EU expects EPA delays

The European Union has acknowledged that negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with some African and Caribbean Pacific regions could take another year or more.



The Caribbean is the only region to conclude a full economic partnership agreement with Europe.



The EU said the negotiations with Africa and the Pacific still face major hurdles.



This follows consultations this week in Brussels between Louis Michel, the commissioner in charge of development, and representatives of the African Union.



France, the current holder of the EU Presidency, has said it is willing to listen more carefully to the concerns raised by the ACP.