The Cotonou Agreement - New Perspektive for European Trade Policy?

The liberalization of trade relations between the EU and the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP States) forms the core of the new EU-ACP Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000. At the heart of the Cotonou Agreement is the negotiation of so-called “Economic Partnership Agreements” (EPAs) between the European Union and the ACP states, which is to begin in September 2002 and be concluded by January 2008 at the latest. In spring 2002, the ACP states will decide on the composition of the regional groups that will conduct negotiations with the EU on new trade agreements. The formulation of the negotiating mandates, according to the current timetable, will be completed on both sides in summer 2002.

The ACP countries are largely marginalized in the global economy. Even 25 years of cooperation between the EU and the ACP countries within the framework of the Lomé Conventions have not been able to change this. The failure of a “development round” of the World Trade Organization in Doha in the interests of the developing countries highlights a crisis of globalization. We take this as an opportunity to take a critical look at the strategies and objectives of European trade policy towards the ACP countries as a whole and to examine fundamental political tendencies. In the “hot political phase” before the start of negotiations between the EU and the ACP, we would like to conduct a broad debate on the future direction of European trade policy in the regional context and formulate clear political expectations and requirements for the political players in Berlin and Brussels. In addition, we would like to win over the broadest possible public for the discussion of the ecological and social consequences of free trade agreements.

What needs to be done to align relations between the EU and ACP countries with the guiding principle of a fair and sustainable partnership? What policies should the German government and the European Commission, parliaments and international organizations pursue to ensure that future economic partnership agreements are more socially just and ecologically sustainable?

Content:

I. WHO PROFITS FROM FREE TRADE? - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF REGIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS

• Impact and Consequences of Trade Liberalisation Policies. Klaus Schilder
• Regional Integration and Liberalisation - Challenges to SADC in Negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) Rev. Malcolm Damon
• Regional Co-operation and Integration in the Caribbean. - The Effects of New ACP-EU Trading Arrangements. Lingston Cumberbatch
• Which Role for the New Actors? - Civil Society Participation in the Cotonou Process. Bibiane Mbaye Gahamanyi

II. EUROPEAN TRADE POLICY INITIATIVES FOR A BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHERN COUNTRIES

• European Trade Policy Following Doha Increasingly Regional? Initiatives for a Balanced and Sustainable Partnership. Evita Schmieg
• Cotonou in Its Regional and Multilateral Context. Christopher Stevens
• To Sign or Not to Sign? EPAs and Alternative Options for EU-ACP Negotiations.
Paul Goodison
• The MAI through the Back Door? Investment Liberalisation in Regional Free Trade Agreements. Sabina Voogd
Options for Participation of ACP and EU Civil Society. Simon Stocker

III. ON THE EVE OF NEGOTIATIONS - POLICY REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE TRADE AND ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AGREEMENTS

Summary of Policy Dialogues onTrade Policy, Investment Policies and Civil Society Participation

IV. SUMMARY / ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
V. AUTHORS

VI. SELECTED RESOURCES

VII. ANNEX - ACP and EU Negotiating Mandates

Herausgeber: terre des hommes, Weed & Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung - Juni 2002, 92 S.
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