The next European Union Common Agriculture Policy is expected to be politically contentious because it will affect the distribution of both direct and rural development payments among EU Member States. In the lead article of this issue of ECDPM-ICTSD’s Trade Negotiations Insights, Professor Alan Mathews examines how developing countries could be affected. TNI also offers two articles focused on specific aspects of Aid for Trade, a very timely theme in the scope of the 3rd WTO Global Review on Aid for Trade from 18-19 July 2011. As part of its series on EPA implementation in the Caribbean, TNI is giving the floor this month to the team of the newly established EPA Implementation Unit in Antigua and Barbuda. In light of the new strategy document on Raw Materials Initiative adopted by the EC on 2 February, Isabelle Ramdoo from ECDPM examines how the fierce competition to access raw material now includes new players like China, thereby compelling the EU to elaborate its strategy to access raw materials. The article raises concerns about the EU approach related to trade, where the latter intends to ban the use of export taxes and other trade restrictions in the context of its trade agreements, notably in the EPAs. The regular WTO and EPA Updates are also included.
February 16, 2011
