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Guyana's president gets the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) renegotiation backing from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries
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Guyana's president gets EPA renegotiation backing from ACP:
By Kevin Lindon -
Caribbean Net News Guyana Correspondent:


GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana’s president Bharrat Jagdeo’s call for a review of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) has received the blessing of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries after the grouping at its 6th heads summit, which concluded in Ghana on Friday, opted not to sign the deal until it is reviewed.

The 79 member grouping in a release from the summit late Friday evening said the review is to ensure that the agreement is inclusive, fosters regional integration and provides tangible development benefits for the region’s peoples.

The ACP grouping said, having considered the negotiation process of the EPA between the region and the European Union; they are concerned that the agreement has split the group into countries that sign an interim or full EPA and those that have expressed concerns about the content of the deal.

“We the Heads of States and Governments of the African Caribbean and Pacific group of States concerned about the undue pressure that is being put on some ACP countries to move forward to signing and ratification of an interim or final EPA before legitimate concerns have been adequately addressed in a way that creates conditions for all ACP countries to be part of the agreement that genuinely contribute to growth, development and advancement of regional integration” the document said.

According to the statement the ACP is determine to safeguard and further enhance solidarity among its members and decided that they will not sign the deal until ist is renegotiated.

The statement stressed that in order to smooth the process of finalization of the EPA negotiations the European commission and its members must take into account, the interest and concerns of all states.

The ACP heads of governments decided that the presidents of the African union, CARIFORUM and Pacific summits and headed by the president of the ACP summit engage in consultations on the EPA with a number of EU members.

The heads have instructed the ACP council and secretary general to explore by the end of this month modalities for conducting this high level engagement with key stakeholders of the EU.

This decision by the ACP heads has thrown the position taken by some Caricom heads at their September last meeting Barbados to sign a full EPA next week out the window.

Jagdeo has been making this call for regional leaders to wait on the outcome of the ACP summit and the need for a review of the trade deal.

Of the ACP group, the Caribbean is the only region to have initialed the full EPA as the first stage of signing the accord.

The decision to ask for a review of the agreement came after four days of intense debate

They have also decided that the council of ministers will consider the creating of an ACP free trade area.


caribbeannetnews

October 6, 2008
Email: kevin@caribbeannetnews.com

October 7, 2008 | 1:35 PM Comments  0 comments

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