The EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs): key challenges and development opportunities for Nigeria
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Date
2018
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Redeemer's University Law Journal. (RUNLAWJ )
Abstract
This paper presents findings of a study on trade relationship between the African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries' and EuropeanUnion (EU). The analysis
focuses on the challenges and opportunities for the Nigerian economy should the country
decides to lead other members of the ECOWAS bloc2 to ratify and implement the
Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)which seeks to alter the long standing non reciprocal arrangements that have existed between the two trading partners under the
initial Lome Convention.
The paper seeks to increase the understanding of the main issues at stake in the
negotiations in order to enablepolicy-makers and government representatives make
informed decisions whennegotiating the EPAs. The ultimate aim of this paper is to
articulate those principles and strategies that should guide Nigeria in leading other
ECOWAS countries in the negotiation process to secure a development-focused EPA.
The paper is structured into six sections: the first section provides a historical
development of the emergence of EPAs; the second section analyzes the basic principles
in EPA negotiations; the third section appraises the Legal framework for EPAs; the
fourth section focuses on the implications of the EPA for Nigeria; the Key Challenges are examined in section five. In section six, the paper discusses the possible opportunities
while section seven recommends strategies for ensuring a development-oriented EPA.