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Joint Statement on Economic Partnership Agreements on the EPA INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION, THURSDAY APRIL 19, 2007

Preamble
As the negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries draw to a close at the end of 2007, the need to ensure that there is convergence rather than divergences is indeed obvious. 
All stakeholders, especially poor countries, are definitely concerned about the process and content of the negotiations. The International Day of Action on EPAs on Thursday April 19, 2007, called by Civil Society Organisations provides a good opportunity for all parties to reflect on their bargain in the EPAs. It also serves as a good time to reconsider key issues  in coming up with a people friendly, development oriented, and realistic trade agreement that will stand the test of time, economic shocks and political swings of the 21st Century and beyond. As Civil Society Organisations fighting for a pro-poor EPA and wider trade justice, we are compelled to bring to the negotiating parties key matters for consideration in this process. We address our concerns to; (1) the government of Zambia, (2) the EU, (3) the Germany government which is the current president of the EU and (4) Civil Society Organisations and the people of Zambia.
To the Government of Zambia

1. There is need to continue advocating for the inclusion of development and benchmarks in the EPA negotiations and build a common front of like-minded countries within the negotiating body, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), with which to push for this agenda under the banner of the Eastern and Southern Africa Configuration (ESA).
2. We reiterate and reinforce the calls made by Jubilee – Zambia provincial groups that the government should not rush into signing the EPAs if the EU continues to ignore the development requirements of poor countries like assistance towards improving transportation and communications infrastructure.
3. The government of Zambia should begin to conduct sensitisation on the risks, threats and benefits of the EPAs. The 2007 budget has an allocation of K32mn for this purpose and this should be prudently utilised.  We are convinced that adequate sensitisation will help to build consensus which will be vital to guide the government’s decision.

To the European Union

1. We are concerned over the current trend of negotiations, marked by an increasing remoteness from the initial objective set in the Cotonou Agreement, namely “to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development”. We call on the EU to embrace the spirit of the ACPs of uplifting “sustainable development” in the negotiations and subsequent agreement.
2. We are saddened by the EU's deliberate delay to explore all alternative trading arrangements as provided for under article 37.6 of the Cotonou partnership agreement, including revision/ flexibilities of the WTO compatibility, request for a waiver, etc. We consider the EU’s refusal to honour this part of the Cotonou agreement, a denial of earlier commitments, something which is disconcerting and dangerous. We therefore demand that they abide by the pact and provide adequate and necessary alternatives for countries that will opt for these alternatives.
3. We uphold the ESA-EPA review and call upon the EU to begin making arrangements for an extension of the negotiations. It is clear that the divergences between the negotiating parties are too huge to ignore or even to expect amicable resolutions before the end of the year. We note here that EPAs are free trade agreements based on the principle of reciprocal market opening. This, we have observed is what is going to seriously damage sustainable development and lock the people in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific regions into perpetual poverty.

To the Government of Germany

1. The Government of Germany and particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel are now in a strategic position in relation to the EU and the G8 which will be meeting in Germany in June, 2007. We believe that this opportunity provides Germany with a unique privilege to bring the concerns of the ACPs to the attention of the EU and the G8 countries.
2. Germany and the Chancellor should try and change the way Europe has been trading with Africa. We strongly believe that trade agreements if properly arranged and administered can be a very good tool for poverty eradication and contribute to human development. But the current agreement being negotiated between Europe and their former colonies (ACP) will lock the 750 million people already impoverished into perpetual poverty for the rest of their life time as the EPAs have no ending.
3. The Germany Chancellor should persuade the EU member states to refrain from forcing the ACP countries from negotiating the Singapore issues- issues which caused the collapse of the WTO’s ministerial in Cancún and which developing countries managed to remove from WTO’s work programme in 2004.
4. Germany and the Chancellor should urge the EU to provide adequate funds for adjustment costs, particularly focused on supply side constraints, trade diversification, marketing clout and trade facilitation. This programme should particularly take into account job creation under decent work conditions for the youth, especially young women.

To Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the People of Zambia

1. CSOs should take the EPA process with concerted efforts and campaign for a pro-poor EPA that has embodied in it the development requirements (like infrastructure development) of poor countries.
2. Finally we call upon the people of Zambia to increase their participation in the debate on EPAs and ensure that their voices are heard. This will help to bring about more patriotism/ownership in the signing of the EPAs.

By:
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection
Consumer Unit Trust – Africa Resource Centre
Civil Society Trade Network of Zambia

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