. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/C/W/213
15 June 2000
(00-2385)
Council for Trade in Goods Original:  English/
Spanish
WAIVER REQUEST CONCERNING
THE ACP-EU PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The following communication, of 30 May 2000, addressed to the Chairman of the Council for
Trade in Goods, has been received from the Permanent Representative of the delegation of Panama.
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I have been instructed by my Government, to transmit to you a copy of the notes sent by His
Excellency Joaquin E. Jácome Diez, Minister of Trade and Industry of Panama, to His Excellency
John Hornes, Minister of Trade and Industry of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, President of the
Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States, and to His Excellency
Pascal Lamy, Commissioner for Trade of the European Commission.  The notes concern the
consideration of the waiver request for the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.
I kindly request the Chairman to take the necessary steps to have the text of these notes
circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Goods.
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A matter of the highest importance for the international trade agenda of Panama, the
European Union, the ACP Group and, in general the WTO membership, gives me this new
opportunity to write to your Excellency.
I refer, Excellency, to the ongoing review process of a waiver request at the Council for Trade
in Goods (CTG) presented by the European Co mmission (EC) and the ACP Group of countries, to
cover the recently negotiated ACP-EU Partnership Agreement (PA) which is to be signed in the
coming weeks.
From our determined position to obtain a WTO compatible regime on the part of the EC,
Panama has been confronted with the reality of the EU's "other international commitments",
particularly under the new PA.  It is very well known to the EC the particular importance which
Panama has given to the interests of the Caribbean banana producing countries.  In its attempts to
contribute to elaborate a WTO compatible proposal, Panama has not only taken in full consideration
these concerns but has also endorsed the Caribbean proposal sent by his Excellency, Edison James,
Prime Minister of Dominica to His Excellency, Franz Fishler, Commissioner for Agriculture, lastDecember 1
st, 1999.
Despite Panama's sensitiveness to the reality of the Caribbean nations, a position has evolved
among the ACP Group of Nations, particularly among those which Panama has always taken into
consideration, that Panama's position regarding the waiver request is one of full opposition to theimplementation of the PA as well as of blocking the approval of the waiver request for the PA.G/C/W/213
Page 2
My Government, at different levels, has tried to clarify and explain Panama's position.  As
this image persists, I take this opportunity to indicate, to reiterate, once more:  Panama has never
attempted to negatively affect the trade interests of other developing countries .  Panama does not
believe in acceding to further market access at the expense of other developing countries.
As the Minister of Foreign Relations of Panama has indicated, on writing to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Saint Kitts & Nevis, and verbally to the CARICOM Council of Ministers of
Foreign and Community Affairs, Panama does not want to stop full implementation nor
arbitrarily block the adoption of a needed waiver at the WTO.   Panama's objective is not to affect
the trade interests of any CARICOM member.  The sole objective of Panama's participation at the
review process conducted at the CTG will be to ensure that the EU does not ignore its obligationstowards other WTO countries.  Panama wishes to move forward with the review process in an
orderly fashion so that all interested parties see their trade interest addressed.
Panama has acted and will continue to act in good faith with regard to CARICOM.  I want to
make very clear to both the EC and the ACP Group that Panama, in defending and exercising itsrights as a WTO member, has not pursued and will not pursue any policy, or measure, geared to
negatively affect CARICOM nations, including the revi ew process for the adoption of a waiver for the
PA.
The conclude, Excellency, I take this opportunity to also extend to the EC the sincere offer of
Panama to work together, in a constructive way, to conclude this exhausting matter of the
implementation of a WTO compatible regime which could address everyone's interests.  I renew to
Your Excellency my personal commitment to contribute to this solution.
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