WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/752 
20 April 2009 
 (09-1863) 
 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
AU CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRADE 
5TH ORDINARY SESSION 
16–20 March 2009, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 
 
Communication from Egypt  
   The following communication, dated 2 April 2009, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Egypt on behalf of the African Group. 
 
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ADDIS ABABA DECLARATION ON EPA NEGOTIATIONS 
 
We, the Ministers of Trade of the Member States of the African Union, meeting at 5
th Ordinary 
Session of our Conference on 19-20 March 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: 
Considering the impact of the current global economic  and financial crisis on the trade and 
development of our countries; 
Taking Note of the Progress Reports on the ongoing ne gotiations on full and comprehensive 
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and the various African 
regional groupings/countries; 
Recalling our previous Declarations and those of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and 
Government on the EPA Negotiations; 
Emphasizing the importance of regional integration as the central pillar of Africa’s development 
agenda; 
Noting  that the primary objectives of EPAs, as agreed by the EU and ACP countries in the Cotonou 
Partnership Agreement, are the eradication of povert y, the promotion of sustainable development, the 
strengthening of regional integration initiatives, a nd the gradual integration of ACP countries into the 
global economy; 
Noting  that the Interim EPAs were in itialed by some African countries to avoid the disruption of their 
trade with EU in view the deadline of 31st December 2007; 
Aware that a well structured, balanced, and developmen t- oriented EPA, that offers improved market 
access into the EU market, that takes adequate account  of the difference in the levels of development 
of the EU and African countries and provides th e latter with necessary policy space, and which 
addresses the supply-side constraints of African  economies; can offer significant development 
dividends to Africa; WT/L/752 
Page 2  
 
  Encouraged  by the Conclusions of the European Uni on General Affairs and External Relations 
Council Meeting held on 26-27 May 2008 that ackno wledged the concerns of ACP Partners on the 
existence of some problematic issues in the EPA ne gotiations and the need for flexible approach while 
ensuring adequate progress, and called on the Eu ropean Commission to use all WTO compatible 
flexibility and asymmetry in order to take account of the different needs and levels of development of 
ACP countries and regions; 
Recalling the directive that was given to the AUC, by th e Joint Conference of AU Ministers of Trade 
and Finance in Addis Ababa in April 2008 and endorsed by AU Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in July 2008, to develop in collaboration with the EC A and the RECs, an EPA Te mplate that can guide 
African countries and regions in negotiations of  full and comprehensive EPAs with the EU; 
Having regard to the Draft of the Model EPA Template prep ared by the AUC in collaboration with 
the UNECA and the RECs; 
Hereby: 
1. Reiterate  our strong belief in the efficacy of trade as an engine for the promotion of   
sustainable economic growth and the eradication of poverty; 
2. Reaffirm our previous Declarations and Decisions  on the Economic Partnership Agreements 
and our commitment to the conclusion of developm ent-oriented EPAs between  African regions and 
the EU that are geared towards th e attainment of the objectives of eradication of poverty, achievement 
of sustainable growth, deepening of Africa’s in tegration on the basis of the African Economic 
Community initiative, and attainment of gradual but  effective integration of African economies into 
the global trading and economic systems; 
3. Welcome  the EU strategy on Aid for Trade and Urge that the initiative be adequately funded, 
and effectively and expeditiously implemented to ass ist African countries and regions to fully benefit 
from the implementation of EPAs; 
4. Call upon the African group in the WTO, in collaboration with other members to intensify 
efforts towards appropriately amending Article  XXIV of GATT 1994 with a view to allowing for 
necessary Special and Differential Treatment, less than full reciprocity principle and explicit 
flexibilities that are consistent with the asymmetry re quired to make the EPA’s development oriented; 
5. Underscore the importance of benchmarking devel opment and provision of adequate 
resources for technical assistance and capacity building; 
6. Emphasize  that greater policy space is required by African countries to respond to the 
challenges of the global financial, economic, social development crisis; 
7. Call on the EC to take account of the conc lusions on EPA negotiations of   the 2870
th 
Meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Re lations Council and show greater flexibility in its 
position during the negotiations of  full and comprehensive EPAs; 
8. Underscore the need for coherence between EPAs and Africa’s development and regional 
integration agenda; 
9. Reiterate  the need for the contentious issues in th e EPAs that were identified by the Joint 
Conference of AU Ministers of Trade and Finance in April 2008 to be adequately addressed in the 
context of the negotiations of full and comprehensive EPAs;  WT/L/752 
 Page 3 
 
 
  10. Commend  the AUC, the UNECA, the RECs and the partners that contributed to the 
development of the EPA Template; 
11. Regard the EPA Template as work in progress and call on the AUC, UNECA and the RECs 
to continue to consult in order to further strengthen the document and ensure coherence; 
12. Encourage African countries and Regions to make use of the Template where necessary 
particularly with respect to the contentious issues an d other issues in areas of common interest in the 
negotiations with the European Union; 
13. Direct the AUC and RECs to coordinate EPA conf igurations in Africa with a view to 
harmonizing the key issues of common interest to A frica in the EPA negotiations in order to enable 
Africa to speak with one voice; 
 
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