Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on a Partnership Agreement between the European Union (EU) and countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States

Summary:

The European Commission adopted on 12 December 2017 a proposal for a Recommendation on the opening of the negotiations to renew a Partnership Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Africa, Caribbeans and the Pacific (ACP) group of countries.

The European Parliament adopted on 14 June 2018 a Resolution on the guidelines for these negotiations. The Council of the European Union adopted the negotiating mandate on 22 June.

Further information:

The relations between the two groupings have been governed by the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA), which establishes that negotiations must open 18 months before its expiration in 2020.

The aim of the proposal is the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement with the existing 79 countries signatories to the CPA, with a focus on materializing common as well as specific EU interests, going beyond the 'universal' approach and departing even more from donor-recipient dynamics.

This proposal followed a Joint Communication published in November 2016 by the Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Policy on this renewed EU-ACP partnership.

• Primary Source

EP: Legislative Observatory: Resolution on the upcoming negotiations for a new partnership agreement between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil-mobile/fiche-procedure/2018/2634(RSP)

European Parliament: Press Release, 14.06.18: EU/African, Caribbean and Pacific partnership: MEPs list key aims for renewal http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180607IPR05247/

EPRS: Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/615670/EPRS_BRI(2018)615670_EN.pdf

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 22.06.18: EU - African, Caribbean and Pacific countries future partnership: Council adopts negotiating mandate https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/06/22/eu-african-caribbean-and-pacific-countries-future-partnership-council-adopts-negotiating-mandate/

European Commission: European Commission ready to start negotiations for a new ambitious partnership with 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific [Fact Sheet] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-5225_en.htm

European Commission: Press Release, 22.06.18: European Commission ready to start negotiations for a new ambitious partnership with 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3930_en.htm

[Opinion] EurActiv, 03.10.18: ACP-EU negotiations: Taking the road to prosperity together https://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/opinion/acp-eu-negotiations-taking-the-path-to-prosperity-together/

EurActiv, 15.06.18: MEPs condemn Hungary’s post-Cotonou agreement blockade https://www.euractiv.com/section/africa/news/meps-condemn-hungarys-post-cotonou-agreement-blockade/

EurActiv: Special Reports: EU-ACP relations after Cotonou Agreement: Re-set, re-launch or retreat? https://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/special_report/eu-acp-relations-after-cotonou-agreement-re-set-re-launch-or-retreat/

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