Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) – The third European Union – African Union Summit concluded in Tripoli on Tuesday, 30 November, with the signing of the Declaration of Tripoli and the second Action Plan (2011-2013) between the two continents. The Action Plan covers peace and security, democracy and human rights, trade and infrastructure, energy, immigration and labour.
“Cooperation is of strategic importance to both parties,” said the final declaration signed by 80 European and African leaders who attended the Summit (see Fides 30/11/2010).
There are some issues that the summit intended to address which still remain open, particularly the issues related to trade and climate change. Regarding the first point, there are unresolved differences between the European Union and African Countries on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which should replace the previous agreements, incompatible with World Trade Organization rules. While the EPAs should open up European markets to African products, they also impose a push on deregulation of African markets to European goods. African States are concerned that their production, still very fragile, will be eliminated by competition from European States. In addition, the finances of the African countries could no longer take advantage of the high customs duties imposed on imports from the European Union.
In Tripoli, it was hoped to sign a climate agreement under which the European Union undertook to reduce their inputs of gases responsible for so-called greenhouse gases by 2020. African countries, which emit few greenhouse gases are among the most affected by disasters caused by rising global temperatures. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 01/12/2010)
