Creating wealth for all!

The European Union (EU) is currently discussing trade agreements with some of the world’s poorest countries. It's vital they get them right, because the livelihoods of millions depend on the outcome.
Economic Partnership Agreements (or EPAs) are being negotiated between the EU and 75 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (known as the ACP).
Negotiations have reached a crucial point - they need to be completed by the end of 2007.
Tearfund is joining with other members of the Trade Justice Movement and campaigners across the world to speak out and ensure EPAs work for the world's poorest.
Under existing arrangements ACP countries have preferential access to European markets without having to provide the same access to their markets.
The EU wants to put an end to this and is asking ACP countries to open up their markets to producers from Europe. This could mean forcing small producers to compete directly with some of the world’s most wealthy producers long before they're in a position to.

Working for the poorest
We believe that EPAs have the potential to lift millions out of poverty but only if they are re-written to work in favour of the poorest.
We're calling on our government representatives to use their influence at the EU to:
Stop EPAs going ahead in their current form.
Work with poor countries to develop alternative deals which bring about trade justice.
Send the following letter to your EU Trade Comissioner. (For those from the UK click here: www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Trade/Introducing+EPAs.htm

Last year our goverment pledged to do all it could to make poverty history
and help deliver promises of more aid and debt cancellation. However, as you
have acknowledged, there has been little progress on the most important
issue - trade.
With the collapse of negotiations at the World Trade Organisation it is now
more important than ever that Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
currently being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and Africa,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries make trade work for poor people.
Trade agreements are needed which give the world’s poorest countries the
flexibility to use the most appropriate economic policies to work their way
out of poverty. EPAs in their current form will require poor countries to
further open up their markets exposing vulnerable producers and farmers to
unfair competition. The EU is also using EPA negotiations to re-introduce
issues which have already been rejected by developing countries at the WTO.
Governments from across the ACP have expressed concerns about the impact
that EPAs could have on development. But despite this the EU continues to
negotiate deals which threaten to undermine progress towards reaching the
Millennium Development Goals.
As Secretary of State for International Development, ahead of the
forthcoming review of negotiations, I call on you to ensure that poverty
reduction is placed at the core of the negotiations by:
- Ensuring the concerns of ACP countries are properly represented in the
review, and making a public statement calling for major changes to the EPAs
process.
- Calling on the European Commission to propose alternatives to EPAs as
requested by ACP ministers.

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