Assembly/AU/Decl.2 (VIII) Page 1 DECLARATION ON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS NEGOTIATIONS We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 29 – 30 January 2007 in the 8th Ordinary Session of our Assembly: Taking note of the Report and Recommendations of the Third-Extraordinary Session of AU Ministers of Trade on the negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union; Recalling our earlier Declarations on the negotiations of EPAs; Further recalling the Khartoum Declaration issued by the 5th Summit of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Heads of State and Government in Khartoum on 8 December 2006. Hereby: 1. ENDORSE the Addis Ababa Ministerial Declaration of 16 January 2007 on the negotiations of EPAs; 2. COMMEND the efforts of the AU Ministers of Trade and Africa’s negotiators in promoting the collective interests of Africa in the EPA negotiations and REQUEST them to remain vigilant and steadfast in the remaining stages of the negotiations; 3. CALL ON the European Union to extend the deadline for the completion of negotiations beyond the December 2007 time frame and to explore the alternatives of Economic Partnership Agreements as required by the Cotonou Partnership Agreement; 4. URGE the European Commission to respond in a timely manner to issues that are presented to it by African negotiators in order to assist expedite the negotiations; 5. EMPHASIZE that the negotiations of EPAs should be consistent with the measures the Assembly takes to address the questions of rationalisation and multiple membership, as well as the programmes of the Regional Economic Communities and the African Union; 6. REITERATE that Economic Partnership Agreements must, as indicated in the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, serve primarily as instruments for the promotion of sustained development and eradication of poverty in Africa.