Impact of the European Union on Regional Integration in Africa

Marinov, Eduard (2013): Impact of the European Union on Regional Integration in Africa. Published in: Financial and Monetary Economics – EFM 2013 No. ISSN 2344-3642 (2013): pp. 229-239.

Abstract

The development and dynamics of regional integration in Africa are severely influenced by the transformation of the trade relations imposed by the Cotonou agreement. Economic relations now based on unilateral trade preferences provided by the EU are envisaged to be based on Economic partnership agreements that should regulate trade and cooperation establishing new trade regimes between the EU and ACP regions selected by clear criteria. They also promote regional integration efforts and impose measures to support developing partner regions. A decade after the start of the negotiations for the EPAs, the impact on regional integration is still unclear. Although EPAs aim at the promotion of regional integration their immediate impact is even greater fragmentation of existing RECs. The report examines the principles, history, and current state of negotiations as well as the twofold effects of EPAs on regional integration efforts in Africa.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Regional integration; African economy; Economic Partnership Agreements
• Subjects: 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 > F53 - International Agreements and Observance ; International Organizations

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