EU-ACP Trade relations (EPAs)

EPA Briefing Paper 2012 - Still pushing the wrong deal for Africa? This briefing paper comes in response to the Europen Commission proposal to exclude those countries that have not ratified their EPA by 1 January 2014 from the EU's Market Access Regulation 1528/2007. Jointly published by Traidcraft, APRODEV, et al

EPAs in (times of) crisis : April 2010: EPAs and Trade Defence Measures: Comparing bilateral and multilateral trade defence provisions - APRODEV contribution to NGO Conference

EPA Expert Roundtables

2009: EPAs: Trade efficiency or development for all?
Roundtable organised by APRODEV, One World Action and the Commonwealth Secretariat, Brussels, 24 March 2009. Further reading: Concept note and presentations by Marzia Fontana: OWA Gender research in Mozambique, Jamaica, Tanzania; Tacko Ndiaye, UNIFEM: Women's Informal Cross Border Trading; Christina Weller: Framework for EPA monitoring; Tilder Kumichii, GEED/ACDIC: Women watching local food markets; Peter Lunenborg, South Centre: Benchmarking development in EPAs.
2008: EPA Stocktaking meeting - Urgency for a development contest
Roundtable organised by APRODEV, ECDPM and ODI, 17 April 2008, Brussels, aiming at critically assessing the development content of the interim and full EPAs. Further reading: Presentations by ODI: Comparative analysis of liberalisation schedules and other commitments in the African interim EPAs; ECDPM: Dynamics of EPA negotiations and possible ways forward.
2007: EPA Roundtable: Crossing development red lines?
Roundtable expert discussion looking at a technical analysis of implications of EC proposals for EPA provisions. Jointly organised by APRODEV, Christian Aid, ECDPM, Oxfam, 13 September 2007. (French version)
2006: EPA Gender Review
Seminar jointly organised by APRODEV, CSGR Warwick University, One World Action and WIDE and hosted by the European Commission in the framework of the DG Trade Civil Society Dialogue Meetings, December 2006, Brussels

EPA Monitoring

APRODEV Background paper on EPA Indicators, 2009
EPA monitoring: principles and guidelines , by APRODEV and ICTSD, July 2007

A Pro-Development Benchmark Approach to EPAs

An attempt to go beyond the rhetoric that trade should promote development and makes proposals for the practical integration of development perspectives in the EPA negotiations:

EPAs and Sustainable Development: Benchmarks for Pro-Development Monitoring of the Negotiations , by APRODEV and ICTSD, 2005
Research paper: Benchmarking EPA negotiations between the EU and SADC, by tralac, South Africa, July 2007
Research paper: Sustainable Development Benchmarks for an EU - Cariforum EPA, by University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, June 2007
Consulation meeting: Johannesburg, South Africa, 1 October 2007
Consultation meeting: Kingston, Jamaica, 7 June 2007
Abstract
Equity in Trade negotiations : A gender review of the EPAs, March 2007

EPA articles:

EPA Stocktaking: Urgency for a development contest, APRODEV Article in Trade Negotiation Insight, May 2008, Volume 7 Number 4

EPAs and gender

Gender equity objectives in EPA negotiations, 2006
The paper proposes some gender advocacy actions and illustrates as to how a benchmarking approach in the poultry sector could be used to articulate gender sensitive and sustainable development objectives.
Background Document: Gender aspects in Economic Partnership Agreements, 2003
Briefing paper on Economic Partnership Agreements, 2003
EPA’s- What’s in it for Women? - Gender impact assessment on Women in Zimbabwe, 2002
Despite the very different economic structures which characterise the economy of Zimbabwe and those of francophone African countries, there are a number of issues identified which are relevant to the situations women face in francophone African countries. This study tries to encourage undertaking of further impact assessments in francophone African countries that identify areas of greatest concern to women and formulate positions that ensure women’s concerns are addressed and their interests protected. Further reading Executive Summary, English Preface to French translation, APE-Que peuvent en attendre les femmes? Negociations commerciales avec l’UE (in French)