East African countries and the Comesa member states are to harmonise the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) negotiation processes.The two economic blocs have started the process by holding talks.In Nairobi recently they agreed to safeguard the EAC Customs Union.The move comes at a time Tanzania is negotiating EPAs under Southern African Development Community (SADC). While other EAC member states including Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi are negotiating under the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) configuration.With this division, the business community in the region had expressed fears that their interests may not be well represented during the negotiations slated for early next year.EPAs are arrangements between the European Union (EU) and African Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) that optimally emphasise lifting trade barriers in the European Union and Easter and South African countries.Comesa is currently negotiating EPAs with the EU as a bloc to protect their developing agricultural and industries. “The EAC countries are to offer their market access to the EC under the EAC Customs Union framework. (They will) use the EAC list of sensitive products and tariff phase down schedules,” a statement from the East African Community reads in part.The statement adds that Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) countries excluding the EAC countries would submit an ESA market access offer to the EC with sub-regional and national schedules.Ends
