EPA with EU: Push forward as one region, urge Leaders
Auckland, 7th September 2011 - Pacific ACP Leaders have called for continued negotiations on a comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union as a single region with the support from the Pacific Islands Forum
Secretariat.
Addressing Leaders at the 9th meeting of the Pacific ACP Leaders held yesterday in Auckland, New Zealand, Lead
Spokesperson for the Pacific ACP bloc on the EPA negotiations with the European Union, Trade Minister Lisiate ‘Akolo of
Tonga, said the region had progressed substantially.
“Since Pacific ACP Trade Ministers met in February this year, our officials have been very busy with preparatory
national and regional EPA work, including national consultations and regional meetings coordinated by the Forum
Secretariat, all with the aim of concluding the negotiations as soon as possible,” said Minister ‘Akolo.
“I am pleased to report that the region has made substantial progress, in particular, in finalising a regional position
on the draft Pacific ACP-European Union EPA legal text as well as finalising market access offers for eight Pacific ACP
States, namely Cook Islands, FSM, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.”
The draft Pacific ACP-European Union EPA text and the eight market access offers were submitted to the European
Commission for their consideration in mid July.
A joint Pacific ACP Fisheries and Trade Ministers’ meeting as well as a Pacific ACP Trade Ministers Meeting was held on
8 and 9 August, respectively, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
“The purpose of these meetings was to finalise a regional position on fisheries issues, and to consider various
negotiating options for the contentious issues in the negotiations,” Minsiter ‘Akolo told Pacific ACP Leaders.
“As you are aware, fish is a key resource for our region and the fisheries industry has the greatest potential for
increasing exports to the European Union.
“The fisheries sector is one area where positive economic gains can be realised as a result of concluding an EPA. In
particular, tuna is by far the most important fisheries resource, in terms of both volume and value in the region as
well as in terms of exports to the European Union.”
Pacific ACP States have been considering and advancing various strategies and approaches in the negotiations to maximize
benefits from their tuna industries, while at the same time considering evolving developments in the fisheries sector.
Minister ‘Akolo also updated Pacific ACP Leaders on the Kava Initiative submitted by Fiji, FSM, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tonga and Vanuatu to Pacific ACP Trade Ministers.
“Kava is an important product for many Pacific ACP States, and, until the EU ban on kava in 2004, was a significant
commodity export to the European Union,” said Minister ‘Akolo.
“While a number of initiatives are being undertaken by Pacific ACP States at a multilateral or bilateral level to regain
access to the European Union market, Ministers noted that the EPA negotiations was an opportunity to hold a dialogue
with the European Commission on the issue.
“In this regard, Ministers agreed that I should request the European Commission’s assistance to implement a number of
proactive actions to regain EU market access for kava exports.”
At their meeting yesterday Pacific ACP Leaders also endorsed the Revised EPA Roadmap establishing the EPA negotiations
as top priority for the region in 2012.
Pacific ACP Leaders also endorsed the convening of an Eminent Persons Group to discuss the issue of the management of
Pacific ACP issues further, agreeing that the Forum Secretariat would continue to coordinate the negotiations of the
Economic Partnership Agreement pending the agreement of any outcomes of the deliberations of the Eminent Persons Group.
The 9th meeting of the Pacific ACP Leaders marked one of the first in a series of meetings held in advance of the 42nd
Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting which started in Auckland today.
ENDS