Press Release: Economic Partnership Agreements: EU and West Africa agree next phase of negotiations

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson met with West African Ministers on the 27 October 2005 in Brussels to agree on the next phase of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between the two regions. Ministers agreed to start negotiations in 2006 and endorsed a calendar setting out a precise timetable for the talks. This would mean starting work on drafting the text and legal provisions of the EPA and issues connected with market access, including the effect of an EPA on productive sectors in West Africa.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Trade: Bilateral Trade Relations: Regions: ACP States: Negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements http://ec.europa.eu/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/acp/nepa_en.htm

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