Date and Venue

Wednesday 7 November 2007, from 13.30h to 15.00h (Sandwich lunch from 13.00h-13.30h)

APRODEV, Bd Charlemagne 28, 1000 Brussels

Introduction

With less than two months before the official deadline to complete the EPA negotiations, many important questions still need to be answered concerning the nature, scope and possible impact of any agreement to be signed this year by the EU and its ACP partners.

Last week an EC Communication finally acknowledged that it will not be possible to conclude full EPAs in all regions this year, and proposed to focus on concluding interim agreements covering market access for goods now, and negotiate the rest of the agenda in 2008. Butthe reality is that substantial differences still exist between the negotiating positions of the EU and the ACP. Some regions have already anticipated that they will need more time to even complete a goods-only agreement in the given timeframe.

More and more voices – from the private sector, trade unions, farmers, NGOs, academicians and think-tanks – are calling on the EU to "avoid a tragic error, slow the rush to conclude hasty and ill-conceived agreements, and find a better track" (Claire Delpeuch, "One Minute to Midnight", Policy Brief, October 2007).

As EU and ACP officials embark on crucial negotiations over the next few weeks, Oxfam International and the South Centre are pleased to invite you to a lunch-time discussion on the different scenarios faced by EU and ACP decision-makers.

Patrick Messerlin (Directorof the Groupe d’Economie Mondiale at Sciences Po) will present the new policy brief "One Minute to Midnight: Is There Still time to Rethink EPAs?" (German Marshall Fund, Economic Policy Program). The paper assesses the current EPA proposals and its critiques, and puts forward an alternative path to trade integration for the ACP countries.

Lorand Bartels (Trinity Hall, Universityof Cambridge) will clarify the possibilities of the so-called GSP-plus as an alternative arrangement for continuing preferential access for ACP exports to the European Union.

The two short presentations will be followed by an interactive discussion with ACP officials, EU Member State representatives, Members of the European Parliament and civil society representatives.

Please, RSVP before Tuesday, November 6, 2007 to sharon_shemesh@oxfaminternational.org

[For any additional information on this event, you may contact Sharon Shemesh on+ 32 (0) 2 502 9803]