• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Museveni, EU Commission boss discuss Economic Partnership Agreements

Mulema Najib by Mulema Najib
8 years ago
in News
1 0

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 70

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 73
ShareTweetSendShare

President Yoweri Museveni has today (Thursday) met the European Union (EU) Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and presented a raft of concerns raised by East African Community member states on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

Leading a delegation of EA trade ministers to the meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, President Museveni, who is also Chairperson of the EAC, noted that the bloc sought several clarifications before making a final decision on the EPAs.

Key among the concerns is the question of strategic industrial development, the denunciation process, development agenda, the rendezvous, joint declaration and domestic support.

On strategic industrial development, President Museveni noted that once the trade pact is signed, up-to 65% of imports (mainly machinery and raw materials for industrialization) from the EU to EAC will come in at zero rate, which is similar to a current policy position East Africa already has with the EU.

“What happens when EAC partner states start producing these items and now need to protect them after signing the EPAs?” President Museveni asked.

Another concern for East Africa, noted President Museveni, is the fact that the EPAs does not allow individual countries to exit.

“The denunciation clause should allow individual signatory states to withdraw from the agreement,” said President Museveni.

As far as the development agenda is concerned, President Museveni said the EPAs clauses on the European Union supporting structural and infrastructural development in East Africa are non-binding yet these are crucial for leveling the ground for equitable trade.

EAC states also raised issue with the fact that the EPAs direct that negotiations must be concluded within five years after entry into force of the agreement.

This rendezvous clause, said President Museveni, imposes unlimited pressure on negotiators “rather than paying attention to substance of the negotiations.”

On joint declaration, the EAC wants clarification on an annex that obliges the community to negotiate with countries that the EU has Free Trade Agreements with.

“This is far beyond what is politically tenable in the EAC and should be removed,” President Museveni told Mr Juncker.

Also of concern to EAC, said Mr Museveni, is the clause that commits the EU to remove export subsidies on EAC-destined exports only but does not address other forms of domestic support that equally distort the market.

“This makes EU products competitive in the EAC market,” said President Museveni. “But EAC products cannot be competitive in the EU market due to other domestic support provided by the EU.”

He added: “Moreover, with regard to these export subsidies, the prohibition is not permanent and will be reviewed after 48 months.”

The President also made the case that Kenya, which had already signed these pacts, should not be disadvantaged in terms of trade, “nor should EU stampede EAC into hurried conclusions which would result into dissensions and possibly split the EAC”.

Mr Juncker, who warmly welcomed President Museveni and his East African delegation to Brussels, promised to review all issues raised by the EAC and offer a comprehensive response.

On the team was Uganda’s trade minister Amelia Kyambadde and her colleagues Adan Mohamad (Kenya), Prof Palamagamba Kabudi (Tanzania) and Alain Nyamitwe, the Burundian Minister for External Relations. Rwanda and South Sudan sent high-level government bureaucrats.

Background:

In May, as President Museveni assumed the EAC chair in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from President John Pombe Magufuli, the other heads of state tasked him to lead a team to Brussels to resolve the sticking issues in the EPAs.

After today’s meeting and upon receipt of a response from the EU, President Museveni will again convene the meeting of the trade ministers to trash out the key issues before preparing a final document for the EAC heads of state.

The EAC heads of state summit will then take a final and binding position on the EPAs whose text was first initialed in 2014


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

Business

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto
News

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54
News

New business lounge commissioned at Entebbe International Airport

4th July 2025 at 16:40
Next Post

Uganda Cranes Team To Lira For Regional Tour Match Named

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1111 shares
    Share 444 Tweet 278
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    44 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    120 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda