Michel: trade deals offer a helping hand to poor states

Louis Michel, the development commissioner, has said that trade agreements being negotiated with poorer countries will involve delays in the liberalisation of their markets and money to help offset loss in revenue.

Michel’s comments came as 16 African leaders attended a major conference in Brussels where the Economic Partnership Agreements are high on the agenda. He said the agreements would help regional markets in Africa to grow but added that states would be given time and financial help to build their industries and markets to withstand competition and replace losses in revenue from reduced tariffs. "We are fully conscious that you can’t have a virtuous state without state capacity," he said.

African states and non-governmental organisations have criticised the agreements saying they will leave industry and states vulnerable to global competition. Such criticism will be voiced at the conference this week in Brussels (15-17 November) addressing reforms in Africa.

Louis Michel, the development commissioner, has said that trade agreements being negotiated with poorer countries will involve delays in the liberalisation of their markets and money to help offset loss in revenue.