Therefore, the EPAs will include specific provisions for this particular group. Unlike other ACP countries, the Group of Least Developed Countries is urged to reject the EPAs and continue its trade relations under the „Everything But Arms” regulation. This amendment to the EC`s Generalised System of Preferences, launched by the Council of Ministers in 2001, has since regulated trade relations between the EU and the least developed countries that have chosen to use this mechanism and offers duty-free access to all products of the least developed countries without quantitative restrictions, with the exception of weapons and ammunition. While this provision undermines the situation of least developed countries under the new trade regime, it has also been criticised because the EBA initiative prevents LDCs from opening their markets to EU products under an EPA. Another weakness of the EBA`s initiative is that it uses the GSP rules of origin, which require a two-stage transformation for textiles and clothing. LFS rules of origin, on the other hand, allow for a single-step conversion for exports from these sectors. This is one of the reasons why Mozambique and Lesotho (both LDCs) initialled the SADC-EU interim EPA in November 2007 and signed the agreement in July 2009. Angola (the other LDC in the SADC-EPA configuration) has chosen to continue trading under the EBA, as its main exports to the EU are oil and diamonds, which are imported duty-free and quota-free as originating products „fully recovered” under the EBA`s rules of origin. Clara Brandi is Head of the Research Programme at the German Development Institute (DIE) in Bonn and Lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen. She works on global economic governance and sustainable development with a focus on international trade. The EPAs are explicitly based on the „essential and fundamental” elements set out in the Cotonou Agreement, namely human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance. The EPAs therefore contain some of the strongest formulations on rights and sustainable development available in EU agreements. The overall objective of the EPAs is to contribute, through trade, to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction in ACP countries.

The EU is implementing seven Economic Partnership Agreements with 32 partners, including 14 in Africa. The main objective of the EPAs is to mobilise trade and investment for sustainable development. The content of the agenda will be broadened, with agreements covering new topics such as services and investment. Axel Berger is a senior researcher at the German Development Institute (DIE) in Bonn. He works on the design, impact and dissemination of international trade and investment agreements with a focus on emerging and developing countries. Due to the WTO`s continuing inconsistency with previous agreements, the main feature of EPAs is their reciprocity and non-discriminatory nature. They concern the gradual abolition of all trade preferences established between the EU and the ACP countries since 1975 and the gradual removal of trade barriers between partners. In order to meet the criterion of a non-discriminatory agreement, the EPAs are open to all developing countries, which puts an end to the ACP group as the EU`s main development partner.

The conclusion of a mutual trade agreement confronts the EU with the problem of how to reconcile the special status of the ACP group with the EU`s WTO obligations. The proposed solution to this dilemma is an agreement that is reciprocal only necessary to meet WTO criteria. In reality, the ACP States will have some room for manoeuvre and will be able to maintain limited protection for their main products. The extent to which trade should be liberalised under the new EPAs remains a widely debated issue, and it remains to be seen whether WTO rules governing regional trade agreements will be revised in favour of the EPA system at the end of the Doha Round. Negotiated agreements, meetings, fact sheets, cycle reports EPAs aim to promote trade while promoting sustainable development and regional integration, all supported by the accompanying Aid for Trade. However, the overarching objective of the EPAs as a `trade and development agreement` is the subject of intensive discussion. In particular, the relationship between trade and development remains controversial. Not all ACP countries agree with the European Commission`s vision that EPAs are promising instruments to promote development. A recurring concern is that (premature) trade liberalization threatens domestic industry and, more generally, industrialization efforts through unregulated engagement with more advanced European competitors.

Our first assessment of the impact of the EPA deserves our attention given the importance of monitoring the future impact of these agreements. At the same time, it is still too early to make a definitive judgment on the impact of the EPAs. Future research is needed to examine the medium- and long-term consequences of these agreements. More information can be found in the brochure Putting partnership into practice. Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries Comprehensive agreement, exports to EU regions, factsheets, assistance to exporters Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are trade and development agreements negotiated between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and regions. .