The rift between the European Union (EU) and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group (ACP) remained unresolved during negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), PANA reported from here.
At the ACP-EU parliamentarians’ meetings in Brussels, ACP group’s representatives rejected the October 2014 deadline set by EU for them to sign the EPAs.
They cited some shortcomings in the agreements, including the status of the customs’ tax for signing countries.
The ACPs also denounced the establishment of asymmetric markets with the entry of 80% of European products into ACP markets against the 100% of ACP products going into the European market, saying that “this does favour the ACP”.
The MPs’ meeting which began Monday is due to end Wednesday.
The EPAs are aimed at promoting trade between the two groupings – and through trade development, sustainable growth and poverty reduction.
They were set out to help ACP countries integrate into the world economy and share in the opportunities offered by globalisation.
