EU Proposal to End Preferences of African and Pacific States: An Assessment

To the surprise of those countries in Africa and the Pacific that had been enjoying Duty Free Quota Free (DFQF) access to Europe while still negotiating EPAs, the European Commission on 30 September 2011 adopted a proposal recommending to the EU Council of Ministers an end to their DFQF access by 1 January 2014. This issue of the Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics provides an assessment of the proposed regulation which the European Commission adopted on 30 September 2011.