Negotiators from the EU and the East African Community (EAC) finalised today a new comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between both regions. The agreement will provide legal certainty for businesses and open a long-term perspective for free and unlimited access to the EU market for products from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. "The East African Community region stands out for its dynamism, and ambition to develop as an integrated region. The comprehensive partnership agreement we have just reached is the best way in which we can support EAC's aspirations", said EU Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht. "We have concluded two other development-oriented partnerships with African regions this year. It's a source of my personal satisfaction also to see East Africa benefiting from the opportunities that Europe wants to offer. I hope that these EPAs will be signed and implemented soon."

Five east African nations have reached a deal with the European Union to renew a duty-free export regime for fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers they sell to the 28-nation bloc, representatives from both sides said on Wednesday. The deal, which is expected to take effect early next year, came after earlier negotiations failed to meet a Sept. 30 deadline, which means the five countries' horticulture exports have been subject to EU customs duty since Oct. 1. A representative from the EU's delegation in Kenya said the Economic Partnership Agreements, signed in Brussels on Tuesday, must still be ratified by the five members of the East African Community - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi - and by the European Parliament.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting held in Luxembourg earlier this week under the presidency of Maurizio Martina, Italian Minister for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy discussed the Europe 2020 strategy, international trade issues, African swine fever and the Russian ban on agricultural products. As regards agricultural trade issues, ministers were briefed by the Commission on the state of play on international agricultural trade issues. On the WTO post-Bali agenda, the aim is to finalise the post-Bali work programme by the end of the year, but due to India's refusal to approve the protocol on trade facilitation, the work is now delayed. The WTO General Council's next meeting is on 21 October where the discussion will continue on how to resolve the deadlock.

The European commission has announced it has decided to end its sanctions on Belize over non-cooperation in fighting illegal, unregulated and unrestricted (IUU) fishing, while also lifting its so-called ‘yellow cards’ on Fiji, Panama, Togo and Vanuatu. However, the commission announced it has decided to impose sanctions onto Sri Lanka for its lack of progress in fighting IUU, while extending its deadline for South Korea, Ghana and Curacao to January 2015. Starting mid-January — three months after the publication of the commission’s decision — all fishery imports from Sri Lanka-flagged vessels into the EU will be banned, a commission spokesperson told Undercurrent News.