Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-02-11-Speech-2-228"
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"en.20030211.10.2-228"2
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".
In response to Mrs Kinnock, I think that feelings on the rhythm and perspectives of these agreements vary according to the regions we are talking to. I do not want to go into detail here, but I know some regions within the ACP group that are ready to start negotiations tomorrow. The objective of these negotiations must be sufficiently clear in their minds if this does not pose a problem for them.
With regard to the title, I find ‘economic partnership agreement’ perfectly appropriate. It means that these are not only trade and free-trade agreements between the EU and the ACP countries, but also economic partnership agreements with the main aim, and I insist on this point, of leading the member countries of the ACP group to conclude trade agreements with each other in terms of investment, intellectual property, transport, infrastructure management and laying down standards, in order to establish economically-relevant zones themselves.
Is development the objective of these negotiations? Yes, of course, but development cannot be negotiated, whereas trade can. That is why we are introducing certain elements of trade negotiations, while keeping development as our objective and starting, as I said earlier, from a simple observation on which I believe you will agree with the Commission: the situation we have experienced for 20 years, based on granting unilateral preferences to these countries, is not, for a number of reasons, bringing about the transformation of this trade liberalisation, which we decided unilaterally, into a genuine instrument for development. The relationship between trade and development is not that simple: in particular, the ACP countries must work together to create markets that are large enough to interest investors.
In any case, I assure you, this is a trade negotiation in which our objective is to make a better, more active contribution to development in these countries than we have in the past."@en1
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