ÁFRICA SUBSAHARIANA
Round table between African Delegation and Spanish representatives on the state of negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between European Unión and ACP Countries
9 March 2009
The European Union is currently negotiating the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP States). The result of these negotiations, which should be achieved in the course of this year, will turn out to be crucial for the ACP States´ prospective economic and social development.
The Observatory of Spanish Foreign Policy (Opex), Fundación Alternativas, and Intermón Oxfam jointly organised a round table which took place on March 9 in Madrid, at the headquarters of the Fundación. Among the participants in this meeting, coordinated by Manuel de la Rocha (Coordinator of the African Panel, OPEX) and Laura Iruretagoyena (Policy Advisor for Trade, Intermón Oxfam), were an important delegation from ACP countries, including members of parliaments and representatives of civil society, as well as members of the Spanish Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and representatives of civil society.
The meeting allowed for discussions on the perspective of the negotiations and probable and possible effects of specific EPA issues on the ACP States. It also enabled addressing the Spanish position relating to those agreements. Throughout this candid and constructive debate, held under the Chatham House Rules, the African delegation aimed at conveying to the European representatives certain EPA issues while the Spanish members of government gave explanations for the EU´s priorities and actions in this regard.