EU offers full market access to ex-colonies

BRUSSELS – The European Union yesterday offered to scrap almost all remaining quotas and tariffs on exports from African, Caribbean and Pacific nations, its executive branch said.

The European Commission and the 78-nation ACP group are in the midst of tough talks on new trade agreements which both sides hope to conclude this year. Under the EU’s new offer, all quotas and tariffs on ACP goods would be lifted once a deal was signed, with the exception of rice and sugar.Levies on sugar would be phased out by 2015, while those on rice would be lifted a few years later, the Commission said without setting a firm date.The offer did not cover South Africa, which the Commission said produces “a number of globally competitive products.”Ninety seven percent of EU imports from ACP countries are already tariff-free or are taxed only at very low levels.”Trade and development for ACP countries is about much more than just access to the European market,” EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said.”But by removing all remaining tariffs and quotas for all African, Caribbean and Pacific countries we will create the best possible opportunities for these economies,” he added.The ACP group, made up mostly of former European colonies, have benefited from preferential access to EU markets since the signing of the Lome accord in 1975.But other equally poor countries, mostly in Latin America, have contested the ACPs’ preferential treatment and have won backing from the World Trade Organisation.In 2001, the world trade referee gave the EU until the end of this year to come up with a new framework that would be more compatible with international rules of commerce.After their WTO defeat, the Europeans and the ACP opened talks in 2002 for new so-called economic partnership agreements, which are being conducted by regions – eastern, central and southern Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.But with the year-end deadline looming, there is still a lot of work to be done.Nampa-AFPUnder the EU’s new offer, all quotas and tariffs on ACP goods would be lifted once a deal was signed, with the exception of rice and sugar.Levies on sugar would be phased out by 2015, while those on rice would be lifted a few years later, the Commission said without setting a firm date.The offer did not cover South Africa, which the Commission said produces “a number of globally competitive products.”Ninety seven percent of EU imports from ACP countries are already tariff-free or are taxed only at very low levels.”Trade and development for ACP countries is about much more than just access to the European market,” EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said.”But by removing all remaining tariffs and quotas for all African, Caribbean and Pacific countries we will create the best possible opportunities for these economies,” he added.The ACP group, made up mostly of former European colonies, have benefited from preferential access to EU markets since the signing of the Lome accord in 1975.But other equally poor countries, mostly in Latin America, have contested the ACPs’ preferential treatment and have won backing from the World Trade Organisation.In 2001, the world trade referee gave the EU until the end of this year to come up with a new framework that would be more compatible with international rules of commerce.After their WTO defeat, the Europeans and the ACP opened talks in 2002 for new so-called economic partnership agreements, which are being conducted by regions – eastern, central and southern Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.But with the year-end deadline looming, there is still a lot of work to be done.Nampa-AFP