mr president when considering eu-acp relations surely the first principle should be how we help take people out of poverty in many of these countries
when i speak to entrepreneurs in these countries they complain to me about how even forty years after independence for many of them they have suffered from the problems of forty years of socialism where they are still dependent on primary economies and also over-dependent on aid
the entrepreneurs in these countries also tell me how trade barriers actually harm these countries and how it makes imports of food and medicines more expensive for the very poorest citizens
they complain about eu tariff and non-tariff barriers and i am glad that the eu-acp goes some way to tackling some of the tariff barriers if not the non-tariff barriers
i am also pleased that the commission has actually set up a unit that helps entrepreneurs in developing countries to export into the eu
we must remember the first principle is that the best way to help the poorest out of poverty is to encourage more trade and to help the entrepreneurs in poorer countries
