Latest news with #EconomicPartnershipAgreement
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
East Africa private sector lobby criticises Kenya trade deals
Kenya's bilateral trade deal with European Union is facing fresh scrutiny over claims that it violates the East African Community Common External Tariff. The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Kenya and the EU that came into force in 2024 after Nairobi signed a similar arrangement with the United Kingdom. Both deals are being assessed on the wavelength of Common External Tariff (CET), according to a brief from the East African Business Council, the bloc's private sector lobby. EABC criticised Kenya for signing these deals with third parties without taking into consideration the EAC Customs Union and the Common Market, which require uniformity in imports from outside East Africa. Ideally, Kenya has argued variable geometry, a principle that allows members of a bloc to negotiate and accede to a common trade agreement with another bloc. The EU had initially wanted a bloc-to-bloc arrangement, seeing potential markets in the region for its goods. Read: Kenya looks to EU for more exports amid Trump tariffsBut, as Kenya is the only Lower Middle-Income economy in the EAC, it needed the deal as fast as possible to avoid facing tariffs in Europe. EABC has taken issue with the deals, saying they are based on the EAC CET, 2017 edition, which was structured in three bands. The bloc is currently implementing the EAC CET version, which has four bands. The lobby argues that the deals distort trade by allowing free access of goods from 22 European countries and the UK, which otherwise need to be taxed.'The EAC partner states have found it difficult to collectively negotiate and finally concluded reciprocal trade agreements as the bloc with third parties outside Africa. A notable example is the EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the EAC-UK EPA with Kenya,' said Adrian Raphael Njau, acting EABC executive director.'Third-party agreements must align with EAC objectives while being sensitive to development disparities among partner states. Dual classification of development of partners should be used as strengt, not weakness, when negotiating trade agreements with third parties.'While Kenya is implementing the reciprocal EPAs with EU and UK, the other EAC partner states are using nonreciprocal GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) schemes to access the EU and UK markets. GSP are special programmes where developed countries grant preferential treatment to products imported from developing countries, often excluding military weapons.'There is fear among the EAC private sector that these separate individual trade agreements are being concluded without following the procedures and principles set out by EAC CU, which may subsequently create mistrust among EAC partner states as well as distorting the EAC CET – the EAC tariff wall for the region,' he said.'Individual countries having separate tariff concessions with third parties which is different from the existing EAC CET may compel other partner states to restrict free circulation of goods to mitigate trade deflection.'The EAC Customs Union Protocol requires the Community to coordinate its trade relations with foreign countries so as to facilitate the implementation of common policy in the field of external trade. The main purpose is to ensure that the EAC CET is uniformly implemented by all partner states.'The CET as a key instrument of EAC Customs Union ensures there is a common duty for goods entering the EAC Customs Territory from Rest of the World,' Mr Njau said. He pointed out that the EU and UK products access the Kenyan market using Kenya's tariff concessions, which are based on the 2017 version, while EAC partner states are implementing the 2022 version after a comprehensive review. The EAC CET 2017 version was structured in three bands: 25 percent for finished goods, 10 percent for intermediate goods, and 0 percent for raw materials, essential, and capital goods. It included a limited number of products on a sensitive list that attracted rates above the maximum 25 percent, ranging between 35 percent and 100 percent. The 2022 version is structured under four bands: 0 percent for raw materials, essential, and capital goods; 10 percent for intermediate goods; 25 percent for finished goods not sufficiently available in the EAC; and 35 percent for finished goods sufficiently available in the region. The tariff structure also includes a sensitive list, which attracts higher tariffs ranging between 50 percent and 100 percent. The primary difference between the two versions of the EAC CET is the introduction of a fourth band in the 2022 version, comprising 496 tariff lines that attract a 35 percent import duty.'EAC Partner States should analyse the implications of existing EPAs in the region for EAC commitments and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),' he said.'To uphold EAC commitments to implement a common external trade policy and progress made in the Customs Union and Common Market, EAC Partner States, as a bloc, should explore options for collectively reviewing EPAs with the EU and UK.'Tanzania and Uganda are yet to agree on whether to sign the EPA with Brussels on the grounds that it would require them to open up their own economies to European firms. But Kenya's Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has defended Kenya-EU-EPA saying failing to sign the deal would have locked Kenya's free market access to the 22-member country market for Kenya's exports.'The dual categorisation of EAC Partner States, with Kenya classified as a non-Least Developed Country (non-LDC) and the others as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) compelled us to negotiate the trade deals separately,' said Kinyanjui. Through the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), LDCs enjoy Duty-Free, Quota-Free (DFQF) access to the EU and UK markets under the 'Everything but Arms' (EBA) pillar of the GSP. Kenya is offered lower-than-Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) import tariffs on approximately 66 percent of tariff lines applied by the EU. To ensure continuity and certainty in trade relations between Kenya and the UK, both parties negotiated a reciprocal Kenya-UK EPA, which was primarily based on the EAC-EU EPA. In the recent past, the USA has also in the past raised concerns about the implementation of the CET in trade with Kenya. According to US officials, high import taxes and complex regulatory procedures are limiting the competitiveness of American maize in Kenya, a key market in the region. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Star
