Key messages

The EU should support its African partners in working towards the African Continental Free Trade Area’s operationalisation. Facilitating the negotiation process, as well as helping with specific implementation in areas like harmonisation of goods classifications, application of rules of origin, trade facilitation, and the dismantling of non-tariff barriers, should be a focus.

The EU must aim to streamline existing EU trade frameworks with the continent. The EPAs should strive to harmonise rules and provisions regarding the main obstacles to the economic integration of African countries, including goods and services regulations and customs procedures. The EU should also align the rules of origin across its different trade agreements, limiting regionally specific elements as much as possible, in order to promote the development of value chains among the different economic communities.

Expanding the agreements governing EU-Africa trade to cover areas beyond trade in goods including services, competition and intellectual property, would enhance the trade and investment relationship. The EU should move forward with countries that are willing to broaden the scope of agreements, always taking into account their specific development needs

The EU should orient its policies relating to Africa to improving the environment for investment. An enabling environment for investment is foremost one of strong institutions and legal certainty. The EU should also support African governments in their investment in skills and education, access to finance, infrastructure development and public-private dialogue.

In order to de-risk trade and investment in Africa, the EU should achieve a better coordination of external financing instruments. The priority should be on making the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and its instruments work effectively for the private sector. The development of an EU Export Credit Strategy and more streamlined and versatile development finance opportunities at the EU level could help to overcome gaps in trade finance. Rules on procurement in external finance should also be evaluated to offer a more level playing field in tender opportunities for European firms.

Africa and the EU are key partners in the global transition towards clean and renewable energy. The EU should be flexible in using a variety of instruments to pursue objectives here, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships (CTIPs) and Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreements (SIFAs). It is important for the EU to offer meaningful engagement and support to help trading partners comply with reporting requirements introduced by the EU’s sustainability legislation.