EU-West Africa EPA17 September 2014The International Trade Union House,

Bv du Roi Albert II, 5, 1210 Brussels

How to assess the West Africa EPA?

Dr San BILALsb@ecdpm.org

• Successful conclusion…• …at regional level…• …before 1 October 2014

• regional unity & integrity preserved• based on ECOWAS CET• no trade disruption

= DEVELOPMENT ???

Achievements

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• Focus on market access for goods• DFQF access to EU (100% liberalisation)• West Africa liberalises:

75% of tariff lines

over 20 years• Policy space: trade defense instruments• Community levied maintained (until new financing mechanism)

• No EU agricultural export subsidies• MNF not automatic• No explicit non-execution clause (Cotonou ref)• Development chapter: PAPED (no additionality)

Some key features of the EPA

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ECOWAS tariff phase down

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• Meat and meat products; Preparation of meat; fresh, chilled and frozen fish and fish products; preparation of fish products

• Milk and dairy products• Vegetable products such

as edible vegetables, fruits, nuts, some cereals (rice), products of milling industry (different types of flour);

• Animal and vegetable fats and oils and prepared edible fats

• Sugar and sugar confectionary;

• Cocoa and cocoa preparations;

• Preparation of cereals, flour, starch and milk

Main products excluded

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• Preparation of vegetables, fruits and nuts

• Other edible preparation such as tea, coffee, sauces, seasonings etc.

• Beverages (alcoholic – mainly beers and spirits) and non-alcoholic (table water etc.)

• Tobacco• Cement• Pharmaceutical products;• Paint, varnish and mastic• Perfumery, cosmetic and

toilet preparation;• Soaps and washing

preparation; waxes• Glues; pyrotechnic

products;• Articles of plastic; Rubber

articles; leather products; wood and wood articles; paper, paperboard and articles of paper pulp; printed books and newspapers

• Cotton (thread); other vegetable textile fibres, yarn and fabrics;

• Man made fibres; some woven fabrics; some knitted and crocheted fabric;

• Articles of apparel and clothing accessories;

• Glassware; some articles of iron and steel; copper and nickel

• Tools and cutlery of base metals; some machinery and mechanical appliances; some electric machinery;

• Some furniture and mattress support (wood and metal); lighting and fittings

• Existing export taxes are maintained; possibility to introduce new taxes for infant industries, revenue needs and environmental protection on a limited number of products and after consultations with the EU side

• Safeguard measures applicable for 4 years, renewable once

• Specific safeguard clause for infant industries, for up to 8 years and can be renewed

Policy space?

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= Identify sensitive import-competing sectors

• Employment per sector/products: nb, gender, youth, work conditions, etc.

• SMEs, informal, competition (monopoly?)• Analysis per country/province? • Loss of fiscal revenues?• Support policies and measures?

=> Likely effects: concentrated in some sectors/products in some countries/provinces on some categories of workers/population

Assessing social impact

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Thank youwww.ecdpm.org

Reference:Ramdoo, Isabelle (2014), ECOWAS and SADC EPAs:

A comparative analysis, ECDPM Discussion Paper 165www.ecdpm.org/dp165

Dr San BilalHead of Economic Transformation and Trade

Editor of GREAT Insightssb@ecdpm.org

Twitter @SanBilal1

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