EPA Review Annex Documents - DFID

egional integration may not be the best option for African regional integration given the lack
of trade, lack of capacities in production as well as human resources and institutions etc.
Second, the liberalisation of intra-Africa trade has to be African driven as the incentives that
the EU can offer in terms of market access are limited even under the comprehensive EPA
with much more simple and liberal rules of origins. To advance regional integration is very
much dependent upon the willingness of African governments to take actions on difficult
longstanding policy and institution barriers. African countries need to adopt open global and
regional trade policies rapidly and accelerate its integration with the rest of the world.
Third, the development impact of the EPA would depend partly on avoiding excessive
discrimination favouring EU goods and services, and to the extent they support open and
competitive markets. South-South trade has been expanding rapidly - substantial increase in
demand for natural resources from rapidly growing developing countries; increasing demand
for new markets particularly for exports of manufactured goods. Asia plays a dominant role
in the directions of trade flows in South-South trade. Asia-Africa trade has been expanding
rapidly as well. This should be encouraged not deterred by EU-Africa EPA.
Fourth, like the CARIFORUM EPA, Regional preference clause which guarantees tariff
and concessions to other African regions/countries the same as granted to the EU in the
EPA should be included in Africa EPAs. Such clause would encourage intra-Africa trade.
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