EU Parliamentary delegation visits Ghana

A 13-Member European Union (EU) Delegation including six Members of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee have paid a day's working visit to Ghana.

The aim of the visit was to afford the European Parliament Trade Committee the opportunity to meet with Ghanaian authorities, Members of Parliament and other relevant stakeholders regarding topics of interests and notably the implementation process of the recently concluded interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Ghana and the EU, regional integration in West Africa and business and investment environment.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the leader of the Delegation, Mr Bernd Lange, Chairman of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament, said the EU would not undermine the ECOWAS Agreement because of new development in the West African sub-region.

He said the committee which was involved in implementing partnership trade was committed in ensuring a smooth trade of Ghanaian products into the European market as well as European products in the Ghanaian market.

Mr Lange said investments in trade relations would be of much benefit to the two parties especially Ghana; saying "the EU has a very key interest in Ghana".

He said the committee was willing to support the export industry and also to protect consumer rights; as it was mandated in the implementation process of recently concluded Interim EPA.

Mr William Hanna, the Head of the EU Delegation in Ghana, said the EU Parliamentary Delegation was on a fact finding mission to Ghana.

He said the delegation had earlier spent a longer period in the Ivory Coast on a similar mission; because the Ivory Coast had advanced in the implementation of the EPA.

He said there were a lot of challenges in the implementation of the EPA but there was the need for stakeholders to move ahead.