Economic Partnership Agreements: EU and Central Africa agree next phase of negotiations

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson met with Central African Ministers on the 25th November in Brussels to agree on the next phase of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between the two regions. Ministers agreed to launch the next phase of negotiations in January 2006, and endorsed a detailed calendar. Work will therefore begin shortly on drafting the text and legal provisions of the EPA, in areas such as trade in goods, competition policy, public procurement, intellectual property rights, services, investment and trade and environment. The impact of the EPA on productive sectors in Central Africa will also be analysed, in order to prepare the future market access discussions. Commissioner Michel also participated in the meeting, underscoring the Commission