PORT VILA - The Pacific is expected to lose market access to the European Union if it does not conclude Economic Partnership Agreement.
That's the view of ACP Multilateral Trade Expert Morgan Githinji, during his briefing to journalists at the fringes of the ACP Council of Ministers Meeting underway in Port Vila.
"If both sides do not become flexible enough there is a high risk it that it may not be concluded."
The ACP side is asking the European Commission to be more flexible and off course the Commission will also want the ACP side to be flexible. It will call for a movement on both sides to have an agreement," he said. Morgan says the Pacific risks losing market access if it does not concluded EPA by the end of 2013.
"I think the real issue is market access. More so their products will start facing competition from other suppliers because the tariffs that will be imposed. I think each country needs to assess its own situation to see how best they can conclude an EPA. Regional integration is something also that is difficult to support. Therefore, there are positions to make the region lose if they do not conclude an EPA."