EU urges signing of trade deals

Mr Mandelson says livelihoods could be at risk

EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has warned former European colonies that they could miss out if they do not sign up to new trade deals.

The EU is engaged in a round of talks with former colonies across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).

Protesters are opposing the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA).

However, Mr Mandelson said a failure to sign up meant those who relied on exports of goods such as bananas and fish faced a risk to their livelihoods.

Campaigners say that the planned deals would damage some of the world's poorest countries, opening their markets to unfair competition from Europe.

They were due to hold protests outside the European Commission on Thursday.

In an open letter, Mr Mandelson said that campaigners were "playing poker" with people's livelihoods.

Urging the deals to be signed, he said "we cannot avoid the inevitable".

He said that unless the arrangements were in place by January, the EU would impose less generous tariffs on key exports from the ACP nations.

Analysts believe that only the Caribbean countries are likely to sign a deal by the end of October.

They say that unless a compromise is reached, there will be uncertainty for those in Africa and the Pacific who depend on Europe for exports.