Solidarity In EPA
PRESS STATEMENT
15th November 2006
PICs REMINDED TO MAINTAIN SOLIDARITY IN EPA NEGOTIATION WITH EU.
Pacific ACP (PACP) countries have been urged to remain optimistic and maintain solidarity as they enter the final year of negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).
"The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU have now entered a critical phase with only 13 months left before the deadline and still many significant differences remaining between the two sides," Iosefa Maiava, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat said when opening a meeting of the PACP Trade Officials in Port Vila, Vanuatu today.
Mr Maiava said the EU has clearly not responded well or favourably to the PACP submissions on what are being sought under the EPA.
"In fact the only point of emerging consensus is around the architecture, although, again the EC's negative responses on some of the specific proposals by the Pacific does undermine the integrity whole thing," he said.
Mr Maiava pointed out there was some progress in terms of the overall support in the region and internationally of what the Pacific was seeking in the areas of labour movement and investment but that this was not the case in respect of the EU's responses.
"These meetings therefore offer a good opportunity for us to take stock and to determine how the Pacific could move forward in the light of reaction from Europe," Mr Maiava said.
Mr Maiava also said that the Pacific like the rest of ACP was considering political dimensions of the negotiations.
"The upcoming Review of the negotiations provided for under the Cotonou Agreement provides a good opportunity to do so. We need to fully capitalize on all avenues available to us to push for an EPA that is in line with the Pacific's aspirations. Otherwise we might end up with something other than a regional partnership agreement," Mr Maiava said
The agenda of the PACP Trade Officials meeting include an update on the EPA negotiations, EPA-related studies and process, the Way Forward and other Trade-related issues.
Recommendations on the issues will be submitted to the PACP Trade Ministers when they meet in Port Vila, Vanuatu, tomorrow.
ENDS.
For more information, please contact Mr Johnson Honimae, the Forum's Media Officer at the Le Meridian Resort, Port Vila on phone: 678-22040 Exts: 8024/8025 or fax: 678-23340
15th November 2006
PICs REMINDED TO MAINTAIN SOLIDARITY IN EPA NEGOTIATION WITH EU.
Pacific ACP (PACP) countries have been urged to remain optimistic and maintain solidarity as they enter the final year of negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).
"The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU have now entered a critical phase with only 13 months left before the deadline and still many significant differences remaining between the two sides," Iosefa Maiava, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat said when opening a meeting of the PACP Trade Officials in Port Vila, Vanuatu today.
Mr Maiava said the EU has clearly not responded well or favourably to the PACP submissions on what are being sought under the EPA.
"In fact the only point of emerging consensus is around the architecture, although, again the EC's negative responses on some of the specific proposals by the Pacific does undermine the integrity whole thing," he said.
Mr Maiava pointed out there was some progress in terms of the overall support in the region and internationally of what the Pacific was seeking in the areas of labour movement and investment but that this was not the case in respect of the EU's responses.
"These meetings therefore offer a good opportunity for us to take stock and to determine how the Pacific could move forward in the light of reaction from Europe," Mr Maiava said.
Mr Maiava also said that the Pacific like the rest of ACP was considering political dimensions of the negotiations.
"The upcoming Review of the negotiations provided for under the Cotonou Agreement provides a good opportunity to do so. We need to fully capitalize on all avenues available to us to push for an EPA that is in line with the Pacific's aspirations. Otherwise we might end up with something other than a regional partnership agreement," Mr Maiava said
The agenda of the PACP Trade Officials meeting include an update on the EPA negotiations, EPA-related studies and process, the Way Forward and other Trade-related issues.
Recommendations on the issues will be submitted to the PACP Trade Ministers when they meet in Port Vila, Vanuatu, tomorrow.
ENDS.
For more information, please contact Mr Johnson Honimae, the Forum's Media Officer at the Le Meridian Resort, Port Vila on phone: 678-22040 Exts: 8024/8025 or fax: 678-23340
