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Event
Economic Partnerships Harare, 10-11 December 2009
EU-ESA EPA information seminar
The EU-ESA national information seminar for Zimbabwean stakeholders took place in Harare on 10-11 December 2009.
It gathered around 60 participants from Zimbabwean civil society, in particular the private sector, NGOs, the media and government.
It addressed issues such as benefits and challenges for Zimbabwean business and society of the EU-ESA interim EPA; trade in goods and development co-operation; EU-ESA negotiations on the comprehensive EPA, trade in services and investment, Trade Related Issues, outstanding issues, and trade facilitation.
Presentations and debate on the interim EPA focussed on technical aspects of trade in goods, such as agricultural safeguards, rules of origin and ‘cumulation’, export taxes, the Most Favoured Nation clause etc. On services and investment: the service sector represents 57% of Zimbabwean economy. But Zimbabwe represents a small percentage of EU trade in services and investment. It is for Zimbabwe to identify the service and investment sectors in which it is more competitive and that can be included in the negotiation for liberalisation and where it wants to attract FDI.
Participants discussed specific aspects such as "Mode 4" (movement of service providers) and its relation to labour movement, the MFN clause, mutual recognition of diplomas and regional integration.
The event will be followed by a regional event in another ESA country in 2010.
Agenda for the seminar
European Commission: EU-ACP trade Relations: from Cotonou to EPAs
European Commission: Trade provisions in the interim EPA
European Commission: Towards the full EPA
COMESA Secretariat: Overview of the ESA-EC EPA
B. Mutetwa, Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Zimbabwe: Implementation of the interim EPA, Zimbabwe’s position so far
European Commission: EPA Challenges and benefits for the business and EU/ACP – Opportunities for Zimbabwe
European Commission: Communication and EPAs
Dephine Mazambani, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI): How well is private sector informed about EPA negotiations
ZIMTRADE: Opportunities and challenges of EPAs
Michael Nyamazana, Africa Corporate Advisors: Centre for the Development of Enterprise
European Commission: Export Helpdesk
European Commission: Benefits of full EPA - Services and establishment
European Commission: press release