THE JUST concluded expansion of the European Community (EC) to 25 states does not undermine the negotiating position of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries, says Henry Gill, Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery senior director.
European trading partners have an understanding of the difficulties facing areas such as the Caribbean region of the ACP, Mr. Gill said. He was speaking during an interview at the end of the ACP Council of Ministers concluded second day of discussions in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. "We are discussing bread and butter issues that impact on the average person in the Caribbean," Mr. Gill said. Along with discussions on ACP negotiating positions on sugar, bananas and cotton the group also examined development issues.
The ACP countries will put their negotiating positions together today, before starting a round of trade and development talks with the EC tomorrow and Friday. "Political dialogue takes place between partners," said Hegel Goutier, ACP head of media and communication.
Other than that, what would result, he said, is the relation between, "the lion and the lamb."
In its relations with the EC, Mr. Goutier said such dialogue is being achieved.
"Europe seems to understand social dimensions in partnerships more than other developed countries which have place the accent squarely on liberalisation," Mr.
Gill said. "This is in the expectation that once you liberalise, there will be economic and developmental gains accruing."
VERY SMALL
Liberalisation has to be "buttressed" by different kinds of developmental support," Mr. Gill said. "This is not only because you are talking about trade among unequal partners, but because in our case in the Caribbean, we are not only developing but are very small, which has inherent limitations and vulnerabilities."
Mr. Gill said, "We feel that the disposition of Europe is perhaps a little more favourable to factoring in some of these things."
The expansion of the EC represents a challenge for the Europeans as much as it does for the ACP, said the ambassador of one Caribbean country, speaking on condition of anonymity. They have challenges dealing with freedom of movement of labour and the difference in development levels between the existing and new EC members.
There is some concern that EC attention and resources will be diverted away from developing countries, she said. But the ACP group has the sophistication and negotiating strength to adjust to the changing realities in Europe.
