ACP Talks secure Trade Agreements Feb04

Following this week's ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Addis Ababa, agreements have been secured on trade and development.

Discussions between the 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and their European Parliament counterparts have resulted in agreement on cotton and other commodities to ensure appropriate measures are taken to protect ACP countries that are dependent on banana, sugar, rice and cotton exports.

Bashir Khanbhai MEP, Conservative ACP Spokesman in the European Parliament, said:

"This week we have succeeded in pushing the European Commission to launch an action plan to help ACP cotton producers. The plan allows for compensation for loss of income resulting in depressed cotton prices owing to overproduction in the US and China.

Although the EU supports its Greek and Spanish cotton farmers, the EU is a net importer of cotton overall. The problems faced by Western and Central African cotton growing countries have been aggravated by the US and China subsidising their farmers and exporting huge quantities world-wide, thereby suppressing prices.

It essential that the EU and ACP countries develop better management of the global cotton market."