EC unveils new trade preference scheme

Simplified system could begin in 2006 ALAN PEAT THE EUROPEAN Commission (EC) recently unveiled a system of trade preferences for developing countries for the period 2006-2015, according to information released to FTW by trade and customs specialists, Deloitte. “This,” said senior manager, AndrŽ Erasmus, “is in addition to the present Africa, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) trade preferences - with this agreement currently under scrutiny by the EC. It also appears to have similar motives to the highly successful African development trade agreement with the US - the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). This is where approved African countries get duty-free access to the US market for selected product categories, without To page 3