ATPC Work in Progress
Assessing the Consequences of the Economic Partnership Agreement on the Economy of Sudan

ATPC Briefing
The Economic and Welfare Impacts of the EU-Africa Economic Partnership Agreements

Upcoming Events

ACP Geneva, Brussels Ambassadors Meet

A two-day Joint Meeting of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries' Brussels and Geneva-based Ambassadors concluded March 7 in Brussels. Chaired by the Dominican Republic's Ambassador to Brussels, H. E. Federico Cuello, the meeting focused on: (i) an evaluation of the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Hong Kong Ministerial; (ii) analysis of the post-Hong Kong work programme and in this context a consideration of the ACP Strategy; and, (iii) technical assistance requirements for ACP negotiators. The main resource person on most of the issues on the agenda was the coordinator of ACP Geneva-based Ambassadors, H. E. Mr. B. Servansing of Mauritius.

In the interests of coherence, Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) talks between ACP countries and the European Union were also reviewed, with discussions on how further flexibilities could be extended to the ACP in the EPA theatre. The meeting further exchanged views with representatives of the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade, examining the state of play of WTO negotiations post-Hong Kong.

In discussions on the post-Hong Kong work programme, Ambassadors strategized on the way forward for the ACP Group, with a view to identifying how defensive and offensive ACP Group interests would be further advanced in the WTO negotiating agenda. The expectation is that the strategy would in turn inform the ACP Ministerial process, as the outcomes document from the meeting would be submitted to ACP Trade Ministers at a later date - given the cancellation of the planned mid-March ACP Ministerial Trade Committee.