Agriculture, manufacturing sectors highlight concerns ahead of SADC-EU talks

THE Namibia Agricultural Trade Forum (ATF) and the Namibian Manufacturers’ Association have highlighted their concerns ahead of negotiations between the European Union (EU) and a group of SADC countries forming a sub-continental Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) to be launched in Windhoek today.

Members of the two organisations drew up a Declaration by Concerned Stakeholders, which highlights concerns on tariffs, food safety and animal and plant health; and free trade and European imports. ATF chairman Dr Roger Paskin said the document was drawn up mainly to raise public awareness.The Declaration has since been handed over to EC Ambassador based in Windhoek, Antonius Breuser, and copies are to be handed out to delegates attending the EPA negotiations.Addressing a press conference in the capital this week under the theme ‘Making economic partnership agreements work for development in SADC configuration countries’, Paskin said to date the local beef industry had benefited greatly from the Cotonou Agreement, which joined the EU and ACP countries in trade agreements; giving products from ACP countries preferential access to European markets.He said, however, the ATF and Namibian Manufacturers’ Association had a number of concerns regarding the latest trade negotiations.”We know that the amounts of Namibian products that could be exported to the EU would never have any measurable effect on the European economy; we also note that some of the countries entering into the EPA with us already have dutyfree access for their products to the EU.We ask the EU to broaden duty-free access to all EPA members for all products with immediate effect.”The access of many products to the EU is governed by tariff quota regimes.Currently, for instance, Namibian beef enters Europe under a 13 000 mt quota at a 92 per cent discounted rate.Paskin said the EU’s stringent standards for product health and safety change continuously, making it difficult and expensive for market access.”We call on the EU to adopt a set of reasonable, science-based standards and stick to them; and further to accord developing countries all reasonable assistance in meeting these standards.”Paskin said concern was also expressed that the import of “sometimes heavily subsidised European goods into the SADC region may seriously disrupt local markets and adversely affect development” hence the organisations are calling for the provision of adequate safeguards in any agreement with the EU.According to Paskin, the EPA-EU negotiations would not provide preferential access to EU markets for developing countries, but will provide instead for a free flow of goods and services between the EU and developing countries.After highlighting the main points of the Declaration by Stakeholders, Paskin said: “We believe that in addressing the concerns outlined in the Stakeholders’ Declaration, development will be encouraged in the SADC region, jobs will be created and greater prosperity will result.”The EU and their SADC counterparts will tomorrow launch negotiations for the EPA between EU and SADC countries of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland and Tanzania.ATF chairman Dr Roger Paskin said the document was drawn up mainly to raise public awareness.The Declaration has since been handed over to EC Ambassador based in Windhoek, Antonius Breuser, and copies are to be handed out to delegates attending the EPA negotiations.Addressing a press conference in the capital this week under the theme ‘Making economic partnership agreements work for development in SADC configuration countries’, Paskin said to date the local beef industry had benefited greatly from the Cotonou Agreement, which joined the EU and ACP countries in trade agreements; giving products from ACP countries preferential access to European markets.He said, however, the ATF and Namibian Manufacturers’ Association had a number of concerns regarding the latest trade negotiations.”We know that the amounts of Namibian products that could be exported to the EU would never have any measurable effect on the European economy; we also note that some of the countries entering into the EPA with us already have dutyfree access for their products to the EU.We ask the EU to broaden duty-free access to all EPA members for all products with immediate effect.”The access of many products to the EU is governed by tariff quota regimes.Currently, for instance, Namibian beef enters Europe under a 13 000 mt quota at a 92 per cent discounted rate.Paskin said the EU’s stringent standards for product health and safety change continuously, making it difficult and expensive for market access.”We call on the EU to adopt a set of reasonable, science-based standards and stick to them; and further to accord developing countries all reasonable assistance in meeting these standards.”Paskin said concern was also expressed that the import of “sometimes heavily subsidised European goods into the SADC region may seriously disrupt local markets and adversely affect development” hence the organisations are calling for the provision of adequate safeguards in any agreement with the EU.According to Paskin, the EPA-EU negotiations would not provide preferential access to EU markets for developing countries, but will provide instead for a free flow of goods and services between the EU and developing countries.After highlighting the main points of the Declaration by Stakeholders, Paskin said: “We believe that in addressing the concerns outlined in the Stakeholders’ Declaration, development will be encouraged in the SADC region, jobs will be created and greater prosperity will result.”The EU and their SADC counterparts will tomorrow launch negotiations for the EPA between EU and SADC countries of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland and Tanzania.