Brussels, 28/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Laborious talks on a regional economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the EU and the countries of West Africa (sub-region of the ACP Group) have been concluded at technical level after a constructive negotiating session that ended on 24 January in Dakar between the experts of the European Commission and those of ECOWAS. This was confirmed by John Clancy, the spokesman for European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, speaking to EUROPE on Tuesday 28 January.
Clancy said that major progress had been made, that talks between the EU and ECOWAS had been completed at technical level last Friday and that the result is to be confirmed at political level in February, although no exact date has yet been given. He preferred not to enter into the details of the inroads made. De Gucht was in Dakar on 18 January to facilitate progress at political level on the last controversial issues during talks with Senegalese President Macky Sall and ECOWAS President Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo.
Both parties had to make concessions. The European Union showed proof of flexibility in agreeing to the gradual liberalisation of trade covering only 75% of products over 20 years instead of 80% over 15 years, while the ECOWAS countries agreed to the most favoured nation (MFN) clause. On 29 October last year, the ECOWAS heads of state and government meeting in Dakar undertook to conclude an economic partnership agreement that was equitable and development-oriented (see EUROPE 10963). (AN/transl.jl)