Could Cotonou Waiver be extended?
There is no realistic alternative to EPAs that has the same content and potential. If negotiators fail to put a new system in place we would have to fall back on the only legal alternative which is the EU’s existing Generalised System of Preferences: this is tariff only with less generous access than under Cotonou for many and no economic governance framework. For the West Africa region, for example, more than €1 billion of trade would potentially be lost, as the average tariff to be paid under GSP is in average 20%. 36% of today exports from Ivory Coast (€700 million) would face a tariff of 27% against 0% under Cotonou and EPAs, for Ghana it is 25% of exports (€240 million). For Central Africa, about €360 millions of exports would potentially be lost. Could we not negotiate with other WTO members to extend the existing waiver beyondseven years? In practice, this would be extremely unlikely. The WTO waiver for the EPAs to be negotiated was obtained on a time-limited basis. Extending it
