WT/REG382/M/1  
 
5 February  2019 
(19-0635) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Ninety -first Session    
 
ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP  AGREEMENT BETWEEN T HE EUROPEAN UNION AN D GHANA , 
GOODS  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 19 NOVEMBER 2018 
Chairman: Ambassador Julian  BRAITHWAITE  (United Kingdom ) 
1.1.  The 91st Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter 'CRTA' or the 
'Committee') was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/16 dated 8 October 2018.  
1.2.  Under Agenda Item F.I of the Session, the CRTA considered the  Economic Partnership 
Agreement (EPA) b etween the European Union and Ghana (goods) , (hereinafter  "the Agreement").  
1.3.  The Chairman  noted that t he Agreement had entered into force on 15 December 2016. It had 
been notified to the WTO by the Parties on 3 April 2017 under Article  XXIV:7(a) of the GATT  1994 
and the Understanding on the Interpretation of Article  XXIV of GATT 1994 as an Agreement 
establishing a free trade area , document  WT/REG382/N/1). The text of the Agreement was available, 
together with its Annexes, on the Parties' official websites.  The Factual Presentation on the goods 
aspects, document WT/REG382/1 dated 31 July 2018, and questions and replies on this Agreement, 
document WT/REG382/2 dated 10 October 2018, had been distributed.  
1.4.  The representative of the European Union  welcome d the CRTA 's consideration of the Economic 
Partnership Agreement between the EU and Ghana . The EU  was particularly grateful to the 
Secretariat for the preparation of the Factual Presentation and to Ghana for its cooperation in this 
exercise. She also thank ed Chile a nd Ecuador for their questions and the interest showed in the 
consideration of th e Agreement.  
1.5.  Her general remarks recall ed the broader economic and political context within which to situate 
the Agreement.  The EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)  countries and regions ha d 
enjoyed a Strategic Partnership since the ACP -EU Partnership Agreement had been  signed in Cotonou 
on 23 June 2000. This "Cotonou Agreement " was  the most comprehensive partnership agreement 
between developing countries and the EU.  It had been the framework for the EU's relations with 79 
countries from the ACP. The Agreement ha d economic, political and development dimensions and 
was characterised by equality of the partners, broad -based participation , including State and non -
State a ctors, dialogue and regional integration.  
1.6.  The EU was committed to supporting the ACP countries ' integration into the world trading 
system to expand their trade and also to enable the m to benefit from the global economy. For this 
reason, the EU ha d signed under the umbrella of the Cotonou Agreement,  EPAs with the ACP 
countries and regions aiming at promoting ACP -EU trade , in line with WTO rules . The EPAs were 
"tailor -made" agreements to suit specific regional circumstances and intend ed to support trade 
diversification while taking into account different  socio-economic circumstances. In the West African 
region, the EU and its Member States ha d signed the regional EPA with 15 West African States.  
Signature by o nly one country in the region remain ed pendin g. Until the full regional EPA wa s 
adopted, the EU ha d been seeking interim EPAs with the middle income countries of the region, such 
as Ghana,  to secure their access to the EU market.  She was  pleased to present and discuss  in the 
Committee  the EU -Ghana  interim EPA Agreement. As noted  by the Chairman , Ghana  had signed  the 
interim EPA  in July 2016. The Agreement  had been provisional ly applied since December 20 16.  WT/REG382/M/1  
 
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  1.7.  The A greement covered trade in goods and also trade-related issues, such as customs and 
trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary m easures, and development 
support . The EU was Ghana's largest trading partner , accounting for around 21% of Ghana's total 
external trade in 2017. Ghana's trade with the EU amount ed to €5.5 billion . The EU was the largest  
destination for Ghana's exports and the second largest source of its imports in 2017.  In 2016, EU 
exports to Ghana had been  dominated by machinery, transport equipment and chemicals. The EU's 
main imports from Ghana had b een cocoa products, petroleum oils, fish, banana and aluminium . 
