Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States

Summary:

Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part. This is also known as the Post-Cotonou Agreement, or the Samoa Agreement.

Further information:

This Agreement establishes a strengthened political partnership between the European Union (EU) and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), seeking to generate mutually beneficial outcomes on common and intersecting interests and in accordance with their shared values. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement are the overarching frameworks guiding the partnership under this Agreement.

The objectives of the Agreement are to:

• promote, protect and fulfil human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance, paying particular attention to gender equality;
• build peaceful and resilient states and societies, tackling ongoing and emerging threats to peace and security;
• foster human and social development, and in particular to eradicate poverty and address inequalities, ensuring that everyone enjoys a life of dignity and that no one is left behind, with special attention paid to women and girls;
• mobilise investment, support trade and foster private-sector development, with a view to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and creating decent jobs for all;
• combat climate change, protect the environment and ensure the sustainable management of natural resources;
• implement a comprehensive and balanced approach to migration.

Most of the draft text of the Agreement was initialled on 15 April 2021 by the Chief Negotiators, marking the formal conclusion of the negotiations. On the EU's side, the European Commission adopted a draft Council Decision on the signing and provisional application of the Agreement on 11 June 2021, and on the conclusion of the Agreement on 19 December 2023. The Council of the European Union adopted the former on 20 July 2023. The Partnership Agreement was signed by both sides on 15 November 2023. The text of the Agreement was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 28 December 2023.

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 11/12/2023: International Agreements in Progress - The Samoa Agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific States https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)757563

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News

EurActiv: Topics: Post-Cotonou https://www.euractiv.com/topics/post-cotonou/

Reuters, 19/04/2023: Hungary will sign EU's Africa-Pacific trade deal after amendments, says minister https://www.reuters.com/world/hungary-will-sign-eus-africa-pacific-trade-deal-after-amendments-says-minister-2023-04-19/

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Official

EUR-LEX: Council Decision (EU) 2023/2861 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2861/oj

EUR-LEX: COM(2021)312: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:312:FIN

EUR-LEX: COM(2023)791: Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2023:791:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Resolution on the conclusion of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) States, of the other part (2021/2213(INI)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2021/2213(INI)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Signature and conclusion of the Samoa agreement (‘ post-Cotonou ‘) between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-stronger-europe-in-the-world/file-signature-of-the-new-eu-acp-agreement-(%E2%80%98-post-cotonou-%E2%80%98)

General Secretariat of the Council (EU): Policies: Samoa agreement https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/samoa-agreement/

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 25/04/2023: International Agreements in Progress - After Cotonou: Towards a new agreement with the African, Caribbean and Pacific states https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)747105

Samoan Government: Press Release, 06/11/2023: Samoa Agreement with EU and OAPCS to be signed in Samoa this month https://www.samoagovt.ws/2023/11/samoa-agreement-with-e-u-and-oacps-to-be-signed-in-samoa-this-month/

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 11/09/2023: International Agreements in Progress - After Cotonou: Towards a new agreement with the African, Caribbean and Pacific states https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)751466

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 15/11/2023: Samoa Agreement: EU and its Member States sign new Partnership Agreement with the Members of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/11/15/samoa-agreement-eu-and-its-member-states-sign-new-partnership-agreement-with-the-members-of-the-organisation-of-the-african-caribbean-and-pacific-states/

European Commission: Press Release, 15/11/2023: Samoa Agreement: EU and its Member States sign new Partnership Agreement with the Members of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5723

European Commission: Commissioner Urpilainen gives a speech at the signing ceremony of the new Samoa Agreement (15 November 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_6325

Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS): Press Release, 15/11/2023: The Samoa Agreement is now a reality – the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and European Union (EU) sign a new partnership agreement. https://www.oacps.org/press-release/the-samoa-agreement-is-now-a-reality-the-organisation-of-african-caribbean-and-pacific-states-oacps-and-european-union-eu-sign-a-new-partnership-agreement/

S&D EP Group: Newsroom, 15/11/2023: S&Ds: Good news for multilateralism – Au revoir Cotonou Agreement, welcome Samoa Agreement. https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/sds-good-news-multilateralism-au-revoir-cotonou-agreement-welcome-samoa-agreement

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ESO Records

Negotiations between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States on a post-2020 ACP-EU Partnership https://www.europeansources.info/record/negotiations-between-the-european-union-and-the-african-caribbean-and-pacific-acp-group-of-states-on-a-post-2020-acp-eu-partnership/

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