Nous vous inmvitons à prendre connaissance et à diffusser cette note de presse du CPDC (Caribbean Policy Development Center) – la PAPDA est membre de cette plateforme – exprimant les profondes inquiétudes de la région sur le processus de négociation des APE entre les pays ACP et l’UE. Cette note souligne l’absence totale de transparence entourant le processus
19th April 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE ON ONGOING EPA NEGOTIATIONS
Caribbean NGOs, with the support of international partners, Oxfam International, are calling on EU and Caribbean negotiators to immediately release for public consideration and review all draft text currently on the table in the ongoing negotiations for the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) between the two sides.
Calling it a necessary step to ensure transparency in the process the regional civil society groups are expressing the view that given the tremendous economic and social implications associated with the negotiations, Caribbean people deserve to know what proposals are being discussed and how these are likely to affect their livelihoods.
Executive Coordinator of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre, Christopher Sinckler in speaking to this issue said that “we are deeply concerned that with just eight months left before the proposed conclusion of these very critical negotiations, Caribbean citizens are yet to see any official text from the negotiations”. This he said is against the modern trend in international trade negotiations set at FTAA and WTO for example where draft texts were released while negotiations were happening.
“It is unacceptable at this level and the Principle Negotiators for both sides must make this decision now if they seriously want to honor their commitments to be transparent and inclusive of citizens in this region”, he added.
Caribbean NGOs are also expressing deep concerns about the rush of negotiators to meet the artificial deadline for the conclusion of negotiations on the 31st of December 2007. They argue that the mission of negotiators must be to write the best agreement not just try to meet a preset deadline. On the current course EPAs will not deliver development outcomes for the Caribbean when there appears to be such a heavy emphasis by the EU on pushing market access liberalization in the region.
The groups maintain that unbalanced and forced tariff liberalization in the region will cost more jobs than it creates, lose more revenues that it makes and create more poverty than it eradicates.
As such Caribbean NGOs call on the EU to abandon its mercantilist intentions towards the region and work with regional governments to find genuine solutions to the real economic and social problems confronting the region and its people.
For more information please contact:
Mr. Christopher Sinckler
Executive Coordinator
Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC)