Home Field Advantage? EU–ACP Economic Partnership Agreement Meeting Locations and Textual Tone. (19th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brazys, Samuel; Schoonvelde, Martijn
• Is Part Of: Journal of common market studies. Volume 60:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 903
• Page End: 925
• Publication Date: 2021-12-19
• Subjects: ACP -- trade -- justice -- economic partnership agreements -- Cotonou agreement; European Economic Community countries -- Periodicals; European Union countries -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 382.9142
• DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13290
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9886

Abstract

Abstract: The European Union's Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with countries in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group are touted as a new form of equitable engagement. However, many argue that the EPAs simply substitute a different form of political and economic domination. In this paper, we consider if the siting of meetings has a substantive impact on EPA outcomes or media reporting thereof. Using a difference‐in‐difference like approach we evaluate if the tone and polarity of media reports about the EPAs during periods of 'home' meetings in the ACP countries differs from media reports during 'away' meetings in the EU. Using two different datasets we arrive at differing results, leading to inconclusive overall findings. While we suspect that the alternating meeting site norm has implications for EPA process and outcomes, further research will be needed to uncover the precise nature of these effects.