1. 2008 EPA negotiations: what are the challenges for African countries?
TIPS Workshop, Pretoria 4-5 March
Dr Mareike Meyn

2. What is on the negotiation table?
All African regions will continue negotiations on
Service and investment liberalisation
Some trade-related issues (such as public procurement, competition policies, intellectual property etc.)
Services
Commission proposes ‘positive list’; i.e. African countries shall determine selected services they would like to liberalise vis-à-vis the EU
Approach has to be in line with GATS (‘substantial’)
GATS flexibilities
How to measure?
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

3. What are possible advantages of integrating services into an EPA?
What are possible risks of integrating service into an EPA?
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

4. Services
CARIFORUM had offensive interests in negotiating services in an EPA arguing
most of its economies are predominantly service-based.
preferential access to the EU service market can help to overcome commodity dependence and to move into high-valuable markets;
Many African countries are also service-based; yet their interests are often defensive
South Africa: serving the region only;
Many African countries: no coherent service strategy
Only few African countries have formulated offensive interests
Services have not yet been liberalised on a regional level; countries negotiation positions have not been harmonised (e.g. SACU members).
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

5. Services: formulating offensive and defensive interests
Offensive interests:
What are your comparative advantages?
What are the barriers to enter the EU market?
Can these barriers be overcome and if yes, how? Learn from CARIFORUM
What sectors could gain from increased competition
Defensive interests:
What is the current protection level of my service sector?
What sectors are already comparably open?
To what extent is the EU ready to accept real asymmetry in an EPA?
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

6. Trade-related issues Unknown what areas EC aims to cover and how
What is on the table?
“Some” of the following topics:
Investment, competition, public procurement, tax transparency, (intellectual property), data protection, social and environmental provisions
Unknown what areas EC aims to cover and how
The devil is in the detail
Some provisions might be pure intents of cooperation and information exchange or the reiteration of existing multilateral obligations, others might go further.
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

7. Trade-related issues
What are possible ‘trade-related obligations’ for African countries?
Building-up national competition authorities;
Listing selected entities that are subject to transparent procurement rules;
Implementing IPR provisions, such as the protection of geographical indications.
To what extent binding commitments are in a country’s / region’s interest needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis.
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

8. Main messages We know that the EC would like to include services
We do not know what trade-related issues the EC would like to cover and – most importantly – HOW
Draft texts as well as the CARIFORUM EPA give only guidelines but
EC emphasised that CF is no template for Africa
Outcome depends on negotiations
How to box smart. TIPS workshop March 2008

9. 2008 EPA negotiations: what are the challenges for African countries?
TIPS Workshop, Pretoria 4-5 March
Dr Mareike Meyn