The partnership between the EU and the 78 countries of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) group, linked until 2020 by the Cotonou Agreement, should be extended beyond that date and made more effective with greater emphasis on sustainable development, the European Commission says in a communication adopted in Strasbourg on Tuesday 22 November (see EUROPE 11672).
A proposal for an “umbrella ACP” framework agreement with tailored regional partnerships lies at the heart of this document. ...