Analytical Note, November 2010
EPAs and WTO Compatibility – A Development Perspective.
The discussion on WTO compatibility in the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and ACP countries has so far been very narrowly defined, and largely from the perspective of the European Union. This Analytical Note presents a matrix providing a comparison of the EPA commitments the EU is asking ACP countries for, and treatment of these issues in the WTO, including where appropriate, the type of flexibilities available for the different developing country groupings at the WTO.
The issues dealt with in this paper include: Market access for agricultural products; Market access for industrial or non-agricultural products; Extent of liberalisation-development benchmarks; Standstill clause; Quantitative Restrictions; Export Taxes; Rules of Origin; MFN Clause; Multilateral Safeguards; Bilateral Safeguards; Infant industry; Domestic Support in Agriculture; Export Subsidies in Agriculture; Intellectual Property; Services; Investment; Competition and Government Procurement.
This article was tagged: Agriculture, Competition Policy, Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), Government Procurement, Intellectual Property, Market Access, Most Favoured Nation (MFN), Safeguards, Services, Subsidies, Tariffs, Trade for Development, Trade Liberalization
