Negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the senior officials of the European Union Commission and the West African region, held in Dakar January 24, 2014, brought closer the positions of both parties. They also agreed on West Africa funding priority needs valued at an amount of € 6.5 billion for the period 2015-2019.
The two parties also reached an agreement on the draft text of the Most Favored Nation, the cooperation in the field of agriculture, and food security, the non-execution clause and the customs union clause.
Senior Officials of the European Union and those of West Africa have also agreed on the level of West African market access o, 75% of liberalization modulated over a transitional period of 20 years.
This important meeting was co-chaired for the West African side by Mr. Hamid Ahmed, ECOWAS Commissioner for Trade and Mr. Christophe Joseph Marie Dabiré, Commissioner for Trade at the WAEMU Commission.
For the European Union side, Ms Sandra Gallina, Acting Director for Trade and Mr Peteris Ustubs, Director at the European External Action Service chaired the meeting. .
The Group of West Africa Ambassadors in Brussels and the Representative of the EPA negotiations Supervisor, H.E. Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal also attended the meeting.
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