Summary
While 6 ACP countries export rice to the EU, this trade is wholly dominated by Guyana and Suriname. The unit value of Guyanese and Surinamese rice exports to the EU has fallen 23% and 30% respectively between 2012 and 2017. This needs to be seen in the context of the granting of fully duty free-quota free access to LDC rice exporters from 2009 and the reduction of the EU intervention price for rice and shift over to direct aid payments to EU rice producers in 2013. Despite the price decline Guyana exported 31% more rice to the EU market in 2017 than 2007. Up to 2030 EU rice imports are projected to increase 16.7%, although this does not factor in the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. The UK takes 22.7% of total EU rice imports and 12.4% of rice imports from ACP countries. The UK’s withdrawal would impact on the EU’s TRQ based managed trade regime for rice, since such imports would then be concentrated on EU27 markets. What is more any moves by the UK to abolish current MFN tariffs on rice given the absence of domestic UK production would greatly intensify competition from Indian and Thai rice exporters, potentially pushing Guyanese and Surinamese rice exporters entirely out of the UK market. Read more “Trends in the EU Rice Market and the Potential Impact of Brexit on ACP Rice Exports”
Category: Other
The Complications of ‘Rolling-Over’ Current EPAs into ‘Cut and Paste’ Bilateral ‘UK-Only’ Trade Deals
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 9 explores the complications faced in ‘rolling-over’ current EPAs into ‘cut and paste’ bilateral ‘UK-only’ trade agreements. Read more “The Complications of ‘Rolling-Over’ Current EPAs into ‘Cut and Paste’ Bilateral ‘UK-Only’ Trade Deals”
Brexit and the WTO Complications
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 11 explores the WTO complication arising from the Brexit process with reference to the expectations of other WTO members as to how the EU will treat the UK once it is a 3rd country and how the EU’s current preferential trade partners should treat the UK once the UK is no longer a member of the EU and is just another 3rd country trade partner. Read more “Brexit and the WTO Complications”
The Complicating Factors Arising from a Transition Period in EU27/UK Relations
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 10 explores the complications arising from proposals for a 21 month transition in in EU27/UK relations during which the UK would remain bound by EU rules and regulations but would no longer be a part of the EU. Read more “The Complicating Factors Arising from a Transition Period in EU27/UK Relations”
What is a Hard Brexit and Under What Circumstances Would Hard Brexit Occur?
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 12 explores what would constitute a ‘hard’ Brexit and the circumstances under which a ‘hard’ Brexit is likely to occur. Read more “What is a Hard Brexit and Under What Circumstances Would Hard Brexit Occur?”
Brexit and the Disruption of Triangular Supply Chains
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 7 explores the potential of the Brexit process to disrupt the functioning of triangular supply chains which serve the UK market via an initial port of landing in an EU27 member state or EU27 markets via a port of landing in the UK. Read more “Brexit and the Disruption of Triangular Supply Chains”
Impact of Brexit on the Functioning of EU27 Markets: The Case of Sugar and Bananas
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 6 explores the impact of Brexit on the functioning of EU27 markets with specific reference to the sugar and banana sectors given the extent if EU bilaterally agreed TRQ arrangements and the scale of UK import demand within the overall EU28 market equation. Read more “Impact of Brexit on the Functioning of EU27 Markets: The Case of Sugar and Bananas”
The Trade Displacement Effects of Brexit: Lessons from the Poultry Sector
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 7 explores the potential trade displacement effects of Brexit, whereby current mutual EU27/UK trade in agro-food products is displaced to ACP markets. This issue is explored with specific reference to the poultry meat sector, in the light of the earlier African experience of trade displacement in the poultry meat sector arising from the imposition of a ban by Russia on agro-food imports from the EU. Read more “The Trade Displacement Effects of Brexit: Lessons from the Poultry Sector”
Post-Brexit Policy Uncertainty: The Case of Preference Erosion in the Banana Sector
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 5 explores the impact of Brexit on the erosion of the value of ACP trade preferences through an exploration of the specific case of ACP banana exports, in the context of the likely evolution of the UK’s independent trade policy once the UK is freed from the disciplines of EU customs union and single market rules and regulations. Read more “Post-Brexit Policy Uncertainty: The Case of Preference Erosion in the Banana Sector”
State of Play in EU EPA Implementation Update January 2018
On 22 February 2018 ACT Alliance convened Seminar on the Implications of Brexit in the agro-food sector for ACP countries and for the forthcoming ACP-EU Post-Cotonou negotiations. A series of twelve 2 page summary notes were produced for the seminar covering both substantive issues arising within the Brexit process and the current state of play in the Brexit process. Note 4 provides a summary overview of the state of play in regard to the negotiation and implementation of ACP-EU economic partnership agreements based on the EC’s posted summaries and additional information. Read more “State of Play in EU EPA Implementation Update January 2018”