Ljubljana, 18/03/08. Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development was met by a protest from civil society actors and MPs from Europe and Africa when he arrived at the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. The action questioned trade agreements being pressed on African, Caribbean and Pacific countries by the European Commission, as well as the EU's approach to planning its use of aid to these countries.  Under the slogan "Brussels made EPAs do not fit ACP" and  "Brussels led CSPs will not lead to MDGs" the protestors challenged the practices of the European Commission.  In response Michel said “I do not agree with you." When an African civil society representative said "The poor are tired, there are too many hungry people in this world. The Commissioner should listen to them” Michel stated "if you want to remain poor, just be against the EPAs.” He then referred to his recently published pamphlet on EPAs.   

The protest echoed concerns expressed by many members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly from Europe and the ACP on the these two issues.  On the first day of the JPA Concord, in collaboration with its members including Eurostep, and a number of CS organisations from the ACP, organised a discussion with 100 ACP and European participants at the Assembly. This meeting looked at the state of play in the EPA negotiations and the establishment of country strategies for EU cooperation with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Many MPs from ACP countries expressed frustration about the European Commission's handling of its cooperation with their countries. On the trade negotiations there was particular concern on the way in which their countries have been pushed to accept the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) designed by the Commission.  Mr. Louis Straker, a Member of Parliament from St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean told the meeting that "if we had not signed up to the EPAs, we would have been subjected to much higher tariffs.  We had no choice”.  The Caribbean region is the only region to have initialled a full EPA.

Elisabeth Mpofu representing farmers from ACP countries said that “EPAs should not threaten our livelihoods, they should protect them.  In their current form, the agreements expose us to unfair and harsh competition”.  Marc Maes of 11.11.11 and Chair of the Concord ACP Trade Working Group told the meeting that “after five years of negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), the European Commission has very little to show. Europe has been reinforcing its internal market for 50 years.  ACP countries cannot be expected to do this in five years.”  He added that "less than half of the 78 ACP countries have reached an agreement with the European Union.  The EPAs were concluded in haste and under a great deal of pressure from the European Commission.  These arrangements need to be thrown out.”  

See Concord press release