Press statement: The European Parliament calls for the swift signature of the ACP-EU Post-Cotonou agreement

The Chairs of the DEVE, AFET and INTA Committees and of the Delegation for relations with the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly call for the swift signature of Partnership Agreement

In joint letters addressed to the 27 EU ministers for development, Tomas Tobé, David McAllister, Bernd Lange and Carlos Zorrinho, in their capacity as – respectively – the Chairs of the DEVE, AFET and INTA Committees and Chair of the Delegation for relations with the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, call for the swift signature of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

Nine months after a political agreement on the text was reached, and over five months since the initialling of the Agreement, the Chairs believe that it is of the utmost importance to overcome any remaining divisions and move forward with the signature of the modernised agreement.

In their joint letters, the Chairs underline the potential of this future agreement to enhance the political partnership between the EU and the ACP, one which covers important issues like climate change, migration and peace and security.

Tomas Tobé, Chair of the Committee on Development, said:

“EU Member States and the Commission have had ample time to exhaustively discuss the specificities of the modernised Agreement between the EU and the Members of the OACPS. At this critical juncture, with the end date of the Cotonou Agreement in sight, Parliament firmly insists on receiving the request for consent from the Council. Swift ratification is equally important on both the side of the OACPS and the EU.”