Dr. San Bilal, ECDPM EU-West Africa EPA17 September 2014The International Trade Union House, Bv du Roi Albert II, 5, 1210 Brussels

1. EU-West Africa EPA
17 September 2014The International Trade Union House,
Bv du Roi Albert II, 5, 1210 Brussels
How to assess the West Africa EPA?
Dr San BILAL
sb@ecdpm.org

2. Achievements
• Successful conclusion…
• …at regional level…
• …before 1 October 2014
• regional unity & integrity preserved
• based on ECOWAS CET
• no trade disruption
= DEVELOPMENT ???
Page

3. Some key features of the EPA
• Focus on market access for goods
• DFQF access to EU (100% liberalisation)
• West Africa liberalises:
75% of tariff lines
over 20 years
• Policy space: trade defense instruments
• Community levied maintained (until new financing mechanism)
• No EU agricultural export subsidies
• MNF not automatic
• No explicit non-execution clause (Cotonou ref)
• Development chapter: PAPED (no additionality)
Page

4. ECOWAS tariff phase down
Page

5. Main products excluded
• Meat and meat products;
Preparation of meat; fresh,
chilled and frozen fish and
fish products; preparation
of fish products
• Milk and dairy products
• Vegetable products such
as edible vegetables, fruits,
nuts, some cereals (rice),
products of milling industry
(different types of flour);
• Animal and vegetable
fats and oils and prepared
edible fats
• Sugar and sugar
confectionary;
• Cocoa and cocoa
preparations;
• Preparation of cereals,
flour, starch and milk
Page
• Preparation of
vegetables, fruits and nuts
• Other edible preparation
such as tea, coffee,
sauces, seasonings etc.
• Beverages (alcoholic –
mainly beers and spirits)
and non-alcoholic (table
water etc.)
• Tobacco
• Cement
• Pharmaceutical products;
• Paint, varnish and mastic
• Perfumery, cosmetic and
toilet preparation;
• Soaps and washing
preparation; waxes
• Glues; pyrotechnic
products;
• Articles of plastic; Rubber
articles; leather products;
wood and wood articles;
paper, paperboard and
articles of paper pulp;
printed books and
newspapers
• Cotton (thread); other
vegetable textile fibres,
yarn and fabrics;
• Man made fibres; some
woven fabrics; some
knitted and crocheted
fabric;
• Articles of apparel and
clothing accessories;
• Glassware; some articles
of iron and steel; copper
and nickel
• Tools and cutlery of base
metals; some machinery
and mechanical appliances;
some electric machinery;
• Some furniture and
mattress support (wood
and metal); lighting and
fittings

6. Policy space?
• Existing export taxes are maintained;
possibility to introduce new taxes for infant
industries, revenue needs and environmental
protection on a limited number of products and
after consultations with the EU side
• Safeguard measures applicable for 4 years,
renewable once
• Specific safeguard clause for infant
industries, for up to 8 years and can be
renewed
Page

7. Assessing social impact
= Identify sensitive import-competing sectors
• Employment per sector/products: nb,
gender, youth, work conditions, etc.
• SMEs, informal, competition (monopoly?)
• Analysis per country/province?
• Loss of fiscal revenues?
• Support policies and measures?
=> Likely effects: concentrated in some
sectors/products in some countries/provinces
on some categories of workers/population
Page

8. Thank you
www.ecdpm.org
Reference:
Ramdoo, Isabelle (2014), ECOWAS and SADC EPAs:
A comparative analysis, ECDPM Discussion Paper 165
www.ecdpm.org/dp165
Dr San Bilal
Head of Economic Transformation and Trade
Editor of GREAT Insights
sb@ecdpm.org
Twitter @SanBilal1
Page