ACP–EU development cooperation
Development cooperation between the
Main actors
The European Union
Beginning in 1957 (Rome Treaty) a group of 6 nations in Western Europe, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, created the European Economic Community (EEC). These member states were gradually joined by others through various waves of enlargement and became the European Union.
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States
Similarly to European expansion, at the time of the Treaty of Rome, there were a limited number of nations involved. Beginning with 18 countries and territories that had special relations with the member states, the so-called Associated States gained membership, eventually establishing the group known as the
History
The Yaoundé Agreements
The first cycle of the
In 1969 the agreements made in the first Yaoundé Convention were renewed by the second Yaoundé Convention which lasted until 1975.
One of the most important aspects of Yaoundé was its foundation on the recognition of
The Lomé Conventions
The Yaoundé II Agreement expired in 1974 and was succeeded by a new Convention, signed in and named after the capital of
The
The Cotonou Agreement
This section needs to be updated.(March 2021) |
The relationship between the
The Cotonou Agreement is the latest of the PTAs between the EU and the ACP group. It was signed in June 2000 by 78 ACP countries and the EU-15. It is designed to last for a period of 20 years and is based on four main principles: partnership, participation, dialogue and mutual obligations, and differentiation and regionalisation. Building on the experience of nearly 40 years of development cooperation, the Cotonou Agreement introduced some important innovations.
One of the most significant changes was the introduction of a political dimension to EU-ACP development cooperation. This aspect of Cotonou has been subject to some of its fiercest discussion and criticism because it linked development cooperation to conditionality. Respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law have become so-called "essential elements" the violation of which can lead to partial or total suspension of development aid. Conditionality is one of the issues which have been considered to be undermining the principle of equal partnership on which Lomé was based.
Another important innovation of the Cotonou Agreement was the acknowledgment of the civil society and especially the private sector as an essential element to foster economic development, represented in the principle of participation. Therefore, provisions were included at Cotonou which ensured the participation of non-state actors in ACP countries in the policy process of their respective state. Furthermore, the Cotonou Agreement put more emphasis on regional integration within the ACP group and especially in Africa.
The most radical change which the Cotonou Agreement implied was the establishment of the so-called Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA's) which are scheduled to take effect in 2008.
The Cotonou Agreement came to an end in 2020 and the ACP Group is of 2012 studying options for its future beyond this state. Other independent experts such as the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) have also offered ideas on options for the ACP Group's future after 2020.[3]
There were negotiations for the 11th European Development Fund, proposed to cover the period 2014–2020. This one-year extension compared to the 10th EDF allows the end of the 11th EDF to coincide with the expiration of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement.[1]
See also
- ACP EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
- Foreign relations of the European Union
- EU-
- Global Europe
- The Courier (ACP-EU) : The magazine of Africa–Caribbean–Pacific and European Union cooperation and relations
References
- ^ European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM)
- ^ Mikaela Gavas 2010. Financing European development cooperation: the Financial Perspectives 2014–2020. Archived March 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine London: Overseas Development Institute
- ^ Laporte, G. (2012). "What Future for the ACP and the Cotonou Agreement?". ECDPM.
- Babarinde, O.A. (1994). The Lomé Conventions and development. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited
- ECDPM. 2002. Cotonou Infokit. Maastricht: ECDPM. Retrieved on July 19, 2006, from www.ecdpm.org
- The Cotonou Agreement. (2000). Retrieved on June 16, 2006, from: European Union website
- Holland, M. (2002). The European Union and the Third World. Basingstoke [etc.]: Palgrave
- Nello, S.S. (2005). The European Union. Economics, policies and history. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education
External links
- European Centre for Development Policy Management
- ACP Secretariat
- ACP-EU development news
- ACP-EU Policy Development Briefings
- ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
- ACP-EU Trade website
- DG Development
- EU Development Policy
- ACPCultures+ ACP-EU Support Programme to ACP Cultural Sectors
- African Voices on ACP-EU Aid Effectiveness
- website on EC development for ACP countries
- Independent European Development Portal
- 'The Courier': The magazine of Africa-Caribbean-Pacific and European Union cooperation and relations