Negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) of the European Commission and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries have been ongoing since 2002, and they have attracted much attention from the development community. BMZ and GTZ have commissioned a series of analyses into issues covered by the CARIFORUM EPA which go beyond the trade in goods debate. The fields addressed cover trade in services, investment, competition and public procurement, innovation and intellectual property rights, as well as social and environmental issues.

The objective of the analysis presented in this collection was two-fold. First, the studies assess the developmental impact of the Cotonou Issues as stated in the CARIFORUM EPA text. Moving beyond the Caribbean, the second objective of the analyses was to draw on the experience of the CARIFORUM EPA negotiations and make it available to the other ACP regions that are still negotiating.

The reader is intended for an audience directly involved with the negotiations or with EPA implementation and monitoring of its implications. Trade and development experts and practitioners alike will find it useful reading as the authors very clearly address the issue of the development dimension of EPAs, draw conclusions and provide policy options.

To be downloaded here:

• How to ensure development friendly Economic Partnership Agreements
  EPA studies