The CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA): an assessment of issues relating to market access, safeguards and implications for regional integration

The recent collapse of the Doha round once again underscores the tenuous nature of international trade negotiations. Likewise, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM grouping and the European Union (EU) has generated a great deal of discussion and debate over the past several months. What has clearly emerged is the existence of two diametrically opposed views on the impact and usefulness of the agreement. One view has it that the EPA is a major breakthrough in trade relations that will greatly benefit the region. On the other hand, some see it as being detrimental to the region and perhaps a total capitulation to the EU on the part of the CARIFORUM. They assert that it is part of a global EU strategy to impose World Trade Organization (WTO) policies on developing nations and get around the Doha obstacles. Both sides in this debate attempt to back up their views with reference to the text of the agreement. The objective of this review is to shed some light on the issues driving this debate particularly in the areas of market access, the impact on tariff revenues, and the implications for regional integration. This review also attempts to clarify and distill some of the main contentious issues regarding the EPA and to inform further discussion regarding an implementation plan. The approach is based on detailed study of the EPA text and its annexes plus extensive interviews with some of the main negotiators on the CARIFORUM side. Interviews were conducted both in person and via the Internet as many of the regional negotiators live or work outside of the region. The reviewer also attended presentations and discussions with some of the leading regional critics of the agreement.

Review of Caribbean economic and social performance in the 1980's and 1990's

Includes bibliography

Multilateral rules on competition policy: an overview of the debate

Includes bibliography

Export promotion policies in CARICOM: main issues, effects and implications

Includes bibliography

Quality management and competitiveness: the diffusion of the ISO 9000 standards in Latin America and recommendations for government strategies

Includes bibliography

Small- and medium-sized enterprises' restructuring in a context of transition: a shared process: inter-player effects on efficient boundary choice in the Argentine manufacturing sector

Includes bibliography

Estimating the effects of United States food safety and agricultural health standards on agro-food exports from Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

New directions for development banking in the Caribbean: financing to take advantage of unlimited supplies of labour skills and entrepreneurship

Includes bibliography

Prevention and insurance of conflict and terrorism: issues and evidence for Latin America

Includes bibliography

International asymmetries and the design of the International Financial System

Includes bibliography

Institutional requirements for market-led development in Latin America

Includes bibliography

The determinants of recent foreign bank penetration in Brazil

Includes bibliography

The market and water management reform in Peru

Includes bibliography

The impact of privatisation on the banking sector in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography