Economic Partnership Agreements and the Complex Framework of Regional Integration in Africa

Marinov, Eduard (2016): Economic Partnership Agreements and the Complex Framework of Regional Integration in Africa. Published in: EU Trade Policy at the Crossroads: between Economic Liberalism and Democratic Challenges, ÖFSE – Vienna (February 2016): pp. 1-19.

Abstract

The article briefly presents the concept and framework of regional integration in Africa. It then discusses the principles, history, and current state of negotiations to disclose the effects of EPAs on regional integration efforts in Africa. Then it analyses the trends in international trade relations between the EU and the five EPA regions in Africa for the period 2003-2013, aiming to assess if EPAs have the envisaged positive impact on trade for both the EU, the EPA regions and the participating countries. The analysis includes the direction, dynamics and commodity structure of EU trade with African EPA regions. As a conclusion, the paper presents some general questions posed by the analysis on the future development of EPAs and the trade policy of the EU towards Sub-Saharan African countries.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Economic partnership agreement, EPA regions, regional integration in Africa, EU-Africa trade
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F13 - Trade Policy ; International Trade Organizations; F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F15 - Economic Integration; F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F50 - General; F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F55 - International Institutional Arrangements

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