Ethiopia and EPA Negotiation 2008 - FES Ethiopia

The final outcome of the EAC-EC EPA that emerged by December 2007 was
consistent with the decision of the permanent secretaries of the EAC region in
their 13 th August Brainstorming Session. This speaks for the excellent skills of the
EAC negotiators. Only in the case of EAC have all members joined the EPA and
accepted identical liberalization schedules. The Interim EAC EPA will be
instrumental in reinforcing the existing regional integration initiative among these
countries.
Would it be feasible for Ethiopia to join the EAC EPA?
It is true that the ESA grouping has little to offer Ethiopia without the EAC
countries as the other island and southern African countries are not major trade
partners of Ethiopia. Membership in the EAC comprehensive EPA might be one
option that needs to be explored. This may be desirable in respect to the trade
relationship, which is greater with Kenya than any other ESA state, excluding the
Horn countries.
There are significant drawbacks to this option. First, the EAC signatories will make
the EAC configuration open to others only if the new countries are willing and
able to comply with the provision of the EAC Customs Union of the EAC Partner
States as is. 47 This means that membership in the EAC EPA will have double
consequences. First, Ethiopia will be required to implements certain obligations
such as the EAC-CET that emanate from EAC customs union. Considering the
advanced stage of regional integration that EAC at present is in, this can be
particularly onerous for Ethiopia and unrealistic given the time line. Second,
there are other significant obligations that arise from the Full EPA itself. The other
drawback of this approach is that Ethiopia’s minimal or no involvement in EAC
EPA negotiation. The EAC Secretariat plays the role of co-ordination of EPA
negotiation process within EAC, with strong support for negotiation from Partner
States including Ambassadors from Brussels and technical experts from Partner
States. EAC is also seeking funding to support EAC-EPA negotiation process. The
EAC Secretariat has also assigned an officer competent on EPA issues to
coordinate the office and offer technical support to Partner States. That Ethiopia
is not a member of the EAC configuration means that it will not have the
opportunity to have a say in the EAC EPA negotiation. Given this, it will be
difficult for Ethiopia to be signatory of an Agreement that it doesn’t participate
47 Meeting Report, Brainstorming Session for the Permanent Secretaries on EAC Brainstorming
session for the Permanent Secretaries on EAC-EPA configuration, 13 th August 2007, Arusha,
Tanzania.
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