PURPOSE: to conclude the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2011/144/EU on the conclusion of the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part.
BACKGROUND: on 12 June 2002, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations to conclude Economic Partnership Agreements with ACP countries. Negotiations for an Interim Partnership Agreement were concluded on 23 November 2007 with Papua New Guinea and the Republic of the Fiji Islands.
The interim EPA has not yet been concluded. It is now appropriate to conclude the interim EPA on behalf of the European Union,
CONTENT: by this Decision, the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part, is hereby approved on behalf of the European Union.
The main provisions of the Interim EPA are as follows:
Part I: Trade parternship for sustainable development:
Objectives: these are to:
Principles: the Agreement is based on the Fundamental Principles as well as the Essential and Fundamental Elements set out in Articles 2 and 9 of the Cotonou Agreement. It will build on the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement and the previous ACP-EC Partnership Agreements in the area of regional cooperation and integration as well as economic and trade cooperation. The EC and Pacific States agree that the Cotonou Agreement and this Agreement shall be implemented in a complementary and mutually reinforcing manner.
Sustainable development: the Agreement reaffirms that the objective of sustainable development will be an integral part of the provisions of this Agreement, consistent with the overarching objectives and principles set out in the Cotonou Agreement, and especially the general commitment to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty in a way that is consistent with the objectives of sustainable development. In this Agreement sustainable development is understood to mean a commitment that:
Cooperation in international fora: the EC and Pacific States will try to cooperate in all international fora where issues relevant to the Agreement are discussed. They recognise the valuable contribution that regional organisations can make to the achievement of the objectives of the Agreement and agree to work closely with existing Pacific regional organisations and programmes wherever useful and possible.
Part II: Trade in Goods: the Agreement includes an important trade section which provides for:
Part III – Dispute Avoidance and Settlement: the objective of this Part is to avoid and settle any dispute between the EC and the Pacific States with a view to arriving at a mutually agreed solution.
Part IV: Institutional Provisions: the Agreement deals with the establishment of the Trade Committee, which will deal with all matters necessary for the implementation of the Agreement.
Part V: Final provisions: the Parties confirm their commitment to the continuation and successful conclusion of a comprehensive EPA.
This Agreement shall remain open for accession of all Pacific Island States party to the Cotonou Agreement.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 15/02/2011. The date of entry into force of the Agreement shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.