Brussels, 15/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Accra on 10 July, the heads of state and government of 16 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) definitively approved the economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiated with the EU. The EPA has not yet been signed, as we incorrectly reported in EUROPE 11120. The heads of state and government have asked the negotiators-in-chief of West Africa to “take all necessary measures to start the signature process” of the EPA and its implementation as soon as possible.
For the period 2015-2020, the EU, its member states and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide support to West Africa's “EPA for development” of at least €6.5 billion, in order to help the countries of the region to make the most of this agreement, which will gradually liberalise trade in accordance with an asymmetrical timetable (see EUROPE 11040). (AN)