By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
Namibia will by Friday pronounce itself on the interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU), President Hifikepunye Pohamba said yesterday.
The President said the matter was discussed in Cabinet yesterday.
Pohamba said the country will not sign any agreements that restrict the country in terms of implementing its policies.
In the meantime, the Government is consulting relevant stakeholders to weigh the benefits to be derived should Namibia sign the agreements, he added.
The President said in future farmers and beef producers will have to consider exporting their products to other international markets.
The Minister of Trade and Industry earlier refused to sign the interim accord with the EU, saying that signing the agreement would pre-empt Southern African Development Community (SADC) EPA countries’ negotiating space as EPA-plus preferential treatment would be accorded to the EU without any further concession from the EU side.
“Such a situation thus carries the potential to negate the balance of benefits of the negotiated EPA and was not acceptable to Namibia,” said Minister of Trade and Industry, Immanuel Ngatjizeko.
Ngatjizeko also cited the EC’s insistence on a clause for SADC EPA states to immediately freeze any new measures concerning the use of export taxes or levies; its non-acceptance of the SADC EPA’s proposal for infant industry protection, based on the current Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and SADC Trade Protocol provisions; and EC insistence on a non-negotiable demand for a provision to ensure free movement of goods within the eight SADC EPA states as key motives for not initiating the interim EPA.
The Government’s stance on this has raised an outcry, especially among beef producers who say that such a decision will have a negative impact on exports because of the loss of preferential market access to the EU. The industry feels that the EU represents the best quality market access with the highest prices for beef products in the world.
Following the inconclusive trade negotiations, the EU warned that if any region is unwilling or unable to complete an EPA or stepping-stone World Trade Organisation (WTO)-compatible agreements in the time available, it will not be able to grant its EPA offer of free access to its market for the countries involved.
Inconclusive trade negotiations would lead to the expiry of the WTO waiver, which allowed trade between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the EU to continue under the preferential terms of the Cotonou Agreement.
Both parties are expected to finalise EPAs before January next year.
South Africa is one of the countries that have been resolutely opposed to the inclusion of new generation issues, which include liberalisation of the services sector, investments, competition policy and intellectual property rights.