Pacific leaders urge for EU flexibility on Economic Partnership Agreement
SUVA. August 31. KAZINFORM Pacific island countries are urging the European Union (EU) to take into account the special circumstances of them and show flexibility on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the two sides, the Suva-based Pacific Island Forum Secretariat said in a statement on Thursday, according to Xinhua.
According to the statement, leaders of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), during their meeting in Cook Islands' capital of Rarotonga, have directed that the next negotiation on EPA between the ACP and the EU be undertaken by the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) on Oct. 1-5 with the objective of resolving the remaining contentious issues.
The Pacific leaders agreed that following the JTWG meeting, the ACP trade ministers will seek a meeting with the European Commission (EC) to successfully conclude the ACP-EU EPA negotiations, and the final determination on the signing of the comprehensive EPA will be made at a special ACP leaders meeting.
The leaders emphasized that progressing and finalizing the EPA will require commitment and flexibility from both the EU and ACP members.
In his opening remarks at the ACP Leaders Meeting in Rarotonga earlier this week, Pacific Islands Forum's Secretary General Tuiloma Neroni Slade urged that the Pacific region's engagement with the EU, in the context of the EPA, needs to be concluded this year in accordance with leaders' directives.
"It is already a longstanding series of negotiations. Noting the time taken since negotiations first commenced in 2004, as well as the significant regional effort and demands on its resources, it is important that honorable leaders now, at this meeting, work towards the conclusion of the EPA," Slade urged.