tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post2099047963761694546..comments2023-12-23T09:28:20.869+00:00Comments on The View from Cullingworth: Why we can't buy Ghanaian chocolate barsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post-34837475711238028962016-06-06T17:34:30.209+01:002016-06-06T17:34:30.209+01:00I agree with the general thrust of this post; trad...I agree with the general thrust of this post; trade not charity will help poorer countries become richer more quickly. But I wonder if your assertion that "we consistently make it more difficult for businesses from places like Ghana" is outdated. My understanding is as follows and while I am reasonably confident that it is correct I apologise in advance if it is not.<br /><br />Until recently Ghana enjoyed tariff-free access to the UK market for its chocolate, in any state of processing, under the EU's ACP-group agreement (1). A continuation of this tariff-free access was offered to Ghana in recent economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU.<br /><br />My understanding is that Ghana has chosen to trade this tariff-break away so that it can apply tariffs on certain EU goods, especially clothing. I think that this, and Ghana's failure to ratify its EPA, are probably mistakes. But I am also confident that Ghana's trade ministry is vastly more capable and infinitely more informed than I am to judge that. And even if they are not, it is Ghana's sovereign right to take such a decision.<br /><br />It's probably also important to note that under the everything-but-arms initiative many countries like Ghana, including most of its poorer neighbours, enjoy tariff-free access to European markets for all goods except weapons. That includes chocolate.<br /><br />Ghana does not benefit from the EU's brilliant everything-but-arms initiative because it is, as you note in your piece, too wealthy.<br /><br />1. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/01186a6c-089e-11db-b9b2-0000779e2340.html#axzz4AogJM92iAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05089705289273385835noreply@blogger.com