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia-European Free Trade Association partnership agreement could negatively impact many sectors, says CAP
PETALING JAYA: The proposed Malaysia-European Free Trade Association (Efta) Economic Partnership Agreement (Meepa) could have far-reaching consequences for public health, access to seeds, and farmers' rights, says the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP). Health policy advisor Dr Lim Chee Han stated that the leaked intellectual property (IP) annexe of the deal contains 'TRIPS-plus' provisions—rules that exceed the requirements under the World Trade Organisation's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). These provisions, he explained, could lead to extended patent monopolies, restrict the government's ability to introduce affordable generic medicines, and increase the cost of essential drugs. 'Agreeing to TRIPS-plus measures ties the hands of our government. It restricts our ability to respond to public health needs and will drive up the cost of medicines, affecting access for patients who need life-saving treatment,' he said during the press conference on Friday (June 13). Lim also warned that the agreement would impact the country's food security and farmers' livelihoods. 'The provisions would undermine existing protections in our national laws that allow farmers to save, reuse, exchange, and sell their seeds. This threatens our local farming practices and long-term food sovereignty,' he said. He emphasised that Malaysia, as a net importer of intellectual property, stands to lose more than it gains. 'Efta countries, including Switzerland and Norway, represent a small market compared to Malaysia. Yet we are being asked to give up a lot, especially when the total population of Efta is less than half of ours,' he added. Lim urged the government not to rush into signing the deal and called for transparency in the negotiation process. 'The full text of Meepa must be released for public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny. We must retain our right to regulate in the public interest, especially in areas as vital as health and agriculture,' he said. Additionally, the group has submitted the memorandum to the Prime Minister's Department, the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, and the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.
American Military News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
Trump calls for 30-day cease-fire after Ukraine accuses Russia of breaking its own truce
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. US President Donald Trump called for a 30-day unconditional cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine and threatened more sanctions imposed by the United States and its partners if the cease-fire is not respected. 'Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire,' Trump said on May 8 on Truth Social shortly after speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone. Trump said 'both countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity' of the talks to halt the conflict. The US president said he wanted any cease-fire to then build to a 'lasting peace.' 'It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed,' Trump said. Trump made the statement after Ukraine's top diplomat dismissed a Russian-declared cease-fire as a 'farce,' accusing Moscow's forces of committing hundreds of violations along the entire front line on the first day of the 72-hour truce. Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament ratified an agreement giving the United States privileged access to the country's mineral wealth, cementing a deal Trump has cast as an important element of his efforts to broker an end to Russia's war against its neighbor. Zelenskyy welcomed the parliament's ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement, calling it 'a truly historic document that opens up many new opportunities for cooperation.' He said he spoke with Trump by phone and discussed 'the need for continued efforts to achieve peace, including concrete steps that could be taken.' Zelenskyy said on X that Trump 'confirmed that he wants this war to end, is ready to help, and supports the need for a ceasefire. We agreed on our further contacts.' But the accusations that Russia was violating its promise to hold its fire for three days unless attacked underscore the challenges facing the push for peace. US Vice President JD Vance said a day earlier that 'the gulf is wide' between the positions of Moscow and Kyiv. Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities were quiet after the cease-fire came into effect at midnight, with no reports of long-range drone or missile attacks after successive nights of bombardment. But the situation at the front, which runs about 1,200 kilometers from the Russian border in the east to the Black Sea in the south, was a different story, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote in a post on X. 'According to our military data…Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline. From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 cease-fire violations and 63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing,' Sybiha wrote. