Ethiopia and EPA Negotiation 2008 - FES Ethiopia

1.2 Summary
The texts are very different in some areas and are similar in others, for example
the fisheries section is identical - as is the protocol on mutual administrative
assistance in customs matters. However, on other areas the texts are
fundamentally different, for example the EAC text has no development matrix
and only one article of two paragraphs on development cooperation. Therefore
on these issues there can be seen to be significant convergence and conversely
significant divergence.
The areas of objectives and trade in goods provide the most interesting areas of
divergence. Overall the variations between the two agreements make it difficult
to determine which is better. It should be possible from the analysis above to
identify areas where the ESA agreement can be strengthened with parts of the
EAC text. In this way the following EAC articles might be suggested for inclusion
in the ESA text: Article 3.1 b) ensuring that the agreement is at least as good as
the CPA; Article 4 c emphatic statement that asymmetry is in favour of
EAC;Article 7: remove the reference to the COMESA classification;Article 14 add
the caveats against the standstill clause ;Article 15 add the caveats for export
taxes as well as keep the annex ;Article 16 broadens the categories of countries
that can be included in trade deals to ACP instead of just Africa.
These are the main areas that could be addressed in the ESA text that would
make it a stronger text for the needs of Ethiopia. If Ethiopia is going to sign the
Interim Agreement this list of articles provisions should be the starting point for
working on amendments to the agreement. This could make the agreement
more reflective of Ethiopian interests. The Interim Agreement for ESA with the
'cherry picked' additions from the EAC agreement would be a more suitable
agreement for Ethiopia, if Ethiopia finally decides to sign the comprehensive
EPA.
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