Brussels, 14/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - British Labour Party member, Glenys Kinnock, in her capacity as Co-president on the EU/ACP joint committee, has written to the Presidents of the Belgian, Italian and Dutch Parliaments calling on them to authorise ratification of the Cotonou Agreement, at their earliest convenience. Ms Kinnock regrets that use of the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) is still being held up in the absence of the ratification by these three E U Member States, whereas, ACP countries have done all that is necessary for getting this agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000, into force. The agreement stresses the importance of fighting against poverty and plans to conclude economic partnership agreements and set the level of the 9th EDF at EUR 13.5 billion for 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.