The primary aim of the Economic and Trade Cooperation (ETC) programme is to contribute, in a non-partisan manner, to the development of an ACP-EU trade regime that promotes sustainable development and the integration of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries into the world economy. It also works to improve economic governance conditions and to support regional integration. For a more detailed description of our programme: Economic and Trade Cooperation work plan for 2011-2012 General overview of our current and past activities.

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Trade News

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ECDPM is pleased to release the first issue of GREAT insights. As a follow up to Trade Negotiations Insights, we will continue to provide you with a platform for analysis and comments on the burning policy questions in the trade and development sphere, with a particular focus on Africa. GREAT Insights: Volume 1 • Issue 1 • January-February 2012 Seminar on the “Liberalisation and Regulation of Trade in Banking Services in Bilateral Trade and Regional Integration Agreements, Brussels, 1 December 2011 CEUMC-ECDPM meeting: The Extractive Industry Development Forum: How Financial Transparency and Economic Governance can Help Achieve Development Goals? Brussels, 18 November 2011. Meeting report ECDPM Informal Dialogue: Regional Approached to Aid for Trade and EPA support: Added value, Challenges and Way forward. Brussels, 21 October 2011 ECDPM-SAIIA-KAS policy dialogue: New actors in Africa: How is their entry affecting the continent’s relations with the EU?, Johannesburg, 12 October 2011 Final meeting report.

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Trade Policy Analyses

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Discussion Paper 128a: Regional approaches to food security in Africa: The CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in COMESA. By Francesco Rampa, Dolly Afun-Ogidan and Jeske van Seters. Discussion Paper 128b: Regional approaches to food security in Africa: The CAADP and other policies and programmes in SADC. By Francesco Rampa, Jeske van Seters and Dolly Afun-Ogidan. Discussion Paper 128c: Regional approaches to food security in Africa: The CAADP and other policies and programmes in EAC. By Dolly Afun-Ogidan, Jeske van Seters and Francesco Rampa. Discussion Paper 128d: Regional approaches to food security in Africa: the CAADP and other policies and programmes in ECOWAS. By Jeske van Seters, Dolly Afun-Ogidan and Francesco Rampa. Document de réflection 128dfr: Approches régionales de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique: Le PDDAA et autres politiques et programmes au niveau de la CEDEAO. GMF Policy Paper: Europe, G20, and South-South Trade: Insights from European Approaches to Regional Integration in Africa. By San Bilal, Isabelle Ramdoo and Quentin de Roquefeuil, November 2011. Briefing note 31: EPA Negotiations: The honeymoon is over. By Isabelle Ramdoo and San Bilal Briefing note 27: Legal constraints on the EU’s ability to withdraw EPA preferences under Regulation 1528/2007. By Lorand Bartels Discussion Paper 125: Fiscal challenges, development opportunities? 20 key questions on domestic resource mobilisation. By Bruce Byiers and Melissa Dalleau, October 2011 Discussion Paper 121: Operationalising the West African EPA Development Programme Moving beyond the paperwork. By Melissa Dalleau and Jeske van Seters, October 2011. Click here for the French version To see full list of programme publications, click here.

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EPAs and Aid for Trade

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Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are an essential component of the trade & development nexus and the momentum for exploring the linkages between trade and development is gaining strength at a multilateral level, as demonstrated by past and ongoing debates and decisions, including the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Therefore, while continuing to deal with the EPA negotiations, the Economic and Trade Cooperation programme will devote increasing effort to fostering a better informed and timely dialogue on the effective delivery of aid-for-trade accompanying measures to the EPAs and regional integration, with a special attention to market access and aid-for-trade aspects in the agricultural sector. Read more ...

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Our work by policy topic

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Food security Publications Activities Governance of economic reform Publications Activities Regional Integration Publications Activities Emerging economies in Africa & EU Publications Activities The EPA processes and Aid for Trade Publications Activities