Brussels, 17/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 14 December 2009 an agreement was concluded between the EU and Latin American producer countries (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, or tomorrow, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela) and the US and other third country producers, such as the Philippines and Thailand (an historic agreement, which put an end to the interminable “banana war”: EUROPE n° 10041). As part of this agreement, the European Commission adopted a raft of support measures on Wednesday 17 March, worth €190 million for African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP) exporting bananas (Belize, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines and Surinam). By taking into account the specific agricultural situation in each country, as well as their level of development, these measures are expected to help ACP banana exporting countries adapt to the new trade environment created by the agreement. This agreement is based on the gradual reduction of EU applied import tariffs on bananas from Latin America from a rate of €176 to €114 the tonne. These measures have three objectives: to strengthen competitiveness in the banana sector, promote economic diversification in ACP banana producing countries and tackle the overall impact at social, economic and environmental levels in these countries. ACP countries will continue to benefit from duty free-quotas under the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA). Funds released by the Commission in favour of ACP countries will be taken out of the EU budget for the 2010-2013 period. Banana sector accompaniment measures will be worth €190 million and added to the development aid granted under the European Development Fund. The Commission will now submit its proposal to the Council and the European Parliament. (E.H./transl.fl)