?

As a result of the free trade agreements with the European Union, called economic partnership agreements, regional integration in Southern Africa is in tatters (see accompanying article - link below). The question arises: what kind of integration would engender broad-based development?

TRADE-AFRICA: EPA Threatens to Tear Apart Oldest Customs Union

The fate of the world’s oldest customs union, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), is hanging in the balance as a result of the economic partnership agreements that most SACU countries have signed with the European Union (EU).

TRADE-MALAWI: Aid Will Not Be Conditional Upon Signing of EPAs

The European Commission (EC) has assured Malawi that the country will continue receiving cooperation aid even if it does not sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union.

Q&A: Can Save the MDGs Yet

White banners were draped across public buildings in much of Europe during 2005 as an unlikely coalition of celebrities, church groups and trade unionists took part in the Make Poverty History campaign. The Group of Eight (G8) top industrialised countries and the European Union responded by promising to double their aid to Africa by 2010 at a summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.

TRADE: Doha Talks Sweating Over Tropical Products

The hot potato these days in the Doha Round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations is tropical products, a burning issue for the world’s poorest countries.

TRADE-AFRICA: Conflicting Views Over EPAs in French Government

As it prepares to assume the presidency of the European Union in July one of the main issues on France’s agenda will be the economic partnership agreements (EPAs). But with less than three months to go, France’s official position concerning EPAs is still surprisingly unclear.

DEVELOPMENT: Views Clash at UNCTAD Over What’s Best for Africa

‘‘Africa is not a basket case. The continent is just suffering from the effects of events that it has no hand in and cannot control.’’

EUROPE: Trade Policy Backs Western Firms

The European Union is using trade policy to ensure that western firms enjoy considerable leverage over the economies of poor countries, a new report has alleged.

TRADE-AFRICA: EU Embarks on EPA Charm Offensive

After attracting a steady flow of criticism for its handling of trade talks with Africa, the European Commission has gone on something of a charm offensive lately.

TRADE: EU Aims to Rope in African States Resisting EPAs

The European Union is determined to get those African countries on board which have so far kicked against the economic partnership agreements (EPAs). At the end of 2007, only 35 out of 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries had initialled EPAs.