Heads of Diplomatic Missions

Professor Jessica Byron, Director of the Institute of International Relations of the UWI

Ladies and gentlemen;

Welcome to tonight's public debate on the future of the relationship between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries and the European Union.

A very warm welcome to the Panellists who will each present a specific topic:

Dr. Anthony Gonzales, Honorary Senior Fellow, IIR, on the scope for strengthening regional integration and intra-ACP Cooperation;

Ms. Angela Lee Loy, Executive Chair, Aegis Business Solutions, who will talk about the prospects for Private Sector Development

Ms. Nneka Luke, General Manager, Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (FilmTT), on Future Projections of impact on the art and culture Industry in Trinidad and Tobago

And

Dr. Keith Nurse, Senior Research Fellow, SALISES, UWI Cave Hill, on the Caribbean's Diasporic links with the EU.

Following the presentations there will be an open discussions/questions and answer's session.

Scene setter

The background note to the programme gives information about the historic context within which the debate is set. You will see that the relations between the ACP Group of countries and the EU were governed by two sets of multinational agreements: the Lomé Conventions from 1975 to 2000 and the Cotonou Agreement that entered into force in 2000 and will expire in 2020.

Over these past years the relationship between the EU and the ACP countries has changed fundamentally. The Lomé Conventions focussed on development and on trade with specific protocols for products such as sugar, rum, rice, beef, and bananas.  Under the Cotonou Agreement, the relationship shifted towards one that covered political, social and economic development, while the trade relationship was moved to dedicated regional free trade agreements, the so-called Economic Partnership Agreements or EPA.

Removing the trade protocols followed the 1995 petition from the United States government to the World Trade Organization to investigate whether the Lomé IV convention had violated WTO rules. Following a protracted process, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body eventually concluded that agreements between the EU and ACP were indeed not compatible with WTO regulations and the ACP and the EU had to find an alternative to define their trade relationship.

The EPA between the Caribbean region and the EU was eventually concluded in 2008 and allows for duty free access for Caribbean goods and services into the EU while the Caribbean will gradually liberalise 93% of their imports from the EU over a time frame of 25 years.

But not only the trade relationship changed. Where previously the other dimension of the relationship was largely anchored on development cooperation, it has now become a holistic one. Some call it a 360 degree relationship, whereby we discuss trade, investments opportunities, cooperation, political issues, and global matters, anything really that could be of concern to either party.

This is reflected in the way the text of the Paris Agreement was eventually agreed. The EU and the ACP countries had identified they had common interests and objectives and agreed on the way forward in the negotiations. This in turn allowed other countries to come on board.

It is reflected in the way we address climate change and promote investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency through the pursuit of the Nationally Determined Contributions.

But also the development cooperation relationship changed. During the last Multi-annual Financial Framework period (from 2014-2020) it was decided that upper-middle income countries and high income countries would be sufficiently well placed to finance their own development activities without having to depend on EU grants so that larger financial envelopes could be earmarked for the poorer countries where the needs are deeper. Blending facilities were established to cater to larger investments, leveraging loans through grant funding. 

We have now reached the stage that we need to take stock of these changes and renew the partnership agreement taking into account new challenges and objectives and a long term perspective. We have to make it fit for purpose.

The aim of the proposal is the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement with the current 79 countries signatories to the CPA, with a focus on including common interests such as the SDGs as well as specific EU interests (e.g. migration; peace and security, investment). We need to take into account transformed regional settings and a changed international geopolitical context, and depart even more from the traditional donor-recipient dynamics.

The EU objective is to build on the very strong basis that was laid over time. In this regard, it is of utmost importance to fully take into account the strengthened regional frameworks and trends that have emerged across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. This should be reflected in a regional pillar or a regional compact for each of the three regions setting region-specific priorities.

The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) establishes that the Parties must open negotiations eighteen months before its expiration in February 2020. Negotiation mandates have been established and the process was launched in New York in the margins of the UN General Assembly last September. Several technical negotiation rounds have taken place since at senior officials' level to discuss the structure of the new agreement. In February work should start on the regional dimensions of the agreement.

This ladies and gentlemen is in a nutshell the EU position.

I hope the panellists and the public forum discussion today will allow us to understand the Trinidad and Tobago as well as the regional perspective on the present relationship and the needs, priorities, and opportunities that will or may arise from the future relationship.

I am looking forward to the presentations and the debate.

Thank you very much.