Africa: No to EPA's

There is a lack of public scrutiny over the negotiation process between one of the world's more powerful economic actors, the EU, and 79 of the world's poorest economies, the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states (ACP), says this International Development Committee briefing. "Outside of a small trade circle, very little notice is being taken of these negotiations which are running parallel to the WTO's Doha 'development' round," the IDC said. The agreements would mean that the ACP group would move from non-reciprocal preferential access to reciprocal trading arrangements with the EU. "Without special and differential treatment, the agreements will not be fair," said the IDC.