EPAs worries spreading fast

During the last 4 months, your campaigning has led to more and more official bodies expressing concern about EPAs, including ministers, European parliament, British MPs and African church leaders. They are a diverse mix of groups that reflects just how serious the impacts of EPAs could be.

17 May 2007

In February, the African Union and UN concluded that African countries are not ready for EPAs, which led to development organisations denouncing the pressure put on poor countries to sign the agreements.
In March, British MPs released a report condemning the way EU is abusing its power in the EPAs negotiations.
At the same time, the Nigerian trade minister voiced fears that poor countries would have to "jump in a blindfolded manner into the EPAs", as they lack crucial information to make the decisions whether to sign EPAs.
On 19 April, campaigners rallied in 30 countries to protest over unfair trade deals.
More recently, Christian church leaders in Kenya have made a formal statement that “EPAs in their present form would restrict Kenya's government to pursue its development strategies.” Leaders from Eastern and Southern African churches also made a strong statement: “EPA negotiations are a threat to the well being of our people and our economic development.”
On 23 May, the European Parliament issued a report saying they were concerned about "public spending cuts in key sectors such as education or health" and calling for an independent oversight committee.
In July the FIDH, an international network of human rights organisations, released a position paper on EPAs that states that the agreements threaten states' ability to channel foreign investment and to protect their citizens' human rights.