I refer to an article entitled “EPA with Europe in doubt” published in the January edition of Islands Business.
Through its extensive quoting of an Oxfam report on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) in general, the article presents a highly distorted picture of EU (European Union) trade and development policy vis-à-vis the Pacific ACP States which I would appreciate having the opportunity to correct through your columns.

Oxfam’s position on EPAs is well-known to be negative by definition, whether for the Pacific or for any other region.

It is strongly opposed to the gradual market opening of ACPs, and even more so to the introduction of trade-related rules.

But its weakness is that it persistently fails to propose valid alternatives to address the progressive marginalisation of either Africa or other parts of the ACP world, including the Pacific.

The EU accepts that there is always a risk involved in change.

But it also believes that there are potential benefits.

The world is moving on: trade is liberalising and increasing all around the world and the ACP states, the EU believes, need help to engage in this process rather than abandonment.

The EPAs the EC is negotiating with the ACP states are seen by the EU as an opportunity offered to these countries, given that existing trading arrangements cannot continue beyond 31 December 2007.

They are approached from a development point of view and are not the hard-nosed Free Trade Agreements that Oxfam for example, would seek to make the Pacific nations believe that the EU has no offensive trade interests in the Pacific, not even in the fisheries sector.

Its sole interest is in the development of the Pacific ACP states.

It is also obvious, however, as Mr Tavola, an intelligent and seasoned negotiator will have known, that not everything can be negotiated: in any negotiation there are “red lines” on both sides.

I hope the above can contribute to a clearer and more balanced understanding by your readers of the EPA concept and of the EU’s position in advocating an EPA for the Pacific.
 
—Roberto Ridolfi
Head of Delegation of the European Commission for the Pacific
Suva, FIJI