17/12/2019 (Agence Europe) – With 534 votes in favour, 145 against and 13 abstentions, MEPs approved, on Tuesday 17 December, in plenary session in Strasbourg, the Solomon Islands' accession to the EU's interim Partnership Agreement with the Pacific States. This Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), signed more than a decade ago and provisionally applied by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa, sets out the modalities for the accession of other Pacific Island States. Solomon Islands' EPA accession negotiations were concluded in October 2018, offering them asymmetric access to the EU market. The treaty also contains safeguards and other clauses to protect sectors considered more sensitive and infant industries from liberalisation. The EPA covers 90.3% of tariff lines, or 83% of the EU's export volume over 15 years. (HD)