Economic and welfare impacts of the EU-Africa economic partnership agreements

Abstract

Th e Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) between the European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacifi c (ACP) countries is expected to succeed the expired Lomé Agreement. It envisages the signing of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) by December 2007 between the EU and the ACP countries. Th e EPAs, which will be the new cooperative framework under the CPA, are expected to adopt an integrated approach based on partnership, cooperation, trade and political dialogue between the EU and ACP countries. One of the essential characteristics of this multilateral partnership is that it hopes to combine responses to the challenge of globalization and the development aid essential to ACP countries; with a strengthened political dimension.