Positive  developments had been noted in Ghana's exports to the EU , for example, for processed 
cocoa product s such as cocoa butter and cocoa paste . EU imports of processed cocoa had increased 
by 250% between 2008 and 2016.  The trade in goods chapter provide d for reciprocal, but 
asymmetric market opening by both Parties. The EU ha d opened all tariff lines meaning all products 
from Ghana enter ed the EU market duty free and quota free , whereas Ghana was gradually 
liberalising imports amounting to about 80%.  
1.8.  The Parties were currently focussing on ensuring the effective implementation of the 
Agreement so that consumers and businesses c ould fully reap the benefit s of trade and development 
opportunities . Activities include d support  to improv ing the business climate , to adopting new rules 
of origin and to customs administration and trade facilitation . The EU was working closely with Ghana 
on the effective implementation of its tariff liberali zation which would  start by 2020. EU and Ghana 
experts had met in Accra on 15 -16 November for technical talks and t he 2nd EPA Committee with 
Ghana w ould meet at the beginning of 2019 . 
1.9.  The EU also highlight ed the chapter on development and cooperation  which  was underpinned 
by EU development co -operation  to reinforce Ghana's institutional and productive capacities. Ghana 
benefit ted from the European Development Fund  (EDF) and under the 11th EDF, €75 million had 
been allocated  to promoting good governance, the rule of law and accountability; €160 million had 
been allocated to sustainable agriculture  and to assist in  Ghana's adaptatio n and mitigation 
measures for climate change; a further €75 million had been  allocated to create employment 
opportunities for vulne rable population groups and to enhance social protection services. A further 
example of assistance wa s the so -called "TRAQUE" programme, which aim ed at improving the 
business environment by enhan cing the quality of production. The programme ha d provided tr aining 
to farmers on how to avoid diseases in groundnut s and other cereal products. This ha d resulted in 
increased yields of safe groundnuts and cereals benefitting Ghanaian  producers , customer s and 
export s. The EU look ed forward to a fruitful discussion a nd would endeavour to answer all Members' 
questions.  
1.10.   The representative of Ghana  welcome d the CRTA 's consideration of the Factual Presentation 
of the EU -Ghana EPA. Ghana  joined the EU in express ing its  deepest appreciation to the WTO 
Secretariat for the preparation of the Factual Presentation  and was also grateful to Chile and Ecuador 
for seeking clarifications in some areas of the Agreement . 
1.11.   The EU was the biggest source of Foreign Direct Investment  (FDI) in Ghana with more than 
USD6 billion of FDI over the past 20 years and the largest provider of development assistance with 
more than US D500 million in 2016. This long -standing relationship had been  gradually evolving from 
a focus on development assista nce to a stronger focus on trade and investment.  The E U was also 
Ghana's most valuable trading partner and the second -largest supplier of imports to Ghana. In terms 
of export s, it was the number one market destination for Ghana's  export consignments. Betwe en 
the period 2006 –2016, exports destined for the EU market had increased from USD1.3 billion to 
about US D2.3 billion in 2016 . The EU market , with its 500 m illion consumers , was by far the leading 
destination for Ghana 's priority valued -added and non-traditional exports, such as processed cocoa 
products, processed tuna fish, fresh fruit like pineapples and mangoes, processed fruit and fruit 
juices, root crops and other horticultural products. Leveraging the opportunities in the Agreement  
would  be crucial for Ghana in achieving its National Export Strategy goal of raising earnings from 
non-traditional exports from the current USD2.5 billion to USD5 billion in four years and in 
diversifying its export  base and advancing into higher value -added product s.  
1.12.   Ghana had ratified the Agreement  on 3 August 2016 and  it had received approval by the 
European Parliament on 1 December 2016  which  had paved the way for it to be provisional ly applied 
on 15  December 2016. This asymmetrical Agreement  entail ed 100% tarif f liberalization by the EU 
and the gradual removal of 80% of tariffs on imports coming into Ghana from the EU in 15 years 
with 20% of products excluded from liberalization . The Agreement  covered  goods and development 
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  1.13.   It would  be naïve to assume that the Agreement  would have no costs. As with any large trade 
agreement , adjustment costs would arise in sub -sectors facing import competition. Getting the most 
out of trade agreements require d that countries proactively prepare to mee t these challenges and 
take advantage of the opportunities. By doing so, Ghana c ould ensure that it proactively met the 
challenges of firms facing import competition, enabling them not just to compete but to thrive. 