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last month that Russia would hold its fire from May 8 to May 10 — a period coinciding with a May 9 military parade on Red Square and other celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II — and urged Ukraine to do the same. Sybiha wrote that there had been '586 attacks on our troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by…drones; and 10 air strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs.' 'Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce,' he wrote. The Ukrainian Air Force said earlier that Russian aircraft twice launched guided bombs targeting the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine in the early hours of May 8, and a soldier in the eastern Donetsk region said Russian forces had used drones and bombs in morning attacks. The air force said the first bombs in the Sumy region were launched nearly three hours after the cease-fire came into force at midnight. The second round of bombs was launched within two hours, it said on Telegram. There was no word on damage. A soldier with Ukraine's 115th Brigade, deployed at the front near Lyman in the Donetsk region, told Current Time that there was no shelling after midnight but that Russian forces targeted the Ukrainians with drones and bombs and that one soldier in his unit was wounded. 'This is what they call a cease-fire,' the soldier said. The Reuters news agency cited a Ukrainian military spokesman as saying that Russian troops had continued to conduct assaults in several areas on the eastern front, which runs through the Donetsk region. Air Alert The Ukrainian Air Force declared an air alert across the eastern part of the country on the morning of May 8, citing what it said was the threat of a Russian ballistic missile attack. Russia also accused Ukraine of violating the cease-fire, which Kyiv had not committed to observe. Zelenskyy and other officials asserted that it was an effort to create the impression that Moscow wants to end the war and a bid to ensure there were no Ukrainian attacks during the Victory Day ceremonies, which brought several foreign leaders to Moscow. Among them was Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met with Putin in the Kremlin on May 8. Amid Western sanctions, China has helped keep Russia's economy going and fund its war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February 2022, including by buying Russian oil and gas, and has not publicly criticized the Kremlin for the bloodshed. Putin has used false claims that Ukraine's government is neo-Nazi as one of the justifications for the unprovoked invasion. 'Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism,' Putin said in a public portion of the meeting with Xi. Xi told Putin that Beijing stood alongside Russia in the face of 'unilateralism and hegemonic bullying,' a reference to the countries' anti-US stance. He said 'China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers.' Xi called Putin his 'old friend' and Putin called Xi his 'dear friend.' After their meeting in Moscow on May 8, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a statement to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between their two countries. The statement also said Moscow and Beijing would continue to strengthen their military collaboration and would 'actively increase the coordination of their approaches and deepen practical cooperation.' Other guests in Moscow include Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has openly challenged the European Union's support for Ukraine, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who made the trip despite EU pressure that visiting Moscow could derail Serbia's ambitions to join the bloc. Joint Investment The minerals calls for the creation of a joint investment fund that is intended to help rebuild Ukraine once the fighting is over. Under the deal, Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of all revenues from the sale of new minerals, as well as oil and gas projects. The Russian-declared cease-fire followed days of deadly Russian bombardments of Kyiv and other cities and three straight nights of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, creating jitters ahead of the Victory Day parade on Red Square, which Putin traditionally addresses from a grandstand with guests in attendance. Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine stood by its offer to observe a 30-day cease-fire in the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a cease-fire of at least 30 days, still stands — we are not withdrawing this proposal, as it offers a real chance for diplomacy,' he said in his nightly video address on May 7. Russia has not responded to the 30-day cease-fire offer except for new strikes, he said. 'This clearly and obviously demonstrates to everyone who the source of the war is,' he added. Zelenskyy also appeared to acknowledge the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites this week. The attacks forced the closure of airports in Moscow and the grounding of flights. 'And it is entirely fair that the Russian sky — the sky of the aggressor — is not calm either today,' Zelenskyy said. Both countries are under pressure from Trump to bring a swift end to the war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. Putin has said he is committed to achieving peace, but Vance said the Russians 'are asking too much' as the United States tries to bring the two sides to the table. Vance also suggested that Ukraine should not be fixated on the idea of a 30-day cease-fire. He said 'the gulf is wide' but he is 'reasonably optimistic' about the chances of ending the war. 'The step we need to take right now is we need Russia and Ukraine to start talking to one another,' said Vance. 'We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate the whole process fully without at least some direct negotiations.'
