Is EPA an obscure coercion? A critical reflection from the literature and agenda for research

Abstract

There is a preponderance of criticism in the literature about the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This paper adopts a neutral stance to present some of these criticisms. The approach is a critical review that culminates in a suggested research agenda. A deduction from critical literature is critic’s censure of EU-ACP EPA apparent coercive posture, described as not meeting developmental expectations both in previous and current agreement. However, some literature avows that EU-ACP EPA has some benefits to EPA, but opines that institutional problems such as corruption in some ACP countries are a hindrance to the realisation of benefits from EPA. Accordingly, the paper suggests agenda for further research as follows: can it be conclusive that the ACP countries have not benefited from EU-ACP agreements thus far and how has corruption in the ACP countries hindered the realisation of intended benefits from EU-ACP agreements?