European MPs in drum up support for EPAs

By John Oyuke

A Committee of European Parliament is in the country to assess progress of about the controversial Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) as threats of losing free market access to EU market looms.

A delegation of eight Members of International Trade Committee (INTA) of the European Parliament jetted in the country yesterday, according to announcement by Delegation of the European Commission in Kenya.

The remit of this mission is to monitor the progress in the negotiations towards EPAs with the East African Community (EAC) and the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and to identify the fears of the countries.

The delegation, led by the Chairman of the Committee, Prof Vital Moreira, will also review the chances of success in concluding the negotiations and expected impact of the agreements before proceeding on to Zambia on March 22.

A number of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries face potential loss of market access to the 27-member EU bloc, if they fail to sign the controversial the ill-constructed EPA negotiations within a certain timeframe.

The Economic Partnership Agreements are contested because countries fear unfair competition from the EU market.

INTA members decided to visit Kenya and Zambia because the countries currently hold the respective chair of EAC and ESA.

Subject to tax

In Nairobi, the delegation will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetangula, Permanent Secretary Abdulrazaq Adan Ali at the Ministry of Trade, Chris Okemo, Chairman of the Finance, Planning and Trade Parliamentary Committee and other members of the parliamentary committee.

The team also plans to meet representatives from business, trade organisations, trade unions and other civil society organisations.

Last week, The Standard reported that Kenya’s flower exports to the EU would be subjected to a 16 per cent duty should a proposal to impose a deadline on the EPAs negotiations sail through the European Parliament this year.

Kenya’s Deputy Head of Mission to the EU Washington Oloo, said at his office in Brussels that a proposed amendment to the European Commission regulation 1528/2007 imposes a deadline of December 31, next year when all negotiations for the EPA’s must be concluded.