External publications

The future of ACP-EU relations: a political economy analysis

Bossuyt, Jean / Niels Keijzer / Alfonso Medinilla / Marc De Tollenaere
External Publications (2016)

Maastricht: European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM)

Volltext/Document

The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) links the EU to 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and mobilises a large development budget of 30,5 billion euros for the period 2014-2020. It expires in 2020 and all parties are preparing their future positions.
The discussion on the future of ACP-EU cooperation picked up pace in 2015, with both the EU and the ACP engaging in a soul-searching exercise and preparing their future positions.
ECDPM initiated this study to promote an open and well-informed discussion on this important partnership. A political economy analysis can help to address this gap, as it does not look at what is desirable, but on understanding how things work out in practice and why.