Mindful of this, the Ministry of Trade a nd Industry ha d crafted an EPA Accompanying Measures 
Strategy which had been  finalised in September 2017. The Strategy had been  formulated through  
extensive consultations with both the public and private sectors across all the 10 regions of Ghana. 
It provi ded the roadmap and strategic framework for utilising the EPA Development Programme 
(EPADP) and other resources to ensure that Ghana fully maximise d the opportunities and met the 
challenges of imp lementing the Agreement . It identified and prioritized  projects and programmes, 
which would best enable Ghana to maximise the EPA benefits and mitigate its costs. Cooperation 
between the EU and Ghana ha d been underpinned by constructive policy dialogue a nd negotiations, 
based on Ghana' s evolving development agenda,  national priorities and the principles of aid 
effectiveness, ownership and harmonization. Ghana was  willing to further clarify any issue related 
to the Agreement.  
1.14.   The representative of the United States  noted its appreciation to the Secretariat and to the 
Parties for their efforts and cooperation in preparing for and conducting th e review.  The US greatly 
appreciate d the information included in the Factual Presentation and the presentations made which 
had clearly set out the important t ariff reduction schedules between the two Parties. The US was  
pleased to see that these benefits  were being implemented after the delayed entry into force of the 
Agreement.  The Agreement  had a clear development focus , as indicated  in the presentations made 
by the Parties. He noted the many  areas in the Agreement which provide d for greater cooperation 
on trade related matters between the two Parties and welcome d these efforts and believe d they 
would be beneficial for Ghana 's domesti c growth and regional integration ; that, he highlighte d, was 
an important aspect of the Agreement.  In particular, the US  noted the cooperation on standards, 
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures and hope d these efforts would yield 
benefits to a wide range of traders. The US took note that the Agreement pr ovided  for financial 
support for the adoption of technical regulations, and he asked what steps Ghana had taken to  
ensure that technical regulations  were not adopted in such a way that might create unnecessary 
barriers to the trade of third parties, particularly those seeking commercial opportuni ties in Ghana' s 
growing market. The US also welcome d the cooperation on customs issues. The US was also an 
active partner with Ghana in supporti ng customs modernization and reform and look ed forward to 
hearing more about Ghana 's trade facilitation progress in the future.  
1.15.   The representative of the European Union  read out the Parties ' joint reply to one outstanding 
question from Ecuador , according to which  "The EPA Tariff liberalization schedules for Groups A, B 
and C w ill commence in 2020 with progressive liberalization in coherence with the initial foreseen 
liberation schedule . The  products belonging to Group D w ill be excluded from tariff liberal ization. 
The result of this revision w ill be published in the Ghanaian Official Journal as soon as the internal 
procedures have been fulfilled. " The joint reply would  also be provided in writing. 
1.16.   The representative of Ghana  appreciated the comments by the US. He assured him that, as 
had been stated by the EU, the EU had under the TRAQUE programme been helping Ghana to 
improve the quality of its export s. Ghana appreciated th ese efforts.  The programme ha d helped a 
number  of Ghana's exporters to improve the quality of exported products, not only to the US but 
also to other markets. It had really helped to reduce the number of export  products that had been  
rejected in other markets.  
1.17.   The Chairman  stated that consideration of the Goods Aspects of the  Economic Partnership 
Agreement between the European Union and Ghana  had allowed the Committee  to clarify a number 
of questions and it could now conclude oral discussion of th ese RTAs in accordance with paragraph 
11 of the TM. If any delegations wish ed to ask follow -up questions they were invited to forward 
submissions in writing to the Secretariat by 26 November 2018 and Parties were asked to submit 
replies in writing by no later than 10 December 2018. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the TM 
all written submissions, as well as minutes of this meeting w ould be circulated promptly, in all WTO 
official languages, and w ould be made available on the WTO website.  
1.18.   The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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