Mint
08-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanks Ukrainian lawmakers for voting in favour of US economic pact
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, May 8, 2025, thanked all 338 members of the Ukrainian Parliament who voted in favour of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the United States and said he is also grateful to everyone on his team who worked on it. Ukrainian lawmakers unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the US. In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said: 'I am grateful to everyone on our team who worked on the Economic Partnership Agreement with the United States, and to everyone who supported it. I thank all 338 Members of Parliament who voted in favour of the agreement.' 'I expect the ratification law to be submitted from the Verkhovna Rada to my Office soon. Once the legal procedures are complete, we will be able to begin establishing the Fund,' he also said. Calling the agreement a joint investment effort with the United States for decades to come, Zelenskyy said: 'Right now, it serves as a strong foundation for security cooperation, and in the long term, it offers an opportunity for Ukraine and the U.S. to expand mutually beneficial economic collaboration, develop industries and create jobs in both countries, and ensure technological advancement.' The Ukrainian President further said: 'As agreed with @POTUS, this agreement opens a new chapter in relations between Ukraine and the United States.' Russia and Ukraine both reported attacks on their forces on Thursday on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire 734 times between midnight and midday Thursday. He called the ceasefire a 'farce' on the social media platform X. The unilateral ceasefire coincides with Russia's biggest secular holiday, the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. Kyiv has pressed for a longer-term ceasefire.
France 24
08-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Ukraine's parliament ratifies strategic minerals deal with US amid ceasefire frustrations
Ukraine 's parliament voted on Thursday in favour of ratifying a minerals deal signed with the United States, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure future military assistance from Washington in its fight to repel Russian troops. Despite misgivings by some Ukrainian lawmakers over whether the government had provided them with all the information on the deal and over some of its compromises, 338 voted in favour of ratifying the agreement, with none against. "The Ukrainian Parliament has ratified the historic Economic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United States," First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X. "This document is not merely a legal construct – it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner." Some lawmakers had raised concerns over the lack of detail of some of the deal's provisions, such as how an envisaged investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction would be governed or how any contributions would be made. Svyrydenko called an early Thursday press conference to answer some of those concerns, saying the investment fund would be operational in a few weeks, and its success would depend on the level of US engagement. Two supplements would spell out the details and would be published at a later date, officials have said about the deal which might not see a payoff for a decade or longer. Parliament's ratification comes a day before Russia – which launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine in February 2022 - will try to show its strength at a military parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Those preparations have been overshadowed by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia, and Kyiv will hope the ratification of the minerals deal will bolster its position in ceasefire talks, which so far have done little to close the gap between Moscow and Kyiv, to the frustration of US President Donald Trump. Russia's demands for Ukraine to cede all the land Russian President Vladimir Putin claims to have annexed and accept permanent neutrality have been rejected by Kyiv, which says that would amount to surrender and leave the nation undefended. Ceasefire Ukraine has expressed readiness to accept a US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and has accused the Kremlin of ignoring the plan. Putin has proposed a ceasefire of only three days – from May 8-10. The minerals deal, signed last month in Washington, hands the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and sets up the investment fund, which could be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine for the first 10 years. After months of fraught talks that almost fell apart at a disastrous meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, the deal also hands Kyiv some wins: no return of aid that Trump says Kyiv owes and a US acknowledgement of Kyiv's intention to join the European Union. Ukraine also sees the deal as a route to unlock the delivery of new US weapons, especially additional Patriot air defence systems it badly needs to repel Russia's increasingly frequent missile attacks. The deal offered no clear guarantee of that. The agreement, which Zelensky says offers Ukraine a better deal than previous drafts – which some in Kyiv had described as "colonial", – is central to Kyiv's efforts to mend ties with Trump after the Oval office meeting. Some Ukrainian lawmakers praised the government's efforts to influence Trump's position, which initially appeared to favour Russia. "Trump's initial position is changing by millimetres, but so far its movement is in the right direction," Inna Sovsun, a lawmaker from the Holos opposition party, said on Facebook, adding that while she might not like the deal's "mercantile" nature, it was important to show that Ukraine is a "constructive party". Some 47 percent of Ukrainians support the deal, while 22 percent say it might have negative consequences and 19 percent say it will have no impact, according to researchers at the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
