24/01/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 24 January, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States of the EU (Coreper) approved a decision giving the green light to the accession of three countries to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the Pacific States: Tonga, Tuvalu and Niue. The EPA, ratified in 2011 by the European Parliament, is provisionally applied and includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Solomon Islands. All African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries can apply to join. The EPA is a development-oriented agreement that offers asymmetrical access to the European market, allowing partner countries to protect potentially fragile sectors. The EU Council will formally adopt the decision at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 27 January. The European Parliament voted in favour of accession on 18 December (see EUROPE 13548/16). (LM)