Issue 4 : June 2004

Stop EU-ACP Free Trade Arrangements

Since 2002 the European Union (EU) and countries of the Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Group (ACP) have been negotiating Economic Partnership
Agreements (EPAs) as part of the Cotonou Agreement. EPAs aim to establish “ new WTO compatible trading arrangements removing progressively barriers of trade between EU and ACP countries“ which would build on “ the regional integration initiatives of ACP states“ and promote “ sustainable development
and contribute to poverty eradication in the ACP countries “.

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Issue 3 : May 2004

World Trade Organisation (WTO) - Trading Away livelihoods and food security

Agriculture is the mainstay of many African economies and the bulk of the agricultural products are produced by small scale farmers. In Kenya over 77% of the population is earning their livelihoods from agriculture.

The outcomes of the agriculture negotiations in the WTO is hence of crucial importance for Africa and its millions of farmers.

In the current agriculture negotiations, we have still not seen any real concessions from EU or US. They have made no serious attempts to reduce the massive support for their farmers and they are backtracking from the
promises made in Doha. The European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy in a recent letter to all WTO members, recognizes that the responsibility clearly lies with the major subsidizing countries, but the letter lacks in substance. The US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick sent a similar letter to the WTO members inJanuary where he urged focus on the most trade-distorting agriculture support – but it is obvious that developing countries have a very different view on what is really trade distorting.

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Issue 2 : November

Economic Partnership Agreements: The EU'S New Trade Battleground
September 2003

Introduction

The collapse of the 5th World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Cancun Mexico has ushered in a new era in terms of trade relations between the developing world and the two economic superpowers, the European Union and the United States of America. The developed world, focusing more on the United States of America (USA) and the European Union, have shifted their attention away from multi-lateral to bi-lateral trading system. Bi-lateralism is a more attractive option to the developed world as they can arm-twist the countries they are negotiating with to give concessions, which they would otherwise not accept under WTO. The EU is pursuing this "twin track" approach, that is negotiating at both the multi-lateral and bi-lateral level though the current Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs)

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Issue 1 : September/October

Introduction
Since the end of the Cold War, industrialized countries have been busying themselves with the re-organisation of international trade regimes. Included in this globalisation mission is the setting of trade deals between themselves and developing countries.

Supposedly all this to-do about trade is about lifting the poorest of the poor out of their misery. Increased trade liberalization, it is said, will provide opportunities for developing countries to boost export earnings. The Doha Development Round within the WTO is supposed to work towards this goal through deepened liberalization, covering areas of economic activity that have so far been left out of trade talks – for example government procurement and the privatization of public services.

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