Universität zu Köln

Nyomakwa-Obimpeh, James (2016). Explaining the Outcomes of Negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Regional Economic Communities - Comparing EU-CARIFORUM and EU-ECOWAS EPAs. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

The European Commission has been negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with Regional Economic Communities of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States since 2002. The outcomes have been mixed. The negotiations with the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) concluded rather more quickly than was initially envisaged, whereas negotiations with West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) and the remaining ACP regions have been dragging on for several years. This research consequently addresses the key question of what accounts for the variations in the EPA negotiation outcomes, making use of a comparative research approach. It evaluates the explanatory power of three research variables in accounting for the variation in the EPA negotiations outcomes – namely, Best Alternative to the Negotiated Agreement (BATNA); negotiation strategies; and the issues linkage approach – which are deduced from negotiation theory. Principally, the study finds that, the outcomes of the EPA negotiations predominantly depended on the presence or otherwise of a “Best Alternative” to the proposed EPA; that is then complemented by the negotiation strategies pursued by the parties, and the joint application of issues linkage mechanism which facilitated a sense of mutual benefit from the agreements.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Nyomakwa-Obimpeh, James james.nyomakwa@gmail.com UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-70914
Date:	6 December 2016
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Weitere Institute, Arbeits- und Forschungsgruppen > Department of Political Science and European Affairs
Subjects:	Political science
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States; Economic Partnership Agreement; EPA Negotiations Outcomes; ECOWAS; CARIFORUM; Free Trade Agreements; Bi-regional trade regions; Negotiation Analysis; Trade Negotiation Studies; Best Alternative to the Negotiated Agreement (BATNA); Issue-linkage; Trade Negotiation Strategies; Distributive Strategy; Integrative Strategy; International Trade Negotiations Tactics; EU-ACP EPA Negotiations; EPAs Negotiations; International Trade Negotiations Outcomes English
Date of oral exam:	19 October 2016
Referee:	Name Academic Title Wessels, Wolfgang Prof. Dr. Kaeding, Michael Prof. Dr. Peterson, John Prof. Dr.
Projects:	Marie Curie Initial Training Network EXACT
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/7091