Strasbourg, 09/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner for Trade Pascal Lamy and Commissioner for Development Poul Nielson confirmed to the press in Strasbourg that the Commission aimed to begin the next round of economic partnership agreements on 27 September with ACP countries (see EUROPE 6 April, p.10). After the adoption by the Commission of its guidelines on the subject, Mr Lamy pointed out that these agreements would be real tools for development and Mr Nielson particularly stressed the importance of the regional dimension in future agreements, that should attract more foreign investment, which has recently been put off by the fragmentation of the ACP markets. EUROPE will return to this issue.