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Overview of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and related fisheries issues

Overview of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and related fisheries issues European Commission 15 June 2005 EU/ACP Economic Partnership Agreements – Seminar for the Outermost Regions and the Overseas Countries and Territories. Fish - an important product within ACP exports to the EU.

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Overview of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and related fisheries issues

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  1. Overview of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and related fisheries issues European Commission 15 June 2005EU/ACP Economic Partnership Agreements – Seminar for the Outermost Regions and the Overseas Countries and Territories

  2. Fish - an important product within ACP exports to the EU Data source: EUROSTAT / COMEXT, regime 1

  3. ACP – the biggest exporter of fish to the EU Total value of imports of fish into the EU in 2003= 11.5 bn €

  4. EPA- Regions

  5. Fish exports from EPA regions to the EU

  6. Importance of fisheries products in ACP exports • Exports of fish from ACPs to EU were worth 1,21 bn € for unprocessed fish and 0,53 bn € for processed fish in 2003 • This equals 4.6% of all ACP exports to EU • Spread out by country as follows: • Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania are the biggest ACP countries exporting non-processed fish to the EU • Seychelles, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Mauritius are the biggest ACP countries exporting processed fish to the EU

  7. Preferential Trade relations with ACP countries Fisheries products from ACP countries (raw and processed) already enter into the EU duty and quota free *average tariff weighted by ACP fisheries exports to the EU **average tariff weighted by ACP fisheries exports to the EU and general GSP regime

  8. WTO tariff liberalisation – What impact for the ACP? • Positive: • Improves access for ACP countries to new non-traditional markets • Negative: • Erosion of value of ACP preferences on EU market

  9. What are EPAs? • Free Trade Agreement: • Reciprocal market access • South-south integration • fostering the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the global economy • Instrument for development • Integrated approach (Cotonou pillars) • Trade policy as instrument for development (carefully managed reciprocal liberalisation, services and trade-related areas – e.g. SPS) • Mainstream trade into development strategy (RPTF)

  10. Economic Partnership Agreements and fisheries • Emphasis on competitiveness (to manage erosion of preference) and improvements in overall trade performance • Accent on rules (SPS, non-tariff barriers) • Duty-free access on fisheries products maintained: opportunity to look again at rules of origin • Improve supply side capacity • Develop regional markets and regional trade (trade facilitation, customs, integrated markets)

  11. Market access for fish and fishery products Maintain duty-free and quota-free access to EU market for ACP products… … But also look into the new opportunities ACP markets might represent for EU’s fish exports – with an emphasis on the neighbouring regions -

  12. Rules of origin Rules of origin have been identified as an important issue to be tackled in the EPA negotiations EU is currently reviewing preferential rules of origin – including for fish and processed fish

  13. Sanitary standards • EU’s SPS standards have been identified by ACP countries as an important obstacle for their exports to the EU. Only a small number of ACP states are currently allowed to export fish to the EU. • No levelling down of our standards • But assistance to help ACPs meeting the required standards

  14. Economic Partnership Agreements and fisheries - Process • Ongoing EPA negotiations • Discussion with civil society and stakeholders • Sustainable Impact Assessments of EPAs: http://www.sia-acp.org/

  15. Thank You

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