Examination of Witnesses (Questions 60-61)
LORD JONES
OF BIRMINGHAM
AND MR
GARETH THOMAS
MP
8 JANUARY 2008
Q60 Mr Weir: You have talked about
the process from now and you have talked about agreeing a timescale.
Do you have in mind a timescale for bringing this to a conclusion?
Is it going to run parallel to Doha? Is it now a completely different
process? Is it dependent on what happens at Doha?
Mr Thomas: It does not depend
on what happens at Doha, although that is obviously part of the
backdrop. I do not have a fixed timescale in mind. President Barroso
did give a commitment at the EU-Africa summit that there would
be a high level review discussion with each of the six regions
in the first part of this year. We are obviously concentrating
on looking at those discussions and what happens. As to when there
will be agreement concluded on services, on investment conditions,
et cetera, I do not have a fixed timescale. We will talk to our
partners in those countries and see what support, if any, they
want to take forward those discussions. I think that meeting in
late January or February, whenever it happens, with each of those
six regions will be key to us understanding what particular timescales
those developing countries in the ACP have.
Q61 Mr Weir: You mentioned looking
at how the interim EPAs are working. Given you have more or less
accepted there is a rush to sign before the end of the year, if
those interim EPAs show up particular problems for particular
countries, is there a process for amending them quickly to deal
with these problems outside this lengthy negotiation for full
EPAs?
Mr Thomas: If there are problems
with interim EPAs then I would expect to hear about those problems
quickly. I think the high level review meetings that I have said
the Commission have given a commitment that they will organise
provide the first opportunity to have those discussions, but I
have no doubt that some of the ministers that I met, who were
extremely able and capable negotiators for their countries, if
there were problems, they will raise them with us and, indeed,
with Commissioner Mandelson and other Member States too.
Chairman: We do have to move on. This
is a really important area. This is the beginning of our Committee's
re-engagement with the trade issues. We do not want to duplicate
the House of Lords Committee's inquiry. We are going to Brussels
in three weeks' time. We will come back and do some more questions
at a later date because we realise the importance of it. Thank
you for the answers you have given us so far. I did want to bring
Digby Jones in on this as well and I am afraid I cannot because
of time, but thank you for those answers.
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